Cognitive psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, writing for Scientific American, highlights interesting research around the motivations for fame, and the role of narcissism.

The first study was by John Maltby, who looked at what motivates 10-12 year olds desire for fame:

• Intensity (e.g., “Very little matters to me apart from being famous”)
• Vulnerability (e.g., “I want to be famous because it would help me overcome issues I have about myself”)
• Celebrity Life-Style (e.g., “I want to be rich”)
• Drive (e.g., “I work hard everyday to be famous”)
• Perceived Suitability (e.g., “I have got what it takes to be famous”)
• Altruistic (e.g., “I want to be famous so I can make a contribution to society”)

The second study was led by Dara Greenwood, building off of Maltby’s work, focusing in on the reasons why people want fame:

• The desire to be seen/valued (e.g., “Being on the cover of a magazine”, “Being recognized in public”)
• The desire for an elite, high status lifestyle (e.g., “Having the ability to travel in first class and stay at exclusive resorts”, “Living in a mansion or penthouse apartment”)
• The desire to use fame to help others or make them proud (e.g., “Being able to financially support family and friends”, “Being a role model to others”)

While on the one hand I’ve often regarded the desire for fame as a desire for power, this research suggests that it is also a means of self-fulfillment. That for narcissists, fame may be their ultimate goal, the justification for their narcissism, as an aspirational self-fulfilling prophecy. Maybe the individual who wants to be famous thinks that if they are even more narcissistic their chance of fame will increase.

The research also touches upon the “need to belong”, which Scott Barry Kaufman uses to argue that the desire for fame is “rooted in basic human needs”.

While I acknowledge that the desire for community and connection is strong when it comes to motivating people, I’m not sure it should be regarded in this manner. Rather I wonder if that desire for fame actually subverts and hurts a subject’s need for belonging.

In wanting to belong, they seek fame, embracing narcissism, and potentially alienating the people who would otherwise care for and accept them. The paradox of social relations in the era of social media is that while the tools could be used for social connection, they are more often used in the pursuit of fame via narcissistic over-sharing.