It seems there’s always some big hullabaloo or other surrounding celebrities. The media would have us believe that not only does the average citizen fawn over Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ baby or shake their head sadly over Britney Spears’ latest shenanigans, they do so with more than a passersby interest. They lead us to believe we need these celebrities in our daily lives.

They say we need to them to show us what’s fashionable, whether it be the latest style of denim or the new “It” bag or how to wear our hair. They convince us that celebrities are the ruler by which we should measure our social, personal, and professional lives. Even the staunchest of feminists can admit this to some degree; what woman hasn’t found secret satisfaction in Enquirer magazine’s “Cellulite Special” or the Us Weekly spreads catching celebs unaware and at their worst. “They’re just like us,” you may say to yourself, and despite your best efforts you find yourself comparing your life to theirs, for better or worse.

But when celebrities lives’ become so intertwined with the lives of the public, their actions not only have repercussions in the realms they occupy (i.e. the movie business or the fashion industry), but in the personal daily activities of the people they influence—people that have never nor will ever meet them face-to-face.

Case in point: Oprah Winfrey. At the mere mention of her name, you may already have an image of her in her mind. Benevolent, perhaps; giving and generous, maybe. Or on the other end of the spectrum, so self-involved she has to have her picture on the cover of every magazine she owns (because she does own more than one)--EVERY MONTH.

This is the power of celebrity. The slightest suggestion conjures images and feelings and prejudices, positive or negative. Without ever entering your physical life these people have the power to shape your perspective of not only their place in the world but the things in yours as well. I give you the case of the thyroid disorder.

Oprah recently admitted to having a diagnosed thyroid disorder and dedicated an entire show to this topic. This immediately caused a stir in the “real world.” News outlets began to report. Doctors began to diagnose. Bloggers began to write. Many jumped to her side, saying, “Thank you, Oprah, for bringing to light what we have known for so long but couldn’t share with the world.” Others took the opposite, saying, “You cheated the world by telling a story, not the truth. Your reality is far from ours.”

What caused this commotion was Oprah saying that although she had a diagnosed medical problem, she “solved” it by taking a month-long vacation to Hawaii and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. To top it off, she invited a doctor onto the show who said that thyroid problems are (I paraphrase) your body’s way of telling you what’s wrong emotionally.

Believe this or not. Though I do believe that psychology and physiology are very intricately linked, I do NOT believe that you can simply take care of your emotions in order to take care of a very real physical illness. You can’t simply eat fruits and vegetables; you have to have a doctor’s care, and usually this means medication and other kinds of specialized treatment. While you should take your emotional health very seriously, you cannot simply pamper your problems away.

I remember feeling this same kind of outrage when Jane Pauley’s book on bipolar disorder was published. Having been newly diagnosed with the same illness, I quickly ran to the bookstore to pick up a copy. I expected some type of grand statement not only about the disorder but about the courage it took to fight it. I guess I was looking for some formula to follow to help me recover as Jane so quickly did. As I remember it, she was feeling depressed, then had a bundle of extra energy. She was diagnosed, checked herself into a facility where she spent the bulk of her time painting, took a bit of lithium, and voila! Cured!

I guess it’s true that celebrities live in a vacuum. Their glamour is above what we can achieve, their money more than what we can earn, and their illnesses much more curable and much less intense. Living in this magical, untouchable realm, I guess they really do deserve our undying adoration. Because, after all, they’re better than us. Right?

I say wrong. I say down with the glossy tabloids. Down with the “It Girl” status. Down with the self-promotion, self-acclamation, self-adoration. I submit to you:

If you want a role model you must be one.

If you feel you don’t measure up to a set of expectations, ask whose expectations they are.

If you don’t have a strong internal compass it’s time to build one.

Seek after good things, not necessarily popular things.

Listen to yourself. Listen to your body and your feelings and your thoughts.

Don’t look to others to tell you how “real life” is or should be.

Happiness should be of your own creation, not a hand-me-down second—least of all from someone living in an untouchable world.