When Admiration Turns to Exploitation - How Fans are Manipulated

In today’s world, influential personalities are everywhere. Whether they’re seen on billboards or on our phones, they seem to hold immense power over their audience. Their reputation and authority create a sense of trust with their fans. Although this may have positive effects in some scenarios, it often leads to exploitation in various forms, such as financial, psychological, or even sexual.

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From Yoga Studios to Hollywood Sets

The following cases truly show how widespread this issue is and how innocent fans end up being susceptible to coercion, manipulation, and harm.

Firstly, Bikram Choudury, the founder of ‘Bikram Yoga’. He was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and assault due to a cult-like environment. His expensive and rigorous training programs, with him being a ‘guru’, were just a way to gain spiritual trust with his students. He would then leverage his authority to manipulate them simply for his own sexual gratification. In a high-profile case, Choudury was even ordered to pay over $6 million after trying to cover up a rape allegation! After refusing to pay, he fled the United States. Despite all his wrongdoings, he is currently not facing any criminal charges. This case goes to show the dangers of charismatic figures when exploiting the loyalty of their followers.

A similar incident occurred in the film industry with Harvey Weinstein. Throughout his career, the Hollywood producer exploited his immense influence by promising career opportunities to numerous women in exchange for sexual favours. After decades of silence, this situation finally came to light in 2017, which even led to the rise of the #MeToo movement. It was later found that his abuse was known in Hollywood for decades, but due to a culture of silence, the exploitation continued.

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Behind the Curtain of Exploitation

There are various driving factors behind this type of exploitation. For instance, the psychological power of authority. As seen in Bikram’s case, his authority as a spiritual master caused people to comply with his instructions, regardless of whether they were ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. This factor was also demonstrated in Milgram’s obedience study, which similarly proved that people are more likely to comply with figures of authority. Another factor is the presence of a parasocial relationship. This symbolizes a one-sided bond that fans have, leading them to ignore harmful actions done to them by famous figures. However, apart from the silence of victims due to this disbelief in their idols’ actions, even the industry structures themselves are problematic. The lack of accountability systems causes this exploitation to prolong, as seen in both the yoga studios and the Hollywood industry.

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Breaking the Cycle

The first step towards breaking this cycle is to ensure that the actions of perpetrators come to light. This can be in the form of better accountability structures to protect individuals. Apart from this, movements such as #MeToo are powerful methods to speak out against this systemic exploitation. They give a voice to victims who were forced to remain silent. This even serves as a method of public education, which is crucial for people to understand the warning signs of the manipulation tactics used by influential personalities. By exposing these abuses, we can pave the way for an ethical future where trust is no longer exploited as a weapon.

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By Writer Neil Jadhav and Researcher Aarush Katiyar