We are going to talk about one of my favorite pet subjects, stan culture. First and foremost, What are "stans?" and "why should I care? for those who don't know, the term "stan" originally came from a 2000 Eminem song. Quote: chronicling the actions of a crazed, obsessed stan, who imitates the reapper's every waking move until his disastrous death In addition to the internet facilitating this love of a certain star into way to spend money on them, which simply didn't exist before the internet. Stars and the powerful teams behind them have really latched on to just how much of a marketing tool these "stan-doms" can be, essentially acting as armies work of unpaid PR. That unpaid PR army. It doesn't just work to promote their latest single. it also works to insulate them from criticism. also, at the end of the day, serves as a way to transfer money away from the fans and toward the empire the celebrity represents. whether that's their primary creative work or in many of the other offshoot businesses that celebrities increasingly start.