Fame, once the reward of years of hard work and dedication, can now be instant – and social media platforms are giving individuals the tools to bring it about. Posting just one picture can make someone famous – or infamous.
The latest internet sensation – Arshad Khan, an 18-year-old Pakistani tea seller – isn't even on social media. He doesn't own a phone. But a picture of him pouring tea at Islamabad's Sunday Bazaar went viral after the photographer Javeria Ali posted it on Instagram with a caption "Hot-tea". The hashtag #ChaiWala began trending and, a few days later, Khan signed a modelling contract with fashion retail site Fitin.pk.
So, what – other than his piercing blue-green eyes – is so special about this young man that has made him a star? And what does his story tell us about modern culture? Are we putting too much emphasis on how someone looks? Social media is playing a role in enforcing superficial notions that have long existed. The “15 minutes of fame” predicted by Andy Warhol can now come instantly.
