When I first heard the news about Snooki from ‘Jersey Shore’ coming to Binghamton University, my first thought was ‘Why?’

Many people whom I had spoken to about her arrival were not only just as confused as I was, but they were also angry. They were insulted by the fact that she had been selected to make an appearance. I heard comments such as, ‘What on earth could she possibly teach us?’ and ‘No one wants her here. She’s stupid!’

I agreed with their sentiments, and on the night she made her appearance at the Anderson Center, I was one of many protesters outside. However, I stopped protesting just in time to watch the latest episode of ‘Jersey Shore.’

Am I a hypocrite? No, I’m a fan ‘ not of Snooki, but of the show. A majority of the people who were disturbed about the news of Snooki’s appearance at the University were also fans of the hit MTV show. Despite our appreciation for ‘Jersey Shore,’ many of us around campus thought, ‘What is she going to do that could possibly benefit us?’

Snooki did not even have to do anything. Her presence alone would have been enough, because she is a mini-god.

Snooki and the rest of the ‘Jersey Shore’ cast, along with other reality television stars, are mini-gods. They are ordinary people, whose only noticeable talent is being themselves.

Although reality television stars are more likely to get more than the standard 15 minutes of fame, they are not the only ones capable of being swept up in nationwide popularity.

Anyone remember Steven Slater? He was the flight attendant who, overnight, became not only America’s new working class hero, but also one of its many fascinations during the summer. The man who instantaneously became the voice of the working class was no hero. Yet, for weeks, the media seemed entranced by this man who had done something not uncommon amongst frustrated employees, only in a more exaggerated fashion. Within a matter of days Steven Slater had become a mini-god.

Whether they are ordinary people who act out of the ordinary, reality television stars or people who are famous because they are heirs to a fortune, they are still just people. We, as the public, turn them into larger-than-life figures. We stay glued to our computers and televisions, anxiously waiting for the next news story about them to break out or for their next interview. We marvel at their celebrity status, which was acquired not through recognition of talent or skill, but through scandals and antics.

We build our mini-gods. We create our Snookis and Kim Kardashians and Steven Slaters. We elevate these people to their height of popularity until they forget not only their humility, but also their vulnerability.

So when we ask how these people become and stay famous, the answer lies right in front of our eyes as we look at our reflection and realize that, as a society, we embrace not only the extraordinary, but also the extremely ordinary. They give themselves a name, and we give them our adoration.