Matty Healy and Gabbriette Bechtel are inching closer to matrimony, but don’t let the sparkly headlines fool you—this is a blatant case of celebrity culture being paraded in front of us to distract from the real issues. While outlets like People and E! Entertainment gush over their “adorable” rehearsal ceremony, they conveniently ignore the significant socio-political events happening in the world. Instead of meaningful coverage, they serve us fluff topped with sugar, reinforcing the idea that celebrity relations are all that matter.

It’s a classic move for the corporate media machine: distract the masses with glamour while sweeping critical news under the rug. CNN and BuzzFeed also jumped on this smooch story, framing it as “endearing.” But let’s not kid ourselves; it’s an orchestrated distraction, allowing us to forget the crumbling credibility of our institutions. Not that they’d lose sleep over it—they’d prefer us preoccupied with the latest celebrity engagements rather than questioning the accountability of our leaders.

And what of the implications? The mainstream is pushing this narrative as if it’s part of some cultural zeitgeist, valorizing love in the time of chaos. But love on display only serves to inflate egos and distract from the geopolitical tensions brewing in the background. It’s painful to watch as the media obfuscates real conversations that need to happen while we’re treated to another overblown celebrity moment.