Idolising Twins?
Twins have always evoked a sense of mystique and wonder. The sight of two identicals has always sparked curiosity and fascination—or perhaps something closer to chills and unease. Throughout history, twins have been both glorified and idolised, while also having been linked to slightly more sinister notions.
Before diving into this read, I will let one important thing be known: I am a twin, an identical one, even. So yes, this leaves me with a bit of an inherited bias on this topic. In my opinion, twins are super cool; but also, in my opinion, everyone is super cool and unique. But don’t worry, I won’t let my biases cloud my judgment—or, to use a more fitting expression, I promise to see both sides of the coin. But I do genuinely believe that twins are cool and totally worthy of being idolised. After all, they’re rare, with only about a 3% chance of being born a twin. That is quite special. But, I’ll leave it up to all of you non-twins to decide if I’m right about that. All jokes aside, there’s no denying that twins seem to carry the precise amount of mystique that makes them fascinating. But this fascination begs an interesting question: is this idolisation rooted in the slight unease people feel around two almost identical individuals, or is it the result of genuine enchantment? And more importantly, is this idolisation deserved, or has it gone too far?
On the topic of deserved glorification, we must talk about our beloved celebrities. Actually, it's no surprise that many of these adored figures are also twins. When it comes to celebrity twins, one thing is (almost always) clear: they tend to rise to fame together. In fact, it’s quite rare to find a famous celebrity with a low-profile twin, unlike the more common dynamic with siblings. After all, don't we all sometimes forget about the sixth Kardashian? When it comes to twins, there are a few cases where fraternal twins have taken different paths, with only one seeking the public spotlight. Vin Diesel and his not-so-famous fraternal twin brother, Paul Diesel. Even Scarlett Johansson has a twin brother who has stayed out of the limelight. Yet, this phenomenon mostly applies to fraternal twins. Identical twins, on the other hand, seem to rise to fame hand in hand. One could assume that in addition to sharing a unique bond, they possess a certain wow factor that is undeniably fame-worthy. Interestingly, our cherished twin celebrities come from a wide range of occupations. Dylan and Cole Sprouse, as well as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, have captured audiences' hearts from a very young age, rising to fame as child actors. We’re also seeing many twin pairs rising exceptionally fast to fame on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. The wow factor of twins seems to be undeniable.
A wow factor that certainly is undeniable is the sheer number of events dedicated to celebrating twins. Festivals and gatherings are held annually in various countries to honor twins. One such event is the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio, which has been taking place every summer since 1976. If you've ever wondered what it might be like to attend such a festival, The New Yorker has provided a glimpse into this uniquely quirky celebration.
Beyond their fame in modern times, twins have held significant importance throughout history and across cultures. They are often associated with special powers or seen as marked by the divine. Frequently, twins embody a sense of duality—carriers of both good fortune and misfortune, symbols of creation and destruction, or representations of heaven and the underworld. Generally, the concept of twins encompasses a vast range of dualities. Popular today, the term ‘twin flames’ is used to describe two halves of the same soul, separated but destined to reunite—a concept distinct from that of soulmates. This idea of duality often implies an inherent struggle, a theme that repeatedly surfaces in stories about twins. This is definitely the case in the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus, central to the founding of Rome. According to the legend, the twin brothers were miraculously saved from drowning by a she-wolf, who then raised them. As they grew, they discovered their royal heritage and decided to build a new city but disagreed on its location. This led to the eruption of a fierce conflict, evidently resulting in Romulus killing his brother. Romulus went on to found the city of Rome, naming it after himself. The story, besides being a symbol of Rome’s great strength, also highlights the often ambivalent nature of twin relationships. Sadly, it's a tale that, for one twin, did not have a happy ending.
Romulus & Remus, by Peter Paul Rubens, ODE TO THE PAST
With tales like these, where brother turns on brother, it’s no wonder that twins have gained a reputation for being, well, slightly creepy. While they are often beloved, they too evoke feelings of unease. In horror movies, twin children frequently take on roles that send shivers down our spines. They are often used to provoke a fear of the unknown—after all, seeing two identical girls at the end of a hallway is twice as eerie as seeing just one. When it comes to creepy twins, the theme of duality is once again present. At times, both twins contribute to the unsettling atmosphere, while at other times, the fear stems from one twin turning against the other. As a twin myself, I can't imagine anything more horrifying but also further from reality, than the latter scenario. If there's anything unsettling about twins, I believe it's their unbreakable and special connection only understood by the two of them.
Lisa & Louise Burns, The Shining, Warner Bros
So, twins? Creepy or cool? Worthy of their special and intriguing reputation or simply ordinary people? That is a bit of food for thought. Regardless, twins certainly seem to be everywhere.
