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Can there be any positive effects of idolizing celebrities? You might doubt that…
The phenomenon of celebrity culture has become an integral part of modern society. All kinds of media constantly report on the lives of stars: not only on their professional achievements but also on personal relationships. And this can’t go without trace – celebrities’ influence on society is huge, especially on youth. In this essay, you will learn about the positive and negative effects of celebrity culture on society and how famous stars can be a source of inspiration and motivation for individuals.
Introduction – How Do Celebrities Influence Society?
Nowadays, all media sources are full of news about different celebrities. They appear in magazines, newspapers, on television, and the Internet. This century is marked by various innovations in mass media and the cultivation of the culture of celebrities. Several decades ago, most children wanted to become engineers, pilots, or doctors. However, these days their priorities have drastically changed. Many children dream of becoming famous actors, singers, or showmen. Moreover, adults are also affected by the developed celebrity industry. The famous represent an easy lifestyle that looks very appealing for people who have to work hard to earn money and support their families. Therefore, it changes people’s goals and ways to achieve them. In addition, many individuals ignore their personalities and try to imitate celebrities’ behaviors. The main goals of this paper are to demonstrate that the famous serve as role models to many regular people, negatively affecting their behaviors and the whole culture of modern societies, and discuss the reasons that led to the rapid rise of the celebrity industry.
Negative Effects of Celebrity Culture
There are several reasons for such a significant development of celebrity culture. First, the expansion of mass media has made the news about famous people one of the most discussed topics. Celebrities have been “reconstituted as the overexposed individuals of contemporary life” (Marshal 12). The same situation is happening with other media sources. Such news attracts much attention and enhances consumption across different classes in society. The pace of the development of the celebrity industry has never been so fast. However, there are no signals that it has reached any limits. Media companies along with movie and music industries have become more powerful. The development of the media machine makes the process of creating a celebrity much easier. Various shows exploit the temptation of humans to become famous. The entertainment industry creates celebrities by means of such shows. For example, the Idol TV program demonstrates several contestants whose main goal is to become more popular through their performances. The very fact that a person appears on the screen or in a magazine makes them a part of the celebrity industry. The phenomenon of “YouTube” also deserves particular attention. This media source offers opportunities to become famous to everybody. The cultivation of such a culture has become a world-scale issue.
However, another reason for the intense promotion of popular actors, singers, and sportsmen is the demands of the general public. Consumers not only accept celebrities as a part of society but also feel the need for them (Williamson 35). People perceive them as idols and admire their talents and accomplishments. In addition, the general public is eager to know all the personal details about the lives of their icons. However, it is not easy to determine what information should be hidden:
Celebrity is a very public form of discourse about the dimensions of what is public and what is private and, ultimately what is intimate. The level of exposure – the capacity of our technologies to record and to transmit images, texts, and sounds – and online culture that has new expectations of exposure have helped expand our comfort with public intimacy (Marshal 12).
Consumers buy journals and magazines to read about people who they barely know. Also, various blogs of famous people on the Internet attract the attention of millions of people. Celebrities post photos of their breakfast or pets and twit some statements because they know that the public is very interested in this information. Celebrity worship syndrome has become a serious problem worldwide. Nowadays, there is a high demand for psychologists who can help people to overcome this mental condition. The syndrome has several levels of intensity. Some individuals even commit suicides when they find out that their idols got engaged or married.
However, celebrities have to pay for such a life with their own privacy. There are many conflicts between famous figures and media companies. Some of them do not want to share private facts about their lives, but reporters, journalists, and other paparazzi reveal their secrets without permission (Lenig 203). Although many public figures deliberately use the media to create a striking or shocking image, most of them prefer being portrayed as perfect as possible.
There are other attributes of being famous that attract the general public. One of the most important aspects is money. The financial success of popular media figures breeds envy and admiration in regular people. Celebrities receive enormous fees for their movies or concerts (Jerym 38). However, these are not the only sources of income. Famous people often participate in promotional campaigns or support a particular brand. Advertisements are another huge industry that contributes to the cultivation of celebrity culture. Popular figures endorse different types of products that are used worldwide like sports clothing, IT technology, alcoholic drinks, and many others. Most people know that celebrities are paid a substantial amount of money for short advertisements, and such work does not require too much effort. Therefore, working-class communities that need to pay their loans and often have to do harsh jobs become jealous.
Members of societies that are obsessed with entertainment and celebrities are deeply affected by these industries. The famous have a significant impact on almost every aspect of the lives of regular people including political opinions, fashion trends, interests, behaviors, and attitudes (Levy 62). However, the most affected are children and teenagers. Mass media changes their developing worldviews and forms new goals and values. Many students are ready to give up schools, colleges, and other educational institutions in order to appear on billboards and become famous. They do not believe that they can be successful in working in other fields. In addition, teenagers tend to think that vocational skills are not necessary as they can earn enough money in film or music industries without qualifications.
The general public is strongly influenced by the celebrities’ misbehaviors. Many people believe that if they imitate the lifestyles of famous people, it will help them achieve success and fame. Celebrities are arrested for drunk driving, drug abuse, or other types of misconduct. Although regular people break laws as well, media presents such stories that involve public figures in a way that encourages individuals to act similarly. Media shows that celebrities spend their leisure time in clubs and different parties, cultivating the culture of sex, drugs, and alcohol. Many people are against such representation because it negatively affects the minds of their children.
Positive Effects of Celebrity Culture
Although celebrities have negative impacts on a culture of societies, there are positive effects as well. Public figures that promote ethical values and make responsible decisions influence individuals in a favorable way (Gornstein 16). Many famous people support social justice and make significant contributions when natural disasters strike. If children are not obsessed with delusions and misleading ideas, the celebrity industry can be very helpful. Popular people can set great examples of appropriate behaviors and attitudes. For example, many of them support humanitarian campaigns, participate in discussions regarding social problems, raise money for people who suffer deprivation, donate to medical organizations, and promote philanthropism. Also, celebrities who live decent lives serve as positive role models for the general public. They emphasize the importance of traditional norms like honest relationships and personal integrity. In addition, some popular people help to improve self-esteem in low-confident individuals. For example, imitating the haircut or fashion style of a famous person can enhance confidence and assertiveness.
Another positive effect is that the celebrity industry cultivates extraverted personalities. The main purpose of famous people is to entertain and spread the fun. Celebrity worship might be harmless and even beneficial because it broadens people’s interests as they discover new topics in which their icon involved. In addition, it helps people improve their communication skills as they meet with other fans and discuss news and event associated with their object of admiration. Also, celebrities can positively impact society and the environment. For example, some public figures actively participate in resolving various global problems like the protection of wild animals or climate change. Some of them are active members of important environmental organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, or the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They raise awareness among international communities on environmental issues (Gornstein 188). Also, many celebrities advocate of a green lifestyle, drug-free societies, sport, and healthy families. Such public figures have a highly favorable effect on individuals and communities. In addition, many of them attract attention to different social issues like poverty, charity, education, and cultural awareness. Many famous people complete college and university programs and are interested in politics, literature, history, and other intellectual topics. They often give public speeches for students in different schools. Therefore, they can also underline the importance of intellectual development.
Conclusion
In conclusion, celebrities significantly affect the lives of regular people. Due to the fast development of new technologies, mass media become a powerful tool for the promotion of different ideas and concepts. Famous people are one of the most popular topics in the world, and various media agencies exploit the phenomenon of celebrity culture to make a profit. However, it has many negative effects on individuals and communities. The way that the media presents the lifestyles of public figures is often distorted. Media sources are mostly focused on personal failures and misbehaviors of famous actors, singers, showmen, sportsmen, and other celebrities. They reveal the most shameful secrets and make them objects for discussions throughout the world. However, such news not only entertains the audience but also affects its perceptions and worldviews. Many people began to believe that they can find easier ways to achieve success. Some of them leave schools and colleges because they want to become famous. The idea of getting rich and popular without significant efforts is very appealing for many individuals.
However, the celebrity industry might have positive effects on the culture of modern societies as well. Many famous people promote noble and worthy ideas like the importance of ethical values, moral norms, education, family, and many others. They also advocate for various environmental and social programs. However, in most cases, the drawbacks of the celebrity industry outweigh its advantages. Therefore, it is necessary to focus more on positive aspects and try to reduce the intensity of the unfavorable effects of famous people on the culture of modern societies.
References
Gornstein, Leslie. The Celebrity Playbook: The Insider’s Guide to Living Like a Star, Skyhorse Publishing, 2014.
Jerym, Deborah, et al. Women, Celebrity and Cultures of Ageing: Freeze Frame. Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2015.
Lenig, Steve. “McNamara, Kim. Paparazzi: Media Practices and Celebrity Culture.” Current Reviews for Academic Libraries,vol. 54,no. 2, 2016, p. 203.
Levy, Michael. Celebrity and Entertainment Obsession: Understanding Our Addiction, Rowman& Littlefield Publishers, 2015.
Marshal, David. Celebrity and Power: Fame in Contemporary Culture. University of Minnesota Press, 2014.
Williamson, Milly.Celebrity: Capitalism and the Making of Fame, Polity Press, 2016.
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