Vote totals:
Yes:
100%
No:
0%
Neutral:
0%
DEBATE: THIS HOUSE REGRETS THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE
THIS HOUSE REGRETS THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE
The rise of celebrity culture is undermining young people’s ambitions
Even fifty years ago, if you asked a high school class what they wanted to do after school, they would say ‘apprenticeships’ ‘university’ or the like. But now, there are career ambitions like ‘be on Big Brother’ ‘win the X Factor’ or ‘become like Jordan’, who is a former ‘glamour’ (i.e. topless) model. And celebrity culture is to blame. There is such an abundance of other options for our youth that many end up fruitlessly searching for fame, unfulfilled, because they simply are not talented, but shows like ‘American Idol’ have made them believe that anyone can become famous at the drop of a hat.
Fifty years ago not a lot of people had the choice to go to university, so I see this argument as a bit too romantic towards Britain’s educational past. Nowadays, the government are pushing for 50% of all school children to go to further education, beyond A levels, and this aim is slowly being achieved. So what if people have pipe dreams to be famous? As long as they are educated who are we to judge their life? A lot of people who go on big brother are trained professionals or university students. Live and let live is what I say.
THIS HOUSE REGRETS THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE
Celebrity culture is unkind to the stars themselves
On the news or in the newspapers, there is likely to be mention of the next ‘star’ getting married, adopting a foreign baby or looking ‘fat’. This kind of intrusion into their private affairs is cruel, and can sometimes lead to self esteem issues and mental breakdowns and disorders, in the case of Karen Carpenter, who died of complication relating to anorexia nervosa, or more recently, Britney Spears losing custody of her sons. Paparazzi is becoming too stalker-like, following celebrities’ every move, and causing major problems in these people’s lives.
The highest suicide figures among students are those who are training to become a doctor. Does this mean we should discourage people from choosing this career path? Perhaps it is life’s way of filtering out the weak. If a student cannot handle studying the human body then how will they cope with the pressure of knowing someone’s life is in their hands?
The parallel can be drawn with celebrities. If they cannot cope with their own lives, how can we look up to them and aspire to be like them? We can’t. So those weak individuals do crazy things which lose them respect. So people would not look up to individuals like Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse because they are self destructive. Only when, or if, they pull themselves out of it can people look up to them once more.
THIS HOUSE REGRETS THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE
Celebrity culture is a factor in young women’s low body image and self esteem
Celebrity culture is often superficial, based on looks and money, both of which are not in great supply for most of us. In magazines like Vogue, stick thin models frolic on beaches and young women stare miserably at them, wishing they were like them. In recent years, anorexia nervosa and orthorexia nervosa have become in the public eye more and more, and it is not always girls who are affected. Boys too have been negatively impacted by images of how they should be, and children as young as six have been considering themselves fat – all because of a what a few fashion editors deem to be attractive.
This point essentially boils down to a contention that beauty should no longer be considered a factor in the formulation of ad campaigns, film and television casting, or fashion modelling. The truth is that beauty has been the sole concern in those areas and others from time immemorial. Women were just as insecure about not looking like Marilyn Monroe in 1954 as they were about not looking like Jennifer Lopez in 2004. The reasons for body image issues and eating disorders in America and Europe are complex, ranging from shifting cultural standards of beauty to the proliferation of pornography facilitated by the internet. Celebrity culture is not solely to blame for this phenomenon.
Even if it were, however, it would remain irrational to regret the proliferation of aesthetically pleasing images to the world. Beauty is an essential need of all people. Insecurities stemming from it ought to be addressed, but any standpoint which says a certain artistic outlet, even fashion or acting, has become too beautiful and must be curtailed is antithetical not only to values of free speech and expression, but to the principles of beauty and culture which form the bedrock of Anglo-American society. Supporting the resolution on these grounds is essentially voting to regret the rise of all the movements and technological advances that enrich any culture by allowing beauty to proliferate more freely.
THIS HOUSE REGRETS THE RISE OF CELEBRITY CULTURE
If nothing else, celebrity culture gives us something to gossip about!
Celebrities are fodder for gossip magazines such as Heat and Hello. We watch, comment on and criticise thier lives as a form of escapism from our own, which in depressing economic times like these is sometimes necessary. Besides, gossip may even be good for us – http://www.debatewise.com/debates/592 !
