Celebrities exploitation

Celebrities are widely considered the most influential people of the 21st century, possibly exceeding the pertinence possessed by famous politicians and religious leaders. Celebrities alone embody the means to win over countless of hearts with their charismatic winsome looks or unique characteristic skills. The extensive power that these celebrities hold therefore leads us to ponder: Do these personalities exploit their position in society to only offer nothing in return? Personally, I believe that celebrities are cognizant of their leveraging influence and by no means exploit them. However, I must disagree that celebrities offer nothing in return to our society. There are copious reasons behind my opinion and this statement will aim to elucidate the basis for my argument.

First and foremost, it is an undeniable truth that celebrities extend an influence on us. According to Singapore’s local publication, The Straits Times, 80% of the population refers to celebrities when choosing how to dress or deciding what to purchase. This is solely based on what we see them being photographed in, in the media. In fact, celebrities undertake more than this, often utilizing their prevalent positions to instill healthy and beneficial change within our society. Take Oprah Winfrey as a classic example. She is an inspiration to young girls and women hailing from diverse backgrounds, across continents. Oprah has achieved more than influencing and inspiring others. She and her team successfully highlighted the issue of domestic violence, sexual abuse and racial segregation. Besides, in 2007, Winfrey started the ‘Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls’ in South Africa to promote the importance of education for under-privileged girls. Oprah is without a doubt, one of the greatest, and most sincere and genuine philanthropists in today’s society.

Nonetheless, we cannot miss out an important attribute of celebrities – they entertain us. On nights when we are lonely at home, we are all guilty of indulging in reality television programs and catching up on our daily dose of celebrity gossip. If it is not understood by now, these celebrities are only successful and accomplished because of us, the audience. Clearly, it is not right when the young think that it is perfectly fine for them to behave in the same manner as the uncontrollable, over-the-top celebrities. This is when parents should step in. Parents should be their children’s role models, not these celebrities, and when these stars display socially unaccepted activities to the media, parents should use these opportunities as teaching moments. It is essential to explain to their children that humans err and no one is perfect.