Celebrities should not be looked up to
In recent weeks, billionaire Hip-Hop star and fashion designer Kanye West, also known by his stage name Ye, has found himself in hot water for making antisemetic remarks, and many of his sponsors such as Adidas have cut ties with him. Many online are saying that what Kanye says matters more than what the average person says, due to the influence he has over contemporary pop culture. However, this should serve as a reminder that celebrities should not be seen as role models.
While many are concerned that West’s antisemetic statements will cause his fans to adopt hateful views, the rampant amount of substance abuse among celebrities-specifically musicians-should be enough do dissuade anyone from looking up to them. The list of musicians who have died from drugs or alcohol is long and growing, and includes several big names such as Bon Scott, Jimi Hendrix, Layne Staley, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Prince. The full list of musicians lost to substance abuse includes more than five dozen big names, and idolizing these individuals would lead to their fans following in their footsteps, suffering a similar fate.
The celebrities who set poor examples for those most impressionable are not exclusively musicians, either. For instance, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, one of Hollywood’s most active climate activists, has received criticism for flying to speeches on his private jet knowing that private jets are not eco-friendly. To his credit, DiCaprio later renounced his jet and opted to fly commercial instead. However, this still highlights the hypocrisy of those who hold some of the most influence in society. Those most impressionable in society should not look up to those who cannot even live up to their own principles, regardless of the issues they claim to fight against.
Something that is quite worrying about this is that celebrities can do things that are completely asinine, and their fans will still imitate them. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared that she tapes her mouth shut when she goes to sleep, because, according to her logic, forcing yourself to breathe through your nose leads to better sleep. Doctors are having to warn patients not to tape their mouths shut now, because if they get congested in the middle of the night, they could suffocate. If people blindly follow in the footsteps of those they look up to, it could lead to serious health issues.
However, none of this means that it is wrong to enjoy the works of these celebrities. They are a great source of entertainment for many of us. In no way should anyone feel guilty about enjoying these individuals’ music, movies or shows that they have produced. However, we must understand that behind the veneer of talent and entertainment is often a broken person who should not be idolized.
While the comments made by Kanye West were certainly wrong, hopefully it will finally show people that celebrities are not to be looked up to. Hopefully people will start to realize that they are just like the rest of us and can also make questionable decisions. Just because celebrities are well known does not mean that they are good role models.
