Celebrities, actors, athletes, musicians, these people are often said to have reached their status in life throh hard work and dedication, but honestly, I don't really see that. I understand that anyone has the opportunity to reach this high plateau of wealth and fame, my problem with it, is that I still don't think these people are worthy. Athletes are payed millions of dollars to play games, actors get payed millions to pretend, musicians simply play music, and while these are all skills that require much training and talent, I still have a hard time defending the enormous salaries and fame generated by these professions. However, this is the reality of the world we live in, but I still have a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth when it comes to celebrities. That being said, I feel like it is the job of a celebrity to recognize who it is that is paying their enormous salaries, and it is us. The consumer, the media, the everyday person is who funds the exorbitant lifestyle of all of these celebrities, and yet they pretend as though they should not be accountable to us. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the suggestion that celebrities should be forgiven for their stupid actions because they are deserving of a normal life, and make the same mistakes as the rest of the world. But I think this is ridiculous. The moment you choose to use a skill or talent of yours to achieve wealth and fame is the moment you lose the right to live a normal life. You must be held to a different standard, because you are placed on a pedestal above the rest of society, and you should not be simply a microchosm of society, but an example, set for all to see. I think Jor-El from the recent Superman reboot Man of Steel says it best when speaking to his son:
"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."
THIS is the job of celebrities. To become a golden standard for all of us to reach, and to show us exactly what it means to live a life centered around the betterment of our race and our nation. As a Christian, I am biased to hope that people will show a Christ centered life to others, but I know this is too much to ask for, and so that is not what I expect. What I expect is a life of generosity and caring, and while these may be Christian values, it is impossible to deny that they lead to the betterment of society. And yet celebrities continue to use their money, power, and place in our society to make themselves better, give themselves pleasure, and enjoy their own lives more. Is it not enough that you have more money than 99% of the country, but also you insist on treating the people beneath you as though they are worthless? And yet still they want to act as though they shouldn't have any more responsibility than us. Another great superhero movie, Spider-Man, had the well-known quote by Uncle Ben:
"With great power comes great responsibility."
There is a reason our recent culture has been fascinated with these superheroes, and it is because that is exactly what we want. A hero that does not use their powers for their own personal gains, but instead for the benefit of those beneath them. And while radioactive spiders and Kryptonians may be a long way off, we have our own superheroes in the form of athletes, actors and musicians. And time and time again we are brought back to the fact that these people are not deserving of their roles as our heros. Since the middle of February, there have been over 30 arrests in the NFL. It has become a running joke that Disney teenage stars have all become drug addicts, alcoholics, or otherwise fallen from the previously high moral pedestal that the were erected on. Every week there is a new story of a well known and usually wealthy person who has done some horrible thing, and will face some consequences for their stupidity. But this is not enough! If they are deserving of greater glory for their good actions, they should also be deserving of greater punishment when they screw up. But time and time again we forgive these people and welcome them back into our good graces, even when we are so much less likely to do the same for a friend or acquaintance.
I am as guilty as the next person for caring too much about the actions and lives of celebrities, but in today's world of instant news, we know every little aspect of these people's lives. And while this may seem unfair to these celebrities, I think it really just establishes a higher standard for their lives. As the culture changes, so should the individual. Instead, we write off the mistakes and stupidity of those who we look up to as a sign of the times, and instead of giving them the consequences they deserve, we forgive them for any wrongdoings, knowing that they will turn around and just do the same thing again. Until we are willing to condemn these celebrities for their actions, they will continue to set a horrible example for us, and everyone living in our society. I know using the word "condemn" does not sound particularly Christian, and I agree, it's just the best word I can use to convey my point. Celebrities need to be removed from the limelight when they are not acting as the ideals they should be. Instead of our news being about the misdeeds of these rich and famous people, it should be about the ways that these people help others, because there is plenty of that. Sadly, the wealthy folks in our nation who live lives of generosity tend to be the exception rather than the rule. Part of the change I am trying to make in my lifestyle is to focus more on these positives than on the negatives, and obviously spending the time to write this is very contrary to that sentiment. However, I think it is always important to look at both sides of everything to get a full picture.
This train of thought has been highly encouraged by the recent accusations against Johnny Manziel, and the extremity to which he is being defended. And I have actually already started writing about the issue of paying college athletes, so that should be coming soon! Although the stress and business of this next week of transition to my college life and moving to the dorm may slow it down just a bit.
God Bless,
- Joel Childers
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