Celebrity role models are definitely on the rise and the main reason for that is the rise in instant news about their activities and whereabouts. Back in the day, every now and then, we would find pictures in magazines or newspapers from events, but now we can actually follow the event as if we were attending it ourselves. Because of the scrutiny that celebrities go through on a daily basis, they definitely do have a greater responsibility to showcase good behaviour online.
Being a role model is not a choice and for as long as we are being observed, all of us are obligated to showcase good behaviour because, famous or not, someone out there is watching you and may feel influenced by you. Celebrities may or may not teach us wrong values by gaining publicity for their wrongdoing, but again, this is not merely limited to celebrity because nowadays our ‘bloopers’ tend to gain most likes on social media channels. So it would be wrong to blame celebrities for teaching wrong values, because even regular people enjoy gaining attention from their mistakes.
Doing the wrong thing is never acceptable so instead of trying to play the blame game, we should focus on spreading awareness of good behaviour. By doing so, we could influence the younger generation to refrain from wrongful activities, as opposed to glorifying wrongful actions.
Celebrities can definitely be good role models if they have become so for the right reasons, rather than random acts that have forced them to be in the spotlight. However, the new generation’s definition of fame is different from what their parents’ definition might be — so what may be considered a good role model to me, may be a disaster to you.
- The reader is a student based in Malmo, Sweden
