Celebrities Need to Take Responsibility for Their Influence
People have always been interested in the lives of the wealthy and famous but in recent years that interest has developed into widespread obsession. Is this a good thing? Not when the celebrity concerned is doing nothing but set a bad example.
Celebrities and those in the public eye have a responsibility which few appear to acknowledge. Their behaviour, the way they dress, the way they conduct themselves when out on the town, the cars they drive and the places they go on holiday are all seen by fans and followers as goals worth pursuing. It’s therefore not surprising that so many young people routinely use illegal substances, drink too much, are pre-occupied with their appearances and care so little for the environment.
I’m reminded that celebrities are people too. Susceptible to the temptations, the anxieties and mental strain that everyone has to bear. For many the fact that they are in the public eye so much is enough to provoke bad behaviour. But I think that it is high time that celebrities woke up to their responsibilities. If they want to be applauded and receive acclaim for their work (whatever that might be) they must take responsibility for the role model that they provide.
Lindsay Lohan, Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera and many, many others are all guilty of setting bad examples at one time or another. When will these people wake up to the fact that whatever they do will be copied by countless hundreds, thousands, even millions of people.
One such example that I’ve been made aware of recently is Simon Cowell, famous for his forthright evaluations on Pop Idol and various talent shows. He drives both a Bugatti Veyron and a Ferrari F430 which together have an average CO2 output of about 457g/km. What would the world be like if everyone selfishly chose such heavily polluting vehicles? Today there are an enormous selection of cars that have far better green credentials like the Lexus GS450h hybrid.
And what about that entertaining idiot Jeremy Clarkson? After his having claimed to have driven at 186mph on public roads how many thrill seeking young people have gone out, late at night, to see if they can beat his record?
While most people are sensible enough not to be overly influenced by such stories there are plenty who will hear these tales and see them as a green light. They’ll believe that it is perfectly OK to drive an environment killing car at break neck speeds on public roads because some thoughtless, selfish, ego-centric celebrity has bragged about doing it.
Simon wrote,
Jeremy Clarkson although enetertaining has no social conscious at all. Just look at his stance on global warming. I still like to watch Top Gear, but his is an arse clown.
Link | June 19th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Eric from Listen to Music Online Free wrote,
Society tends to make celebrities out of some of the worst of society. Some do a good job with the responsibility that comes with their status but even those who do leverage their position often do so for some really whacked out or misguided causes. I guess I should be glad that there are only so many of them.
Link | January 27th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Steve Moore from best movies wrote,
Unfortunately one of the routes to becoming a celebrity is to behave irresponsibly, or contentiously. Like you and many others, I loathe Jeremy Clarkson, but do wonder if he would have had such a successful career as an agreeable, planet-loving, caring person.
Link | March 6th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Mark from Movie Reviews wrote,
What’s worse is when these guys do hurt someone and get caught and then simply pay a few fines, perhaps a little community service and get off. Or better yet, they serve one day in jail and then write a book about it and tour the talk shows to promote it and say how they are sorry.
Link | May 7th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
John wrote,
I completely agree with you.
A celebrity in my neighborhood is driving with a hummer.
Link | May 31st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Entertaining Always wrote,
I think the problem is people who go into entertainment are often of an unconventional personality type. They act like idiots because they’re just being themselves. Unfortunately, they often have the microphone when advice and opinions are being thrown around.
Link | June 2nd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Thomas Jones wrote,
Most celebrities are known for their irresponsibility. Theironly concern is to how they will show off their excessive wealth. If someone could positively influence the society, then those are teachers and doctors.
Link | June 4th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Daniel from bad credit loans wrote,
I don’t think the problem is with the celebrity it’s with the idiot who is influenced by them. Celebrities are just like you and I, they are human. Hell if they want to party let them party. If they want to go to church let them go to church.
If you are not enough of an individual that you have to follow someone else you have bigger problems.
Link | June 10th, 2009 at 5:55 am
Okan from Buy Website Traffic wrote,
I really don’t understand how people get excited with so-called celebrities who just behave irresponsibly.
To be a celebrity one should contribute in the development of the humanity, e.g. a brilliant scientist.
Link | June 14th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
sue from sugar glider wrote,
I agree that it seems like theres no real penalty for celebrities aside from a few fines and in the end they’re still getting free publicity.
Link | June 15th, 2009 at 6:59 am
scott from Office Equipment from Office Zone wrote,
I’ve never even heard of Jeremy Clarkson, but anyone who drives that fast on a plublic road should never be allowed to drive again. I think it’s important for everybody, whether they are a celebrity or not, to try and set good examples for the people around them.
Link | June 15th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Tom wrote,
I completely agree with this post. This time it looks like their are no penalties for celebs, and If the receive one, you can’t barely call it a penalty.
Link | July 12th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
montesalmira from OKC Wedding Photography wrote,
I perfectly agree!
And I think not just the celebrities even us ordinary people, in some way there are people that looks us to be their model our children are always there to be our fan.
Lets all be responsible of our actions.
Link | August 9th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Si from Leadership wrote,
Here Here! I completely agree. Now if only the celeb mags and editors took the same viewpoint!
Link | August 9th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Voice Lessons wrote,
I don’t feel that celebrities really take the responsibility to make the society a good place to live. Whatever they do is only for their own prosperity.
Link | September 1st, 2009 at 12:55 pm
5 Star Hotels wrote,
Just because they are famous does not make them any more responsible than the next person. We all have a responsibility to carry ourselves in a morally upright way.
Link | September 2nd, 2009 at 11:26 pm
brian from comment wrote,
One such example that I’ve been made aware of recently is Simon Cowell, famous for his forthright evaluations on Pop Idol and various talent shows.
Link | September 8th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Lily from wedding dresses wrote,
Agree with you. People need to be ware of their behaviours, to say nothing of celebrities.
Link | September 10th, 2009 at 9:50 am
amatör müzik dinle wrote,
I agree that it seems like theres no real penalty for celebrities aside from a few fines and in the end they’re still getting free publicity.
Link | September 14th, 2009 at 12:28 am
Ida Ljunqvist wrote,
How can u tell this to britney spears?
Link | September 23rd, 2009 at 1:46 am
Burçlar wrote,
They only care money and the fame
Link | September 23rd, 2009 at 1:47 am
Quadrant van leasing wrote,
I think in fairness to simon Cowell he odes a lot for charity as well, so its important to remember the good he does as well as the negative and remember no one is perfect celebrity or not.
Link | June 18th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Web Copywriting wrote,
you are right. Celebrities are not aware of their influence.
Link | July 17th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Delaware Wedding Photographer wrote,
Yeah that should be, because celebrities are mostly being look up to my the most people.
Link | August 19th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
pinkblings wrote,
I think celebrities lack honesty. If they became honest and stopped acting like they’re in fantasy lands, their marriages would last, they wouldn’t cheat on one another, and they sure would not suicide? They live in lies but wealthy lives. If their lives were perfect, they wouldn’t even need to fix themselves through surgeries or turn to drugs.
Link | August 28th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
bob from FamousPeople wrote,
I think that people who seek to be celebrities such as Hollywood actors and actresses need to realize they will be giving up privacy as a result of their success and need to be role models. However, people who have celebrity thrust upon them such as the object of some big news story, I put in a different category and don’t think they need to be role models.
Link | September 1st, 2010 at 1:24 am
Bruce Hathaway from mics and more online wrote,
What about in car advertizing? I think it has much more influence than a celebrety confessing/bragging because we’re being worn down by repetition.
Link | September 9th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
waqas from flights to Bangkok wrote,
Celebrities are not as responsible as this should be.I totally agree with you they use illegal substances, drink too much, are pre-occupied with their appearances and care so little for the environment.
Link | December 31st, 2010 at 11:47 am
Christopher from müzik dinle wrote,
I really liked this site, thank you for the wish you continued success unshared
Link | January 2nd, 2011 at 11:01 am
james from gps tracking devices for automobiles wrote,
Remmember that is easy for us who are not celebs to say but think how crap it must be to always have to be careful of what you do and say. Must be terrible
Link | March 17th, 2011 at 8:50 am
Mary from celebrity videos wrote,
The problem these days is that people become so-called celebrities without any particular achievement – Paris Hilton for example. Historically, in order to be a celebrity you would need to have had some impressive ability (musician, scientist, actor etc), but these days anyone who vaguely passes in front of a camera seems to build up a huge fan following, and of course doesn’t behave responsibly.
Link | July 20th, 2011 at 4:40 pm