Amateur Brain Surgery

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.