Chinese Whispers

So I am sitting in the Hairdresser getting my hair done. In true style, they offer me a coffee (coffee was awesome by the way), and place a gossip magazine on the counter in-front of me.  I admit I did half-heartedly gaze at the pile of magazines and wonder if it was worth having a quick browse to pass the time.  Curiousity got the better of me and I pick one up (I think it was a "Who") and have a bit of a flick through the pages.  As strange as it sounds, I was slightly intrigued to read what was going down in the world of Hollywood (I used to read these all the time YEARS ago), yet at the same time I was slightly mortified with some of meaningless stories I skimmed past. As I am skimming through these headlines and pictures, I briefly thought about the culture that is being passed on through these magazines. It made me consider a few questions:

Why are people so immersed in this culture of reading about troubled celebrities? Why do people invest their money into publishing companies that place the nail in the coffin of a child star that has fallen from grace? Why do people get so immersed in watching successful people fail?  Why do people measure themselves up to these images and perceptions that magazines deliver?

It's quite daunting to think that some of these celebrities begin to identify themselves with the destructive lifestyle, because it's the only attention they become accustomed to. Those troubled childhood stars who are starving for attention because they received so much of it when they were younger, that they never got to independently build a confidence and identity within themselves.  It's like the naughty attention-seeking student in the classroom. Any attention is good attention to them now, but little do they realise that this pattern of receiving the wrong kind of attention is completely destructive.  I understand there's this concept of "any publicity is better than no publicity", but isn't comonsense, self-worth, and dignity more important than how much one is noticed?

But it doesn't stop there.  This heavily publicised behaviour and influence is passed on to the younger generation.  Adolesants are at an impressionable age where they are easily influenced by how their 'idol' behaves.  But this is a whole different topic in itself!  Anyway.....

The reality is, these magazines will never disapear and one less person won't overly impact the situation at hand.  But you know what it can do for you?  Not reading or buying these stories can give you a sense of empowerment that you are not accepting this behaviour by magazines.  It can also show that you're not endorsing the negative attention that that these celebrities feed on.  Why not use that money that you would spend on a magazine to help a charity for troubled teens/ women?  Or sit with your child and teach them about values, dignity and self-worth?  Really at the end of the day, regardless of any decision you make, just take into account the people who are being impacted by it.

Enjoy your night. :-)


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