Many people believe that media coverage of celebrities is having a negative effect on children. To what extent do you agree?
Celebrities have become an integral part of our society. They are everywhere, in TVs, radios, newspapers and magazines, print and ads, and social media. It has been suggested that this extensive and detailed attention the media is giving to the celebrities is detrimental to the development of children. I agree to that statement, but there are other factors that play into it.
The biggest players in a child's development are the parents or guardians. Before a TV show is started, there is a warning that says the program may be violent or contains elements that are not appropriate for certain ages. It is within the prerogative of the parents or adults to either turn the TV off or switch to another channel. Young children do not have the awareness to filter and protect themselves from potential harmful contents of any medium the celebrities are in.
The parents and the community have influence on a child's choice of entertainment. They can encourage the young ones not to invest their time and attention to celebrities. The adults can guide them to focus instead on either crafting their arts or talents, delve into sports, improve their academic performance, or others depending on what the child wants to pursue.
In my own experience, I did look up to some celebrities. I followed their work, read about their lives, and emulated some of their ways. But I still had the sense and morality to know what was real and not, what was detrimental to me and what was good to use as motivation. It was because of the teachings and support I received from my family and the people that were concerned for me.
In conclusion, there are elements in celebrities' lives that are harmful to the overall development of children. But it is not their fault that their lives and their controversial actions are exposed to the young population; it is us, adults - parents and the like, who have that power.
