By Breanna Adams
I like to believe, that only I influence my decisions and opinions. I decide what I like, what clothes I wear and most important how I get my views. But let’s be serious, no person hasn’t been influenced by something or someone.
When I was little my mom told me what to wear, how to act and how I should be eating. When I got older it was my teachers shaping my views on social issues and my peers telling me how I should look. Now that my mind has matured further I try and put myself above all those shallow and narrow-minded things and try to not pay attention to the media. However, I should consider myself an idiot if I believe that not one of my opinions has not been influenced by something greater than my own mind.
In recent months the social media buzz has been all about Emma Watson and her feminism movement campaign, Leonardo DiCaprio and his Climate Summit speech, as well as Sophia Bush waging war against Urban Outfitters in response to the company advertising a shirt with the words “Eat Less” printed on it. There has been a lot of back-and-forth when it comes to positive and negative comments on each celebrity, with whether it is acceptable for these celebrities to be involved in such things and whether they were only doing it for publicity. If I’m being honest I would have to say that I couldn’t care less for the reason behind what they’re saying. Rather, I care about the message being sent and received by everyone who listens.
Let’s be serious, no person hasn’t been influenced by something or someone.
I care deeply about each issue addressed by these celebrities and agree that they are problems that need to be addressed more often. I believe that by making their views public they have allowed the issues to gain more fame than it ever would have if delivered by someone who was not famous.
The biggest issue with these campaigns is not the issue itself but how to properly expose it. If nobody hears about it, there will be no opinions, and more important there will be no movement. These celebrities help to expose the issues to the world with the help of followers and the social media that feeds off their words. Those who have never given thought to world problems are now being driven to listen to the celebrities that they idolize and whether or not they already believe what they are hearing, it will help them shape their own opinions.
Focusing on Emma Watson’s speech for instance, I am a feminist and I’m proud of that. I am also a fan of her and because of that I listened to her speech and was moved by it. I can only assume that others felt the same way not only with her but Leonardo DiCaprio and Sophia Bush.
Celebrities are not limited to what they are known for. But some have learned how to take their fame and direct it on something greater.