Quantcast
Young celebrities abusing privileges – Metro US

Young celebrities abusing privileges

Lohan

If she were your sister, your daughter, or even just your friend, you’d have no problem telling her to get a life. And you certainly wouldn’t accept her behaviour.

So why then do we allow our children to have any interest in today’s young generation of celebrity girls who can be described as nothing less than self-destructive, immature, irresponsible, only marginally talented, and self-aggrandizing?

Richie

Sorry Paris, Lindsay, Nicole — but you really leave yourselves open to scrutiny. Lindsay (Lohan) can at least be credited with having some acting ability, but the other two? There’s absolutely no reason why these girls should be on our radar, let alone on a first-name basis in our homes.

Without their parents’ fame and fortune (Paris is heiress to the Hilton hotel chain worldwide, and Nicole is the daughter of the successful pop star, Lionel Richie), these girls would be nobodies.

I’m all for celebrating true celebrities — talent is always something that should be applauded and recognized. And in our consumerist society, where we laud the rich and famous, it’s not surprising that movie stars, television stars, musicians and athletes are an industry unto themselves.

But how do we teach our children morals and values when ditzy, spoiled, silly girls are on the covers of the hottest magazines for being just that? If I had a teenage daughter, how could I make sure she had a healthy body image when these girls are constantly shrinking — and famous for it? How could you educate your children to the dangers of drugs when these girls do them often, and get away with it?

They trade boyfriends like playing cards, have unimaginable amounts of clothing, and smash through their everyday lives like wild ostriches run amok. They grace the cover of magazines based on who they’re dating, where they’re frolicking, or which laws they’re breaking.

And, understandably, respected actresses like Jane Fonda are disgusted with the behaviour of these so-called celebutantes, and are speaking out about it. In Fonda’s opinion, Paris Hilton’s jail sentence for violating her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case came late and weak, as compared to if she had been poor, underprivileged, and a nobody.

Good for Fonda, a true talent, and a woman whose behaviour, though sometimes considered outrageous when she was younger, always acted in support of a cause. But as female role models ourselves, as mothers, sisters and friends, we shouldn’t have to depend on another celebrity, like Fonda, to remind us to give young women a better perspective.

To be wildly rich and famous while also young and beautiful — that’s an exaggerated fantasy that happens to very few. It’s what you do with it all that matters, and the “famous” girls of today are wasting their privilege.

letters@metronews.ca