Obsession with celebrity continues to monopolize the public’s attention. After witnessing shards of The Oscars’ aftermath on social media- I have a more insidious bone to pick. Yes, the idolatry of empty beauty and youth should end. But more urgently, pay attention to how cruel you’ve become. Celebrities are not caged pets who do not read, understand or feel the things you say about them. It is genuinely baffling to me what we could possibly be learning in a discussion about what someone is wearing or how they have aged (unless they are perhaps a research subject). Why is it encouraged or funny to say that so-and-so looked atrocious at an event supposedly giving awards for artistic merit? Relative to what I observe, I suspect my disinterest in even acknowledging pop culture, fashion, looks, beauty, and personality gossip may be an unpopular stance. But doesn’t the combined effect of participating in such cattiness feel incredibly shallow, vain, and cruel to anyone else? And doesn’t fallout from the preoccupation with others’ looks further compel you to obsess over your own appearance? Your vanity is not an evolutionary step. Do not be fooled. The beauty industry is as dangerous as the pharmaceutical cartel. Why do you buy into it? An fb friend, writer Elissa Schappell wrote a short piece aptly titled “We Did This to Kim Novak’s Face.” I strongly feel that examining responsibility is the angle to approach such topics as extreme plastic surgery. If you are disturbed by it, attempt to identify which culturally-lauded actions most commodify celebrities and notice how you contribute to these forces. Instead of prattling on about how bizarre the victims look, search for the symptoms of body rejection in yourself. It’s not just about changing your own social milieu and what standards you hold yourself to, but also being accountable for the world you are creating for the children growing up in it.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 06:02:37 +0000
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