DEVIL WORSHIP
SURPRISE, surprise – Hollywood is a cesspit and some of its biggest names are depraved sexual predators. Unfortunately the spectacular falls of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and A- list actor Kevin Spacey represent just the latest example of something that’s very wrong with us as a society.
Why do we idolise deeply flawed attention seekers who, apart from having worldwide fame, have done absolutely nothing to deserve the unquestioning adoration they enjoy.
Think about the most idolised people – and the hearts they break when they let us down.
Hollywood is home to many of the world’s most popular and most troubled individuals, with many nursing or having recovered from serious personal or drug problems.
In sport, there’s golfer/ sex addict Tiger Woods, cyclist/ drug cheat Lance Armstrong, gridiron star OJ Simpson and troubled Australian athletes Ben Cousins ( AFL) and swimmer Grant Hackett. In music, it’s even worse. But why do we equate fame with intelligence? Why if you appear on a television screen are you suddenly apportioned extra respect over other mere mortals?
Society has always been fascinated with celebrity but very few of those who achieve it actually do anything to deserve it.
If you look back a generation or so, long before media was able to deliver us 24/ 7 Kardashians, the people we idolised and who kids looked up to were a lot different.
Sure, Elvis, Johnny Cash and any number of other ratbags of stage and screen were pushing the envelope, but the real celebrities were army heroes, authors, explorers and astronauts. You know, people who did things. Today’s celebrities are beautiful – and really not much else. We shouldn’t expect any more.
But their most casual utterance about matters well outside their qualifications draw the world’s attention in ways a Nobel prize winner could only dream.
Kids fly into hysterics over a new Justin Bieber Instagram post while ignoring their homework and admitting they have no idea what they want to do with their lives.
I believe this is because the people they look up to didn’t have to do much to get to the “top”.
Bieber was offered a recording contract and became a worldwide sensation after his songs were noticed on YouTube.
The kid has a great voice, but I’m pretty sure he hasn’t finished high school and I believe he vandalises hotels with graffiti for fun. Inspirational. l.
So forgive me if I laugh pretty hard d when people like Leonard ard Di Caprio – famous since he was a child – expect me to listen when they lecture me about how I’m killing the planet.
Or ridicule most of America for electing Donald Trump.
I hope this latest debacle in Hollywood is the beginning of a big change, after which we might see celebrities for what they are: attractive things to look at and skilled entertainers.
There are plenty of real heroes out there.
IF YOU LOOK BACK A GENERATION OR SO, LONG BEFORE MEDIA WAS ABLE TO DELIVER US 24/ 7 KARDASHIANS, THE PEOPLE WE IDOLISED AND WHO KIDS LOOKED UP TO WERE A LOT DIFFERENT.