Written by Yoon Choi
“Who’s your role model?” Ever since a young age, we have been taught to idolize figures and set them as inspirations. However, as we grow into adolescence, the figures that we idolize have slowly shifted from the local fireman or police officer to the people we see on screen: the actors, the singers, and the celebrities. Yet unlike our childhood heroes, following celebrities has gradually shifted from following a healthy example to an unhealthy obsession. Following the figures we cherish most can have harmful effects to our mental health, as it normalizes an overly idealistic standard and risks the possibility of being negatively influenced.
Firstly, idolizing celebrities leads to the normalization of unhealthy standards. Korea’s K-POP industry is a prime example of such normalization. As followers of the genre, many adolescents tend to amaze at the stunning beauty and attractiveness of K-POP artists when we see them on our TV screens. In a positive light, we follow and praise these figures. However, in reality, we not only see their beauty in the living room, but also on our computer screens, phones, and on advertisements all over the world. As self-conscious adolescents, it is inevitable that we amaze at their beauty, but also slowly start to compare ourselves to them: their elegantly curled hair, their model-like proportions, and their perfectly pure skin. The K-POP industry has unrealistically high beauty standards, and fans tend to criticize those who do not match the criterion. Consequently, we may judge our own beauty through this pessimistic lens and unfortunately, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch. We start to normalize these high standards, which becomes detrimental to self-confidence and self esteem. Many teenagers may wonder, “Why can’t I look that good?”
Another negative impact of idolizing celebrities is that they can be a bad influence for young adolescents. This is especially true with public figures in western culture, where liberties such as freedom of speech and action are highly valued. For example, hip hop and rap culture is praised by many young adolescents for its fresh and unorthodox features. Nonetheless, from a subjective standpoint, much of hip-hop culture promotes heinous activities, such as gang violence, drug-dealing, and domestication of women. More specifically, rappers such as Kanye West have gone onto use their freedom of speech to speak about numerous controversial topics, many of which are insensitive. Yet young adolescents justify these actions as being “a part of the culture” or justify these figures’ beliefs due to their statuses as great artists. Though this influence may not have the same impact as an unhealthy comparison, looking up to someone who is advocating foul actions can still have negative effects. It may rub us the wrong way, and for adolescents who are just now forming their own morality and opinions, it is inimical to set such figures as role models.
Solving this obsession can be a lot more simple than it seems. All you need to do is just turn off your phone and live your own life. Its a matter of respect. You should have respect for those figures for what they do and for what they have to say, but also have respect for yourself. Everyone is beautiful in their own skin, and not a single person is subjectively better than another. Caring too much about someone you won’t ever meet is unhealthy, and it takes away time and care from things that you should be caring about more. Take a walk, finish that assignment, or spend time with your friends and family. Our lives are too short for us to be worrying about the celebrities we see on our screen. Stop caring.
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