Are Celebrities a bad influence on kids?

Hello guys,

In school I have to do a debate on the topic of "American celebrities are bad influences on kids today" and I am fighting against this (saying that they are good influences) which i disagree with personally.

I have got a few points, but they are very sarcastic and witty, but I need a few serious points as well.

Your help is very welcome!!

*Modified*

What do you think? Do American celebs. have a positive or negative influence on children? how?

Moderator's Note: Topic modified....let's help out this member by debating on the topic itself.

Edited by ~LiL*PrInCeZ~ - 02 September 2007 at 12:28am

1-Get Fame n Money
2-Get lots of Bf's n Gf's
3-Can marry Millionares
4-b4 marriage acters can be single parent
5-Can do Divorce n Re marriage
6-For publicity can Take Orpahn kids
7-Papparazi's always follows
8-Can Collect Charity funds
9-In short they can lead a good life

PM me... I have a lot of experience with debates... I won a particular school debate, as well as gotten runner up on debate champion 6!

the topic is interesting....im gonna modify ur topic and turn it in2 a debate...hoefully, the member's contributions will help u....PM me if u have ne probz

Hi MIssy!

I don't see a generalization here. Since debating would require one to present one side, here would be the skeleton of my arguments.

American celebrities are not bad influence.

1. it is the responsibility of the PARENTS IMHO to make their children aware of role models. I will deal with this issue in 2 parts-

A- Influence on-screen
If mother is  TV 24/7 and her daughter is exposed to the vamps in the day time shows, then whose fault is that? Not the celebrities's!   If parents are watching movies and kids are getting inspired by stars (smoking / drinking / promiscuous sexual behaviour) then whose fault is that?

B- influence by their RL acts
Now if someone is afraid that kids may be inspired by
some of rappers / NFL stars (OJ, Vick) ( seemingly macho acts which actually fall under CRIMINAL behaviour) , Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton / similar celebrities (seemigly innocent, yet harmful to society) , again it is parents' fault. They need to inform children that being famous and being a good person is not one and the same and that the child needs to focus on the latter.

Celebrities are doing their job / living their life of their choice. Parents should help kids know and understand that.

2. Not all celebrities are involved in acts / activities that should not be looked up to
I think Oprah and similar, who actually can be good influence.

It depends on who the parents present their children with for role models. Allrounder children who read, play sports, participate in other activities will not have the time to know about what film-stars are doing .
Celebrity influence is not bad. It needs to be LIMITED and is upto the parents!
tc- qt

Edited by mermaid_QT - 02 September 2007 at 8:00am

This topic has tons of good points on net, let me know if you cannot find it, can PM links.

Some points haven't read on web :

1. Media likes to hypes negative points about celebrities that's what people like, for example celebrity dirt, scoops scandals etc. Hearing bad things like DUI / Drug charges etc shows kids how a people loose control of life and end up nowhere.
2. Celeberity status is not a easy task there are hours of hard work and dedication required. If kids get inspired and take interest in celebreity they might realized challenges in life and might set thier goals to sucess accordingly.
3. Celeb shows various integrients of life like presentation skills, communication skills etc.
4. Most celebs are big in social cause, good influence. Also Charity even thought is for pubilicity pass a socail message.
.. hope this helps..:)

More help, came accross this article all kudos to the author...

Article begins -

We care about celebrities so much because of what we've done to ourselves as a culture: we have so much technology and are so obsessed with "cocooning" ourselves, we've lost contact with one another. Once upon a time, we lived in caring communities called neighborhoods, where everyone knew everyone else, and yes, we all knew each other's business. Sometimes we attended religious services together; our children went to the same schools; we shopped at the same markets and stores. The dads went to work, the moms stayed home and networked with each other, in addition to raising the kids and doing the household chores.

Nowadays, there is a disconnect. You may be a stay-at-home mom, but take a look out your window during the day and the yards are empty of children, the driveways vacant of cars. Our neighbors are virtual strangers and our friends may live across the country, or be actual strangers whom we have befriended online. We don't have a lot of common ground anymore. What do you talk about with a friend who doesn't live near you, or someone who does, but whom you barely know? Why, the antics of celebrities, of course!

Celebrities have evolved from actors in plays or movies to these omnipresent media beings who are written up in the news for partying as well as for acting. They are inescapable and unavoidable, and their lives are fodder for gossip where once upon a time it would have been the divorcee down the street or someone else in your own neighborhood that you would have been talking about.

In this global society, the world is our neighborhood, and the celebrities are those neighbors whose actions, good or bad, we are all privy to and use as common ground to break the ice, start a conversation, and determine a moral and value system that we agree upon.

Learn more about this author, Kim Harnett.

source -http://www.helium.com/tm/96727/about-celebrities-because-ou rselves

Edited by raj5000 - 03 September 2007 at 2:26pm