"Talentless" Celebrities?

[Sheik Yir Erse]

Is Britain's obsession with 'Celebrities' harming our society?

Discuss .......

[dr-sanchez]

we could see this in two ways. the world's growing obsession with trivial and talentless celebrities (obvious examples that sprng to mind include jade goody, jodie marsh, anyone else who has come off reality tv and been famous for 5 minutes) can be seen as a sign for either the "dumbing down" of society or the democratisation of education. personally, i plump for the former, as education is kept stored away in places such as universities (although it could be argued that this grip on traditional academic studies is slackening - I myself sat a compulsory module on "celebrity culture" in my first year at university.)

however, could the "dumbing down" of society be a good thing? low and mass cultures are prevailing over high culture, and it could be argued that these are the types of culture which belong to the masses, to the working class. personally, I believe that when the common man prevails, it is a good thing...although we never know who's controlling the tabloids, do we?

[EMDEE]

It is a bizzare society indeed where an individual can become a household name and guarantee the sales of newspapers and magazines, plus earn the equivalent of a lottery win in just a few years through a fame built solely on their own vacuousness.

[ionnsaigh]

..although we never know who's controlling the tabloids, do we?

No I don't know, who owns and controls the media. One thing for sure is, they all back the system up to the hilt - albeit with varying degrees of loyalty, to the hand that feeds them. Big business is big business, is it any wonder that it's tentacles find their way into Government Departments, and areas of strategic importance - perhaps to a greater degree, than we give them credit.

I believe that when the common man prevails, it is a good thing..

I agree, however I would dispute the term common, and the inference that the common man dictates so called celebrity culture. Big business has the controlling hand, when it comes to what the media says and prints. This so called common man avoids - to the best of my humble ability - the washoose gossip columns.

[Malky]

Yes.

Malky

[A Horse called Juan Face]

we could see this in two ways. the world's growing obsession with trivial and talentless celebrities (obvious examples that sprng to mind include jade goody, jodie marsh, anyone else who has come off reality tv and been famous for 5 minutes) can be seen as a sign for either the "dumbing down" of society or the democratisation of education. personally, i plump for the former, as education is kept stored away in places such as universities (although it could be argued that this grip on traditional academic studies is slackening - I myself sat a compulsory module on "celebrity culture" in my first year at university.)

however, could the "dumbing down" of society be a good thing? low and mass cultures are prevailing over high culture, and it could be argued that these are the types of culture which belong to the masses, to the working class. personally, I believe that when the common man prevails, it is a good thing...although we never know who's controlling the tabloids, do we?

you read that somewhere else.

[Mags B]

Every time I catch a bit of one of those so-called 'reality' programmes - Big Brother is probably the worst of them - I am reminded of George Orwell's 1984 and the mindless entertainment provided for the proles to keep them from thinking about anything really important. Same goes for celebrity magazines, etc.

Yes, they are harming our society. Children and teenagers (and adults too) see the sad, self-obsessed, materialistic and morally corrupt behaviour of these individuals, and some at least of them must think that this is an OK way to behave - and that they can make money out of it. When talking to a group of teenagers in a youth group recently, we asked what famous person they would like to meet and why - one girl's answer was Paris Hilton, because she could go shopping with her. Does that not just sum it up?

A rant? Yes, but society is doing our children no favours by continually lowering the boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour and by allowing talentless 'celebrities' to profit from it. How do you stop it? I really don't know - these programmes would not exist unless enough people wanted to watch them. Sad reflection on our society.

[A Horse called Juan Face]

Every time I catch a bit of one of those so-called 'reality' programmes - Big Brother is probably the worst of them - I am reminded of George Orwell's 1984 and the mindless entertainment provided for the proles to keep them from thinking about anything really important. Same goes for celebrity magazines, etc.

Yes, they are harming our society. Children and teenagers (and adults too) see the sad, self-obsessed, materialistic and morally corrupt behaviour of these individuals, and some at least of them must think that this is an OK way to behave - and that they can make money out of it. When talking to a group of teenagers in a youth group recently, we asked what famous person they would like to meet and why - one girl's answer was Paris Hilton, because she could go shopping with her. Does that not just sum it up?

A rant? Yes, but society is doing our children no favours by continually lowering the boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour and by allowing talentless 'celebrities' to profit from it. How do you stop it? I really don't know - these programmes would not exist unless enough people wanted to watch them. Sad reflection on our society.

Really? When you watch Big Brother you're reminded of 1984? Can't see the connection there at all. Other than the programme was named after the book. I mean, come on! Oh, and Rupey Murdoch owns the media. Cheerybye then.

[A Horse called Juan Face]

Is Britain's obsession with 'Celebrities' harming our society?

Discuss .......

Listen to a George Carlin sketch called kids and parents. That's what is wrong with society. If you see me with my horse pod on, give us a shout, if you're not a rooster end I'll let you listen. Headphones safe then.

[Mags B]

Was it really? No!!!!! You know what I mean - the same applies to all of those type of programmes and the 'celebrity' culture generally.

[Govangirl]

Is Britain's obsession with 'Celebrities' harming our society?

Discuss .......

Damn right it is. We used to mock people who advertised their ignorance but we now watch them on TV, buy their perfume, add to the millions of magazines sold, wear the clothes they 'design',etc. etc. But that was fine, I was okay with the fact that we have a culture that celebrates empty achievement and rewards celebrities just for being famous - it has gone way beyond that now. Intelligence is the new target and attacked constantly. I was lucky enough to be educated in Scotland through the 60s and 70s. People of my age know things! Yet we constantly dumb down, we villify an intelligent, confident woman who does brilliantly on University Challenge and you're considered a freak if you can recite a Wordsworth poem or Shakespeare sonnet these days. I heard on the radio last week that in 1960 a University Professor earned the same as a footballer playing for Man Utd. Now you work out what either Rooney, or his 'celebrity' wife, or Jade Goody, or Jordan, or Jodie Marsh or half the people with their mugs on OK magazine earn in a week and you'll see why kids nowadays grow up thinking knowledge or sheer hard work is for idiots. Sadly, we've cultivated a society that thrives on the tawdry and banal and it's getting worse: society is slipping down a very slippery slope into the gutter with no prospect of looking up at any stars!

[A Horse called Juan Face]

Is Britain's obsession with 'Celebrities' harming our society?

Discuss .......

Damn right it is. We used to mock people who advertised their ignorance but we now watch them on TV, buy their perfume, add to the millions of magazines sold, wear the clothes they 'design',etc. etc. But that was fine, I was okay with the fact that we have a culture that celebrates empty achievement and rewards celebrities just for being famous - it has gone way beyond that now. Intelligence is the new target and attacked constantly. I was lucky enough to be educated in Scotland through the 60s and 70s. People of my age know things! Yet we constantly dumb down, we villify an intelligent, confident woman who does brilliantly on University Challenge and you're considered a freak if you can recite a Wordsworth poem or Shakespeare sonnet these days. I heard on the radio last week that in 1960 a University Professor earned the same as a footballer playing for Man Utd. Now you work out what either Rooney, or his 'celebrity' wife, or Jade Goody, or Jordan, or Jodie Marsh or half the people with their mugs on OK magazine earn in a week and you'll see why kids nowadays grow up thinking knowledge or sheer hard work is for idiots. Sadly, we've cultivated a society that thrives on the tawdry and banal and it's getting worse: society is slipping down a very slippery slope into the gutter with no prospect of looking up at any stars!

Good. Society negates identity. Simple as that.

[Govangirl]

Really? When you watch Big Brother you're reminded of 1984? Can't see the connection there at all. Other than the programme was named after the book.

Are you being serious Horse or just being a t*at for the sake of it?

[A Horse called Juan Face]

Meh, bit of both to be honest. But on the subject of 'society', the greatest pledge it ever had was freedom for all men. Freedom is a lie, it always has been. If there was true freedom then murder would not be a crime. Society is a facade, anyone who hides behind is sadly deluded.

[Govangirl]

Good. Society negates identity. Simple as that.

Are you being serious Horse or just being a t*at for the sake of it? Again.