As most parents are concerned for their daughter’s wellbeing, it is understandable they search for help on websites such as ‘Mumsnet’. But when children need a word of advice most don’t turn to parents for help. It
is common to find the odd page with words of good will from child psychologists, doctors and even celebrities in magazines such as ‘Bliss’ and ‘Sugar’ – you know, those magazines with the fluorescent font and promise of a cornucopia (though some may call it Pandora’s Box) of hot goss and flawless faces.
is common to find the odd page with words of good will from child psychologists, doctors and even celebrities in magazines such as ‘Bliss’ and ‘Sugar’ – you know, those magazines with the fluorescent font and promise of a cornucopia (though some may call it Pandora’s Box) of hot goss and flawless faces.
While the pages are packed full of picture perfect ladies advertising scents and garments, they also include posters, posters which your
children will be eager to pin on their wall.Cult figures such as Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj will typically pop up around their rooms, their bright eyes beaming down on the youth. It’s easy to say that these people are pinned up for one reason only, they are idols, a reflection of the person your child may wish to be.
Now think about this…
If you take a young girl of around the age of 13 and put her in a room with pictures of beautiful, fully developed women, she will see
them as a symbol of perfection. Surrounding a child with this image will naturally encourage them to strive for this inhumane appearance
themselves and idolise whoever they see as a role model. This can lead to their self confidence becoming very delicate and easily shattered if they believe they are not up to their ‘idols’standards or aren’t a reflection of them. Many young girls suffer from anxiety stress as the sense of self is too easily forgotten.
Without the image of an idol on your bedroom wall or phone background, these concerns and anxieties would not necessarily
exist. Without having the image of an Idol as your Facebook cover photo or desktop wallpaper, you would only have yourself to think about - you would not be less of a person. It’s not a form of selfishness to do this nor is it
unacceptable to be inspired by someone. But, to place yourself in the shadow of another is often quite diminishing.
Magazines are constantly feeding us with bitter-sweet idols no matter what message these artists are sending in reality. We know that idolising can affect ones self esteem but now I ask myself this, ‘What happens when your God figure turns into a sort of Devil?’
- Idolising is an act of worship but is not always religious. If you follow someone and they defy you, you take it badly. Take Justin Bieber for example, who was caught smoking cannabis last year. Although studies show that 47% of teenagers in the UK alone smoke weed, Bieber’s behaviour left many of his fans feeling let down by him, leading them to ‘Cut for Beiber’, an act of serious self harm to discourage him from his drug use. He took no notice of
them. Then there was his recent jail for drag racing a rented Ferrari. Articles in The Sunday Times and The Observer back up the realisation that he is in fact, just another product of this topic himself. His acts which ooze vulgarity have all been seen before; The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain… will the
list never end? Clearly a rhetorical question.
In my previous article, ‘Music is a moral law’, you will understand that there are a few differences which I find really separates the
21st Century’s teen talents and society in general from the above named; ignorance, the lack of passion and understanding.
Looking back to the 50’s, pin up girls were as daring as it got. We are now immune to this appearance of hot pants, bralets and tinted lips which we often see on the way to the shops. For us to take notice, things have been taken to extremes. Everything now soars at higher heights, soon to drift off into the social void of extremities.
Even Beyonce has stooped to the level where she can blatantly glorify abuse against women in front of 28.5 million viewers at the
Grammy’s and Miley Cyrus is being watched by billions as she swings naked on a wrecking ball when only a few years ago she was a high-school student on a Disney television
programme. Have we lost all self-respect?
Beyonce was clearly oblivious to the idea that she was enlightening domestic violence when she sang with hubby Jay-Z a lyric referring
to Tina Turner’s experience of abuse, but as for Miley, her recent photo shoot with Terry Richardson, sought after fashion photographer and model ‘exploiter and abuser’, was declared as
‘pornographic’. Justin Bieber’s father was recently involved with his drag racing situation in which he participated and encouraged. Is Bieber’s father a good role model to him as all parents should be? This is a case for the psychologists of conformity and obedience.
As I take a virtual trip behind the scenes I learn that our role-models and idols are not all that idyllic or independently powerful. I look at the music video directors, the song writers, the costume designers, photographers and I see them as the tools for the mass production of our media. They are the creators of most celebrities, the
clockwork which keeps them ticking in the pendulum of our society. We sometimes forget that celebrities themselves have role models, influences and inspirational figures whether they are husbands, fathers or ‘dictatorial media gurus.
I asked myself this… How will teen magazines praise Justin Bieber now that he’s been jailed at the age of 19? How will they praise Miley Cyrus now that she is the Queen of soft porn at the age of 19? Will teen magazines ever feel guilty for promoting our almost corrupt media?
I’ve found that it is hard to find help from those who need help themselves and who are often the soul cause of the problem in the
first place. I’ve found that the media becomes more comical about serious situations as time goes on, which, in a way, allows all negativity to be classed as acceptable. I’ve found that for young teenage girls to look up to a symbol of
perfection, is potentially mentally and even physically damaging. And I’ve found
that for the innocent adolescents of modern media, their path will never be
angelic.
Tabitha Stevens, S6
children will be eager to pin on their wall.Cult figures such as Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj will typically pop up around their rooms, their bright eyes beaming down on the youth. It’s easy to say that these people are pinned up for one reason only, they are idols, a reflection of the person your child may wish to be.
Now think about this…
If you take a young girl of around the age of 13 and put her in a room with pictures of beautiful, fully developed women, she will see
them as a symbol of perfection. Surrounding a child with this image will naturally encourage them to strive for this inhumane appearance
themselves and idolise whoever they see as a role model. This can lead to their self confidence becoming very delicate and easily shattered if they believe they are not up to their ‘idols’standards or aren’t a reflection of them. Many young girls suffer from anxiety stress as the sense of self is too easily forgotten.
Without the image of an idol on your bedroom wall or phone background, these concerns and anxieties would not necessarily
exist. Without having the image of an Idol as your Facebook cover photo or desktop wallpaper, you would only have yourself to think about - you would not be less of a person. It’s not a form of selfishness to do this nor is it
unacceptable to be inspired by someone. But, to place yourself in the shadow of another is often quite diminishing.
Magazines are constantly feeding us with bitter-sweet idols no matter what message these artists are sending in reality. We know that idolising can affect ones self esteem but now I ask myself this, ‘What happens when your God figure turns into a sort of Devil?’
- Idolising is an act of worship but is not always religious. If you follow someone and they defy you, you take it badly. Take Justin Bieber for example, who was caught smoking cannabis last year. Although studies show that 47% of teenagers in the UK alone smoke weed, Bieber’s behaviour left many of his fans feeling let down by him, leading them to ‘Cut for Beiber’, an act of serious self harm to discourage him from his drug use. He took no notice of
them. Then there was his recent jail for drag racing a rented Ferrari. Articles in The Sunday Times and The Observer back up the realisation that he is in fact, just another product of this topic himself. His acts which ooze vulgarity have all been seen before; The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain… will the
list never end? Clearly a rhetorical question.
In my previous article, ‘Music is a moral law’, you will understand that there are a few differences which I find really separates the
21st Century’s teen talents and society in general from the above named; ignorance, the lack of passion and understanding.
Looking back to the 50’s, pin up girls were as daring as it got. We are now immune to this appearance of hot pants, bralets and tinted lips which we often see on the way to the shops. For us to take notice, things have been taken to extremes. Everything now soars at higher heights, soon to drift off into the social void of extremities.
Even Beyonce has stooped to the level where she can blatantly glorify abuse against women in front of 28.5 million viewers at the
Grammy’s and Miley Cyrus is being watched by billions as she swings naked on a wrecking ball when only a few years ago she was a high-school student on a Disney television
programme. Have we lost all self-respect?
Beyonce was clearly oblivious to the idea that she was enlightening domestic violence when she sang with hubby Jay-Z a lyric referring
to Tina Turner’s experience of abuse, but as for Miley, her recent photo shoot with Terry Richardson, sought after fashion photographer and model ‘exploiter and abuser’, was declared as
‘pornographic’. Justin Bieber’s father was recently involved with his drag racing situation in which he participated and encouraged. Is Bieber’s father a good role model to him as all parents should be? This is a case for the psychologists of conformity and obedience.
As I take a virtual trip behind the scenes I learn that our role-models and idols are not all that idyllic or independently powerful. I look at the music video directors, the song writers, the costume designers, photographers and I see them as the tools for the mass production of our media. They are the creators of most celebrities, the
clockwork which keeps them ticking in the pendulum of our society. We sometimes forget that celebrities themselves have role models, influences and inspirational figures whether they are husbands, fathers or ‘dictatorial media gurus.
I asked myself this… How will teen magazines praise Justin Bieber now that he’s been jailed at the age of 19? How will they praise Miley Cyrus now that she is the Queen of soft porn at the age of 19? Will teen magazines ever feel guilty for promoting our almost corrupt media?
I’ve found that it is hard to find help from those who need help themselves and who are often the soul cause of the problem in the
first place. I’ve found that the media becomes more comical about serious situations as time goes on, which, in a way, allows all negativity to be classed as acceptable. I’ve found that for young teenage girls to look up to a symbol of
perfection, is potentially mentally and even physically damaging. And I’ve found
that for the innocent adolescents of modern media, their path will never be
angelic.
Tabitha Stevens, S6