Nowadays young people increasingly admire media persons and sports-stars even though they don't set a good example. Is it a positive or negative development? ( 14th Jan IELTS AC question India )

 Celebrities are increasingly becoming role models for the youth as their images and lifestyles are splashed across television, movies, magazines and the internet in today’s era of technology. I strongly believe that this is largely a negative development. A number of arguments surround my opinion.

To begin with, celebrities are often portrayed drinking heavily or in excess in movies, magazines and on TV. This can be harmful to teens that pick up on these behaviors and think it is normal to drink excessively like their favorite celebrity. What is more, almost every other day, a celebrity is in trouble with the law in terms of drug abuse or addiction. The youth see their favorite movie stars or singers doing drugs and they think they should too.

Furthermore, some celebrities create impossible standards of beauty as a result of which more and more young adults feel less confident and more dissatisfied with their looks. Teenagers are at a phase of their life where they undergo massive changes physically, mentally, and emotionally. As celebrities are becoming thinner and thinner, much self-confidence is lost and images of television stars or models have been connected to body displeasure. This causes young fans to strive to be unhealthily thin.

Another major issue of concern is that these celebs are putting up too much inappropriate content in the media. Youngsters normally like to have a role model they can turn to for how to dress, look and act. The idolization of such celebrities has destroyed and will continue to destroy teenagers’ perception of reality. They lose touch of their priorities and often ruin their studies and their future in the process. Some teenagers spend so much money on celebrity endorsed goods that they are forced to spend all their time working for it. The more obsessed event demand or steal money from their parents or others.

In conclusion I would like to reiterate my views by saying that, celebrities influence fans to be destructively thin, put harmful substances in their bodies, and many parents are concerned with the overall content these celebrities are putting on television, in movies, and over the Internet. Celebrities need to change the way they act and how they are viewed. Their actions have more of an effect on us then many people believe they have. Thin, addicted celebrities are changing the way many young fans think and act. Celebrities need to change these horrible habits now and realize that they need to be more concerned with themselves and with their portrayal in the media.