In “The Merchants of Cool,” the author investigates the rising fascination with teen pop culture. Teenagers are constantly vying for attention, causing them to imitate popular celebrities. Major corporations try to capitalize off this, showing productions and advertisements to influence them further. The era of family friendly programming has no longer any place in primetime television; shows such as Dawson’s Creek and Cruel Intentions have completely infiltrated the TV schedule to reflect teens’ all-consuming fascination with sexuality. One of the major networks responsible for influencing pop culture is MTV, telling kids what’s cool.
“Researchers say many teenagers are emulating celebrity idols like Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, Hilary Duff, and Chris Martin (the lead singer of Coldplay), some scarcely out of their teens themselves, to cultivate an impression of maturity” (La Ferla, 2006, para. 11). As such, this exploratory paper attempts to define and examine the positive and negative impacts of celebrity on audiences’ self esteem, the emotional evaluation and attitude towards themselves by focusing on Hollywood actors influence on university students. For the purpose of this study, self esteem define as a confidence and satisfaction in oneself : self-respect. Hollywood actors are most admirable and well-known, also easily reach consumers with their appearance on american movies.
Music from British artists is spreading fast, becoming more and more popular throughout teenagers worldwide. Authors from the U.K. Have become extremely popular, along with fashion designers, actors, etc. In addition, The U.K created Red Nose day. Red Nose Day in celebrated to support Comic relief. People wear red and donate money to contribute to the cause.
Negative influences include violence, inappropriate lyrics, and celebrities that set a bad example in society. The popular culture has a strong influence in shaping the youth and teens. Kids in most cultures around the world, play video games, watch movies and dramas, or listen to music that shapes their interests. This affects their choices and, in turn, affects their futures. Teens and youth are exposed to many advertisements that show the cultural standard.
The Fresh Outlook seems to be a newer type of talk show, that isn’t as well-known as ABC News. However, The Fresh Outlook has guest speakers that are well known, this helps bring bigger audiences. I believe that the authors made a great point in their videos. I also think that these videos were made in ways that will extremely help people that are also being affected by these “personal demons”. The videos are made in a way that help make people better aware of the affects these harmful substances can have on anyone’s life.
The other way is helping adolescents, teenagers, and young adults only to associate themselves with peer groups that can only positively influence their values and behaviors when growing up. Advertisements should also be made in such as the way they only reach their intended target market while at the same time encouraging people to drink responsibly. New and better laws, policies and strategies should be introduced and fully implemented, so as to discourage and control the consumption of alcohol by individuals below the legal drinking age limit (Bonnie & O’Connell 67). Nevertheless, under age drinking can be associated with undesirable consequences such as brain damage, death, depression, aggressive behaviors, injuries, and violence, among others. It is therefore only rational and prudent if all the relevant stakeholders, starting with the government up to the teenagers to join hands so as to discourage and control underage drinking.
They understand that the people around them are doing it and chose to influence them in the same manner. The tobacco industry understands that “culture is learned from parents and peers”, they count on that to be a driving force in young adults buying their products, Hair, J. F., Lamb, C. W., & McDaniel, C. (2016, p. 101). These strategies no matter how unethical are continuously used to influence youth. From the Tobacco Company Quotes on Marketing to Kids, "It is important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and attitudes. Today's teenager is tomorrow's potential regular customer and the overwhelming majority of smokers first begin to smoke while in their teens”, (2018).
Parents influence their children with their actions and lifestyle as much as celebrities do. Being a parent, I see first-hand on how I influence my child’s growth. When I get mad, I storm off with an attitude and I see my son doing the same thing when he is put in a similar situation. We as parents want our children to be okay with being taken advantage of in the world. We tell them to not get mad and that it will be okay when we know we have been through that situation before and it was not okay, where on the other hand you have a rapper singing about not letting anyone hurt him because he has a gun.
Music artists, lyrical words, and easy access are likely causes of teenage obsession with music, but the most likely cause just might be that they need an escape from their teenage angst. It’s important to discuss about this subject because as a teenager myself, I can personally relate to the effects that music has on its listeners and users because it’s a big part of my life. Every day I listen to the words and sounds of different singers/bands with contrasting ideas and opinions. The music I listen to makes me who I am. Teenagers tend to imitate everything that they see or hear especially when it is coming from the music that they listen to everyday.
Outline and evaluate two explanations of the attraction of celebrity. (24 marks) The evolutionary explanation believes behaviour exists today because it once brought us survival advantages. In the hunter-gatherer environment, paying attention to the most successful members of the group and imitating their behaviour would have been a useful strategy for survival. The desire to become famous is explained by the status and power achieved by celebrities. In the past, high status and resources meant greater opportunities for reproduction with other successful mates, therefore being a celebrity gives lots of chances for reproductive success.