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Celebrity culture detracts from reality

celebrities-over-paid.jpg
Illustration by Darian Maroney

I love the entertainment industry.

I honestly don’t know what I’d do without my favorite fictional characters.

I’d be bored without trying to solve murders alongside the intelligent, discerning Sherlock Holmes.

I wouldn’t be as happy without the hilariously witty Spider-Man.

I wouldn’t have a distraction from my chaotic life without the complex, dismal world of “Game of Thrones.”

But I also believe too much value and money is placed on entertainment to the detriment of other important matters.

Think about “The Hunger Games.”

In these books, the Capitol emphasizes Katniss and her relationship with Peeta to distract citizens from the serious problems their country is facing.

Ironically, the media has often focused on the issue of Gale versus Peeta when talking about “The Hunger Games,” which is exactly what The Capitol does: They take the focus off the big issues by focusing on pettier, unimportant things, like celebrities’ lives.

The value society places on celebrities is astonishing. More focus is given to celebrity coverage which often overshadows more serious, pressing news.

People care more about who Jennifer Aniston is dating rather than what new laws are coming into place.

People would rather talk about Angelina Jolie and her role in some upcoming film than discuss topics like capitalism or abortion.

People would rather watch the Grammys than a political debate.

In some instances, celebrities and media can be very informational, spurring important discussion.

But more often than not, the media become obsessed with celebrities’ lives and can even place value and focus on people that don’t necessarily deserve the amount of attention they receive.

For instance — Kim Kardashian. She basically became famous just for having a sex tape and a big butt.

And now makes millions for it.

Is she entertaining? Yes.

Does she deserve to be paid for what she does? Yes. But not nearly the amount she is actually paid to do it.

Other celebrities are vastly overpaid for the jobs they do as well.

Beyonce makes about $115 million per year.

Jennifer Lawrence has made $35 million for making one of “The Hunger Games” movies.

Are these people talented? Yes.

But do they really deserve to be paid this amount for their jobs?

It doesn’t seem fair, especially since other important professions, like teachers, are underpaid.

Part of the problem is the sheer amount of information and focus on celebrities and their lives by the media.

But the problem is also with society. It is easier for people to read and think about celebrities than serious issues.

I’m not saying people should no longer read about celebrities. But it should be second to the concerns of this country which greatly affect everyone.

Allison Galbreath can be reached at [email protected] or @agalbreath19 on Twitter.

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