Celebrities are Role Models

Argumentative Essay Practice 7 Question: Celebrities are role models and should act accordingly. Do you agree? Step 1: Defining key terms 1. ‘Celebrities’ – people who have strong influence over large groups of followers/individuals who have strong presence in the media industries  Typical understanding of celebrities are movie stars, or highly-successful singers, etc. (Could give some examples of famous celebrities – Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and more popular ones are Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, etc)  Might also have to take into consideration the new definitions of ‘celebrities’ we have in mind today: given the rise of social media platforms, those who have huge followings on these sites are also considered ‘celebrities’ in their own rights  The definition of celebrities therefore will evolve and change based on the current socio- cultural trends that characterise each era 2. ‘role models’ – are the people who set a certain standard of social behaviour or moral conduct for the rest to follow, often looked up to by the people who respect them greatly  Often, role models exhibit (or at least, are expected to showcase) exemplary behaviours because they are a strong source of influence for others  Also need to note that ‘role models’ are subjective – in other words, individuals have a right to choose who they want to look up to, even if the actions of these individuals are not desirable/socially acceptable  The standards of what a ‘role model’ means to everyone is different 3. ‘act accordingly’ – to what is expected of a role model! Even though, as mentioned, the idea of a role model can be subjectively defined, how they should act is often understood to be in a way that is: socially responsible, appropriate, sensitive to others’, not offensive/vulgar, etc.

Step 2: Considering some further questions… • For this question, no conditions are needed to be stated, given that it is not an absolute question. We then consider a few questions to help facilitate our brainstorming process. Q1) Why do you think celebrities are considered role models in the first place? • Given that celebrities often have an immense among of fans, their scope of influence on the groups of individuals who worship and admire them is significant • Many times, these celebrities are being idolized intensely by their loyal fans – not only do they swoon over their good looks, many see them as symbols of empowerment and inspiration • It is common for fans to want to emulate the behavioural standards of their idols, seeing them as a standard to strive towards to, not just in superficial terms, but they also internalize these celebrities’ values and ideals. Of course, it is arguable whether or not these fans are merely attending to an idealised vision of their idols • The desire to emulate their role models is obvious from the number of social trends – from fashion to slogans – that were influenced by