Take Charge Assignment

1. Personally, I cannot decide if I really like this assignment or not. I can be really indecisive (as if you could not already tell) so it is a little difficult for me to choose a topic for this. On the contrary, however, I do like the freedom that comes along with this assignment.

2. Recently, with all of the attention in the media focusing on celebrities, I think that this acts as the perfect topic for discussion in class. The paparazzi are constantly chasing down and following celebrities. Whether Britney Spears shaves her head, Lindsay Lohan enters rehab, or Paris Hilton goes to jail, the media is ready to capture their every move in action. This celebrity frenzy within the media puts too much emphasis on irrelevant information. As a result, the youth of America (and even adults) turn to focusing on such trivial news instead of paying attention to crucial information about our country: the war in Iraq, presidential elections, the economy, and more. Furthermore, the focus on celebrities in the media shapes other aspects of people’s lives as well. For example, a celebrity’s body type and clothes (designer brands) can affect young people’s self esteem or influence the way many young people dress. Also, what a celebrity eats or drinks (for instance, Starbucks coffee) can influence the youth of America as well.
On the flip side, the media also affects the lives of celebrities. With paparazzi following their every move, celebrities do not have any privacy. Yes, celebrities do have a greater income than the majority of the American people; however, they are still real people with real feelings that deserve some privacy.