From the Beatles to Kim Kardashian, celebrities have always had a strong influence on people's lives. The increased use of social media over the past decade has allowed celebrities to share their private affairs with the world, penetrating the thoughts and lives of their viewers more than ever before. .
As celebrities became more vulnerable and human, people began to pay attention to their political positions. While some celebrities are vocal about their political opinions, others choose to be more private about their thoughts.
This split caused controversy on the internet. Some argue that celebrities have a duty to speak out about current world issues because they have an influential platform, while others believe that celebrities are not politicians and should not be treated as such. There are some too.
There's a lot to say on both sides of this debate, but first we need to consider the influence that celebrities have on people.
Taylor Swift fans, or “Swifties,” are some of the most loyal and devoted fans on the internet. Swift's ongoing Elas Tour has sold more than 4.35 million tickets across 60 tour dates worldwide.
This is just one example of fan enthusiasm. Swift repeatedly demonstrated her influence over the public, which also manifested in her political positions. Although she has never publicly endorsed any of her candidates, she shared her post on her own Instagram on National Voter Registration Day last year, encouraging her American followers to register to vote. went.
Swift's fan website, the nonpartisan nonprofit Vote.org, recorded more than 35,000 registrations after her post. This directly inspired young people to register to vote. The number of 18-year-olds registered has doubled since 2022.
Meanwhile, popular celebrities and influencers have used their vast following and influence to spread negative political messages. Internet personality and former professional kickboxer Andrew Tate used youth social media to spread hateful messages endorsing misogyny and sexism.
Tate went on to be accused of forming an organized crime group in 2021 and trafficking women across Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Romanian prosecutors indicted Ms. Tate and her brother last June, and during her time in custody, Ms. Tate said she used the support of two right-wing politicians in her Romanian cell to fight her rape and human trafficking allegations. I asked for
Although politicians did not agree to support Tate, his strong right-wing content encouraged young and impressionable teens to follow him and support his views. Became. There are both positive and negative examples of celebrities using their platforms to promote their political ideals, and people believe it is their duty to speak out about current world affairs.
In recent developments, the recent war between Israel and Hamas has led many individuals to speak out on ongoing issues, with many even asking celebrities to speak out publicly. While some celebrities have spoken out about the issue, including Pedro Pascal, Billie Eilish and Angelina Jolie, other public figures have chosen to remain silent.
Actress and singer Selena Gomez decided to write a post on Instagram that directly addressed the conflict. She said violence of any kind was unacceptable and must be stopped, but remained vague and did not support either side of the war.
The internet took the opportunity to bash Gomez, who did not directly support either side. Over the past six months, there have been a number of cases like this where celebrities have not spoken out or viewers have taken sides with whom they disagree.
While it's debatable whether celebrities should be open about their political positions, it's important to note a few things. First, celebrities are not experienced politicians. Everyone should be aware of the current political climate and the important history associated with it, but a pop singer working on an album probably doesn't focus on this.
On the other hand, celebrities have powerful platforms that allow them to influence their audiences. As we saw earlier, celebrities can influence their followers to make positive changes, such as registering to vote, while others can use that power to spread hate and negativity.
There are no clear answers to this ongoing debate. In a perfect world, all public figures would have ethical opinions and political positions, but in reality this is not the case. Rather than jumping to conclusions, it's important to consider why celebrities are or aren't vocal about their political beliefs. Celebrities have great influence and power, and with it comes constant public attention and, therefore, greater responsibility.
culture@dailynebraskan.com
