Today, our words and actions are influenced by influencers from all over the world – pioneers in their field. To the naked eye, it is truly amazing how skilled these influencers are when it comes to spreading their ideals to their audience, and some of them seem to really catch the eye of many students.
Why certain influencers are so awe-inspiring comes down to a few key factors, one of which, according to Junior, is their ability to voice opinions on societal issues. Antonio Payton.
“I think they're celebrities who are speaking out about certain things that I personally find important,” Payton said, “and I think that's a good thing because it makes an impact and brings attention to things that are important to other people as well.”
Celebrities and influencers have large audiences, which makes it easier for them to reach people who are likely to agree with their opinions, which can then inspire their audience to spread their message further and potentially bring about change on the issue they are advocating for.
For Payton, Canadian rapper Drake particularly comes to mind because of his own success and the way he treats his audience.
“He's just a funny guy and he doesn't really care what people think about him,” Payton said. “He knows people might talk about him and what he does, but he still goes on to do great things.”
But when it comes to the influence of celebrities, to what extent does celebrity culture influence students?
This question seems like a simple answer, but it has deeper meaning than you might imagine. Some people believe that celebrity culture has a positive effect on students, while others believe it has a negative effect. However, for older students, Jack KochWhen it comes to celebrity influence, there's a fine line between good and bad that can go either way.
“I think it could be a positive or a negative depending on their perspective,” Koch said, “but nine times out of 10, people are going to pick what they like.” [celebrity] And their opinions.”
When asked what aspects of students' daily lives celebrities most influence, Koch said style is an important element in celebrity culture, which may interest students.
“When it comes to how people behave, how they dress, what music they listen to, so much of people's political views and thought processes are tied to who they follow and who they keep in contact with,” Koch said.
However, despite having role models that they look up to and are inspired by, some students do not take their idols’ opinions seriously and try to build on them in their own way. For example, junior Raymar Canales.
“I'm trying to carve my own path,” Canales said, “I'm definitely inspired by them, but I'm not trying to be exactly like them.”
When it comes to his position in life, Canales wants to see the world through his own eyes, not someone else's, and while having different perspectives is important, it's not everything.
“We are certainly inspired by these people, but at the same time, it can also have a negative impact because we rely too much on them and think, 'Oh, they're doing it, so I can do it,' and that's not true,” Canales said.
After all, celebrities certainly have a way of captivating audiences, whether it be influencing them to adopt a particular point of view, inspiring them to make unique choices, or acting as a stepping stone to lift others to new heights.
“There are some celebrities who like to do good things, but people usually know it's not right or stupid,” Payton said, “but there are things that celebrities want to put out there, so students might take that into consideration.”