It really interests me how Americans, and humans in general, seem to be pulled and attracted to the negative news in the world. Whether it’s hitting paparazzi with a car or falling into a drug addiction, the consumers of this mass-produced media eat it up. But what about the good stuff? Why do we look past the donations to charities? Why do we look past the participation in marches for social issues?
Back in early March, Chance the Rapper announced he would be donating one million dollars to Chicago Public Schools. Donating money to a school system isn’t everyone’s first wish or thought when it comes to what they want to do with their money. Most people tend to think of the newest technology or flashiest clothes — but Chance the Rapper saw an issue and wanted to make it right. Unfortunately, this act of kindness didn’t get the attention it deserved. I’m not saying that we should all bow down and praise Chance for what he did, but isn’t it more important and meaningful to congratulate that rather than sharing Kim Kardashian’s latest Twitter picture?
Politics also play into this whole genre of celebrities being involved. The Right is so quick to negate and villainize celebrities who use their fame as a platform to speak their mind on politics. This diminishes the impact that celebrities have with any given audience. Madonna, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are all very vocal in their attempts to bond people together in this time of division brought on by Trump and his administration. Our attention is then turned to Donald Trump’s latest presidential antics. The attention goes from something creative and constructive to something that will hurt more people.
Lady Gaga helped victims of sexual assault overcome and deal with their battles. Tyler Oakley works day to day to be an asset to the LGBTQA+ community. Rihanna started a scholarship for Carribean students. But all of this gets overlooked. All of this gets swallowed by Trump’s racist comments, the Kardashian’s latest leak and any other number of celebrity blunders. It’s about time we turn our focus to the light in the world rather than the dark moments.
The Huntingtonian 