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| Angelina Jolie and husband Brad Pitt |
A few days ago, Angelina Jolie wrote an op-ed in the New York times about her decision to undergo a double mastectomy due to her high risk of breast cancer. In my opinion, this was a very brave thing for her to do. Jolie is an extremely well-known figure, so her speaking out about the surgery is sure to raise awareness and make women more open to having genetic testing and surgery, if necessary. As Linda Holmes stated on NPR, we live "in a celebrity-infatuated world." The word "infatuated," meaning an unreasoning or extravagant passion/attraction, is no exaggeration. American people worship the ground that many celebrities walk on and because of this, Jolie can easily make a huge impact on people's lives just by saying that she went through the genetic testing and surgery. While in some cases Jolie's impact might be a positive one, in others it might not be. For example, because Americans are so celebrity-obsessed, it is possible that people will want to get the genetic testing, even if it is unnecessary for them.
Despite whether Jolie’s impact is positive or negative, it is also interesting to think about why we listen to and believe celebrities. Seemingly, it is for the wrong reasons. When people think about Angelina Jolie, they are likely focusing solely on her beauty. Forbes describes her body as "An American Iconic Body" and in this Huffington Post Blog, she is described as a "goddess." If Jolie was not viewed in this way, as a perfect and beautiful figure, I would argue that her statement would not have had the same impact. In the celebrity-obsessed country of America, people listen to a “beautiful” celebrity about serious matters (such as surgery), over a doctor or scientist.
The impact that celebrities have on the American people is just another example of how our views are constructed. Hearing one statement from a celebrity has the potential to completely change one's perspective. Do you see the impact that celebrities have in America as being positive or negative? Why or why not? Why are Americans so impacted by what celebrities have to say?
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ReplyDeleteI think that the impact of celebrities can be positive or negative, like you said in the post, not just one or the other. Celebrities are often able to relay messages to the American people more effectively than politicians. Depending on what message they are trying to send, their impact can be beneficial or hurtful.
ReplyDeleteLily,
ReplyDeleteVery good work blogging again this term. I read that op-ed,too. I like your take on the celebrity oracle. I also wondered about the expense of such a procedure. It must cost tens of thousands of dollars and would the average person's insurance cover genetic testing and the subsequent surgeries. I believe her motives were good, but I wonder how many could follow her example,