Celebrities vs. Successful Americans

American popular media is shallowly portraying success through wealthy celebrities. Of course, everyone desires material possessions to some extent, but isn’t there more to success than just a large savings account or name brand possessions? Successful people are ambitious and drive themselves in the direction of what they are trying to accomplish as an individual. While American popular media portrays successful people as reckless partiers, owners of expensive mansions and popular sports cars, I believe that successful people are knowledgeable, have valuable life experiences, and are accomplished in the career world.
Knowledge is a key element that is needed to become successful. People gain knowledge not just from what they learn from compulsory and higher education, but from what they read, and watch. When Americans turn on the T.V. and see a celebrity such as Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan in a huge house wearing luxurious jewelry and clothing, it’s not surprising that they would automatically think of this as an accurate representation of success. Americans think of this as an accurate representation of success because we think wealth is success. However, just because the media portrays success through wealth, Diana Kendall reminds us that “success is reflected in many people’s reading and viewing habits” (Kendall 336). Therefore, if people watched and read things that would help them become successful rather than trying to imitate the success of celebrities, it would make them more knowledgeable and successful individuals. Not only would Americans become more knowledgeable if they read and watched more enriching materials, but they would learn about their personal interests rather than focusing on earning a “slice of the good life” (Kendall 336). Someone doesn’t have to be a celebrity to be successful they have to be aware of what they are interested in doing. In addition, having knowledge and knowing how to apply it to situations in life helps people make better decisions. The more knowledge someone has the more likely he/she will use it to their advantage which would make them successful.
Valuable life experience is another trait that is imperative for success. American popular media is mainly interested in publicizing the negative life experiences of celebrities because their elite status supposedly makes them more interesting than average people. What if Britney Spears wasn’t a celebrity? Would anyone care that her children aren’t in her custody or that she’s even divorced? Celebrities are the reason why we don’t publicize single teenage mothers that are raising their children while going to college and working two jobs or war heroes that died to protect our individual freedoms. The media publicizes celebrities because they are wealthy, which makes them seem more important than average people. Success is earned through hard work and devotion, but the media uses a “nine- year olds vision of wealth to save us from ourselves” which characterizes success through television shows and games such as monopoly (Soto 26). Very few celebrities have experienced challenges or life the way the average American has. Irresponsibility and carelessness are about the only life experience a celebrity has. Think of how many people who are multimillionaires or famous that clean their own home, raised their children without a nanny, or have served for our country; the odds are they never have and never will. Through achieving valuable life experiences someone becomes stronger and is able to overcome challenges and that makes them successful.
Being accomplished in the career world is another attribute that makes someone successful. This doesn’t mean that someone has to have a high status in the career world but they must have a purpose. Even if this purpose has “low wages, lack of benefits, and hazardous working conditions that are considered boring and uninteresting topics” that doesn’t mean a person is unsuccessful (Kendall 339). No matter what job or career someone has, they should feel important. Working is more than earning an income; it requires passion and an undying interest. Important people tend to do a better job and are overall better qualified at what they are doing, making them successful. It’s the quality of the work rather than someone’s income that is a success. Just because someone has a job that pays well that doesn’t mean they are successful it just means “money ain’t divided up right in this country” (Bambara 272). Underpaid people with important jobs are considered unsuccessful because “we over identify with the wealthy because the media socialize us to believe that people in the upper classes are better than we are” (Kendall 335-336). Obviously, if someone is dedicated to their job then they must enjoy what they are doing. If one is satisfied with what he/she is doing then there is a form or self-respect and personal admiration. People with careers strive to do their best for themselves so that they feel personally satisfied and successful.
I believe that if everyone tried to achieve their full potential, one way or another they would become successful. It is my perception that successful Americans are knowledgeable, have valuable life experiences, and are accomplished in the career world. Success is not just wealth, but it is what someone is made of. It must be created and it is a variable in everyone’s life, because each person’s success is different.
Works Cited
Bambara, Toni Cade. “The Lesson.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical
Thinking and Writing. 7th Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 270-277.
Kendall, Diana. “Framing Class, Vicarious Living, and Conspicuous Consumption.”
Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 7th Ed.
Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2007. 334-350.
Soto, Gary. “Looking for Work.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical
Thinking and Writing. 7th Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 26-30.