Girls Gone Wild
Here's an article I wrote for Ignite Your Faith Magazine, I've just been requested to do a radio show about this next Wednesday April 9th for Premiere Christian Radio in London. I'd love to get your feedback so I have more to talk about in the interview.
Mark
Girls Gone Wild
Why do famous young women like Paris, Britney, and Lindsey spiral so far out of control? by Mark MatlockQ. Lindsey, Britney, Nicole, Paris—there are so many famous young women spiraling out of control. Any thoughts on why?
A. I'm always happy to share theories, but first I'll point out that most young stars and starlets do not get caught in scandals involving sex, drugs, alcohol and wardrobe malfunctions. Many just do their job and go home. Others actually are squeaky clean. But it's much more interesting to hear about those who behave badly. And that makes this seem like an era of "bad girls." Why? Three ideas:
1) We pay them. We buy CDs and watch movies featuring young women who show a lot of skin, dance in sexually suggestive ways, and perform in sexually charged roles. We reward "sexy" teens and young twenty-somethings with cash. We teach them that being sexually provocative is the way to get rich.
2) We pay attention to them. We watch the scandal shows on TV, buy the gossip magazines, and search for stories/images on the web. We pay attention when starlets get in trouble and get addicted to substances. We teach them that being "bad" is how to stay in the spotlight. We support the tabloids that report it.
3) Bored people with money and weak moral standards drink and use drugs. People who drink and use drugs make stupid choices. Famous people who make stupid choices get their picture taken.
The question for us is: When will we stop paying attention? Is there anything better we can focus on? I'd encourage you to do your part by not feeding the cycle. And pray for these struggling women.
Mark is the founder of WisdomWorks Ministries. You can learn about his conferences, read movie and music reviews, and more at planetwisdom.com.
Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Ignite Your Faith magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Ignite Your Faith.
March/April 2008, Vol. 67, No. 2, Page 16
Posted by MarkM on at
4:56 PM
6 Comments:
I don't think that these women are out of control. I think the people around them are. I think they are being exploited. Some show serious depression, mental and/or psychological issues, and yet these women and people around them who should be caring for them, are so wrapped up in the fame and glamour that they ignore what is happening in reality.
I mean that is why we have the church, to keep us strong in our faith, and help us when we are down. But these women don't have that. They have TV exec's, managers, publicists, and record labels who only see the dollar signs and not the person who is basically breaking down before a live audience.
I totally agree with all three theories... :o)
Something interesting I've noticed about the media is that if we as humans ever have any doubts about our innate stupidity and sinfulness, the media will prove all doubts to be true.
If I start thinking that the media is going after articles and photos that aren't going to get any attention in the public eye, just the fact that they are going after those things proves me wrong. The paparazzi goes for the money shot/story, therefore, they feed off of our worst faults as human beings: judgement, pride, and the planks in our eyes.
It's kind of incredible that there is such a tell-tale sign in the world today, but you can bet that if there is something scandalous going on, the only thing that makes it a scandal is that people pay attention to it and feed their prides off the stupidity of others' decisions. And you can bet your last dollar on the media getting in touch with it. :o)
okay, i'm off the soapbox now. :o)
oh and i thought i would add this...
in the situations of paris, lindsay and britney, there's a lot going on in their respective familial backgrounds that might feed into their stupid decisions, too, which only adds to the dilemma of the broken family unit in our world today.
paris, coming from a very affluent family, has her problems probably from being so very sheltered from anything harmful in her past. her escape from jail to go back home for a few days was something that made me feel so sorry for her. she might have been having serious psychological problems dealing with the fact that, yes, she can be seriously punished for actions she commits, without any financial help from her parents. it's a hard lesson to learn for someone who's family is so dependent on money to solve any problem they may have.
lindsay, coming from a broken home and lack of a father figure until recently, has her own problems, too. her mom is known for letting lindsay live her life on her own, partying and living it up, without any regard to the hurt she was putting her daughter up for. lindsay's father, on the other hand, having just come into the picture, at least as i understand it, may not have much of a say in his daughter's life as an authority figure as of yet, so lindsay doesn't really have a lot of strong people to look up to, as far as i know.
britney, who comes from a pretty dysfunctional past as well, still doesn't have that kind of stability, though they are trying to do the best they can with the situation. i just think its kind of sad that just now that her daughter is in some serious trouble, lynn spears, her mom, is coming to the rescue. their relationship was on the fritz up until her mother's move to L.A. to care for her daughter AFTER all the falling had happened. now that britney is on the ground and can't get up, her mother thinks its time to save her. hmmm... and let's not forget jamie lynn spears, who needs some help, too.
i'm not trying to blame all their problems on other people, because they definitely have responsibility for their own actions, but just looking at their pasts gives some clues as to why they may feel so insecure about themselves, resorting to drugs and drinking to fill the needs only God can fill.
I think you left out a theory.
Seeing as to how most of the girls listed grew up in conservative Christian households, they were sort of sheltered from the things that fame and money can give them. So when fame and money all of the sudden just came to them without much notice, they went and did all the things that they couldn't do before, and had always been told they couldn't do.
I know from experience, living a very sheltered household can lead to rebellion problems later on.
Gladly, I got out of that stage before it got too serious :]
You said, "Bored people with money and weak moral standards drink and use drugs. People who drink and use drugs make stupid choices." Plenty of people who are poor drink and use drugs. It's not necessarily because they are bored or have weak moral standards. It's because they are trying to fill an emptiness in their lives. Period. And, just for the record, we ALL make stupid choices. I can't imagine what it would be like to have my own stupid choices broadcast to the world. At that point, why not just throw your hands up in the air and say, "Well, it's out there, I might as well do whatever I want to do."
All of these girls have a void in their lives that only Jesus can fill.
My opinion on this is that they are getting followed around so much by all these cameras, constantly getting bashed, and are getting all around to much attention. Their reputation because of this goes down, and even though they are famous doesn't mean they have the best self esteem, so I think that goes. They then end up just getting worse, they don't know where to turn. I mean they follow these girls when they try and go to church! I mean yes these girls may be out of control, and part of it is their fault, but when we are so wrapped up in bashing them, and when cameras follow them even to church it tears them apart. When Paris Hilton said she became a Christian she definitely got some comments on that, and same when Brittany went to church.
Publicity needs to leave them alone. Society needs to give them time to heal. When someone is struggling that bad, it is wrong beyond belief to torture them so much with all these cameras and articles in magazines and on tv. Absolutely awful!
Post a Comment
<< Home