If you didn’t learn it in high school, university certainly highlights the importance of prioritization. In this academic setting, students quickly learn that their attention cannot be divided if they want to achieve a goal. This same principle applies outside of school: if we want to achieve a common goal, we have to be unified and focused. And in a time where distractions are rampant, this has become increasingly difficult.
I’d like to preface the rest of this piece by acknowledging three things:
- It is good to hold others accountable.
- It is good to educate those in the dark about important topics.
- It is important that celebrities use their platforms to advocate for an end to injustices.
The problem is that we have transformed these three points from friendly guidance to a form of entertainment, distracting us from focusing on the root of the injustices. It’s become absurd the amount of information covering the opinions of celebrities and the level of pressure to rebuke those whose opinions deviate.
We often feel the need to publicly condemn those who take an opinion against our own. I’m sure we are all familiar with cancel culture and the public ridicule directed at celebrities who act outside of socially accepted behavior. While I understand that unifying and taking a stance against them online is the only way to deliver a message, I don’t think these movements are helpful in times of political turmoil. And I’m going to show you how inefficient this is by touching on a very current example: the injustices committed in Palestine.
Think about how often we discuss the political opinions of celebrities/influencers, online or otherwise. Whether it be praising them or criticizing them, if the answer to that prompt is any more than ‘rarely,’ we are letting ourselves get distracted from the real problems. I say this because personally, I’ve seen an abundance of posts discussing the stances of celebrities on Palestine. It’s disheartening to see the time and attention that could be directed towards addressing the suffering of individuals being shared with influencers as they navigate, unravel, and determine their values.
Praising or Criticizing – is one better than the other?
For those who have kept up with this cause in the media, you are likely familiar with the posts praising the celebrities calling for a ceasefire, and expressing disappointment in those who are applauding President Biden’s stance. There were also other posts going around expressing disappointment in celebrities who either haven’t released statements or who have sided against the majority.
It takes a lot of posts to address a celebrity. Praising celebrities for the right opinion or criticizing them for the wrong one both branch our attention and make it harder to strive for change.
What about asking those with platforms to use them for good?
Influencers are always pressured to speak on topics of political injustice – the Palestinian siege is no different. The issue is a good chunk of them are not sufficiently educated to provide an insightful take. Obviously this is not an excuse to ignore the problem at hand. However, the result of this pressure is typically a half-hearted statement made to please one’s followers.
There are always going to be individuals involved in the struggle and they know more than what can be grasped in a quick google search. These are the people whose voices matter the most, they are who we should be giving a platform to. It is off of the support of the masses that influencers are given a platform, which means we should be using our attention wisely, giving it to those who can provide more insight than any lukewarm statement can.
How do I use my attention efficiently?
Now I’m not going to pretend to know how to do this. I know just as much about this as anyone else reading this article, so I’ll just share what I think to be the most helpful.
- Educate yourself. Don’t just form your opinion based on what you hear/see. Look into the topic and try to get every perspective on the story before picking a side. Pay attention to those involved in the problem, not disconnected celebrities. Even if you do nothing with this information, knowing where you stand is incredibly valuable.
- Use your language carefully. Since the surge in media attention towards Palestine, I’ve personally seen a lot of tasteless content from both sides. Do not let your emotions guide your tongue, stay focused on the facts. Doing otherwise may fuel futile divisions over terminology.
- Learn to ignore. Giving the opinions of celebrities more acknowledgement than necessary does nothing at the end of the day. People learn best from example, so support those who you agree with and unfollow those who you don’t. When we begin to treat the opinions of others as something to gossip about we take attention away from the root of the problem and amplify apathetic voices, during a time when apathy is the last thing we need.
- Pressure your politicians, not your favorite influencers. Even with millions of followers, a celebrity’s platform does not change laws, redirect funds, send aid, etc. Your criticism is best directed towards those who instill, maintain, and can change the situation: your politicians.
It’s important to remember that celebrities find their voices amplified off the support of ordinary people. And so, as long as we use our attention efficiently, it is the everyday people that truly have the biggest influence.