So – Bono is out to save the world. He has the money, he has the audience (thanks to U2’s continued support of his work), and he is getting the contacts together to make a change. Angelina Jolie is working on saving the world. She has the money and the power to travel and bring light to some of the darkness in the world.
Time calls this last year the “Year of Charitainment” (93): the year where a bunch of celebrities picked and issue and started doing something. James Poniewozik writes the two pages that point out how hard it is to know which issue to pick to support – natural disasters, medical issues, hunger, clean water. And we can easily look at the celebrities and scoff at their work, “Why would they pick that one over all the other issues.” But Poniewozik says that we may see the celebrity as ridiculous, but only because we also are. “She has reminded us that we spend so much time on trivia that we ignore the matters of life and death to other people” (94). Yes, the star mags all have the info, but we sit around and read it…
Of course, I’m not saying “throw out all entertainment and work all the time.” I think that it’s another opportunity to look at balance in our lives. As I look at how I’m spending my time, do I think that it is a good way to do it? (Personally, I spend a lot of time watching movies because I like them - they are great entertainment.)
I think that celebrity brings with it a lot of power and for those who get famous quickly with little work, they have a harder time dealing with that. But those who can use the power for good can make a lasting change in how things are done.
But the question for the less famous – to whom will we listen? What are celebrities saying to us about being involved and helping with change?