This week saw the premier of a movie about a sixteen year old who has had a relatively successful career in the past two years, but my question is, does this child deserve to have a movie made about his short life so far when all he has done is sing?

 

What worries me is that there is so much of a presence of this celebrity culture that reality is becoming more and more distorted. Do we truly hold sixteen year old boys in higher regards than a child of the same age who has overcome a major disease despite the obstacles or has done something amazing for his/her community? Are we at such a point that celebrity news is bigger than regular people in need? Have we been exposed to so much of this celebrity culture with it being forced upon us from all kinds of media with the added precedence of reality TV that we no longer can differentiate between stars and celebrity, real and fantasy?

 

To have a movie made on a 16 year old who hasn’t accomplished more than a singing career, like others before him seems like a complete slap in the face to culture and history and those who have overcome. Why are we not recognising soldiers, fire fighters, real heroes for their sacrifices instead of a teenager who has yes, gained a career in music but that’s nothing special nowadays? Wouldn’t it has been more fitting to make a movie about stevie Wonder? A true childhood superstar. Seems life time achievement awards or recognition means nothing anymore because a two year career is all you need to be a superstar and a legend.

 

Why are we recognising people for their achievements to such high heights way before they should be recognised? There are people in the music industry that have been around for twenty, thirty, fifty years and more and still haven’t been recognised either by an award or a movie in their honour for their efforts. What kind of a kick in the teeth must that feel like?

 

Beaver’s not my cup of tea, that is true but even if I’d liked someone and they’d had a movie about them, that would have still made me angry.

 

How many reality contestants are we now seeing in the spotlight and being treated like celebrities? It’s almost like no one has to work for a career or fame or fortune any more to gain recognition and respect from the industry. This makes me both sad and angry. It’s no wonder this is being reflected in our societies. Everything is so attainable and nothing is hard to get. Recognition for good and hard work is given far too easily. And all in the name of money.

 

It’s obvious that Beaver’s record label saw a golden money making opportunity as they will know millions of teenage girls will flock to the cinema to see the movie about their pin up boy. But where is the substance in our society today? There apparently is very little of that to go around. True legendary stars are being pushed aside in the recognition category because they won’t pull in as much in regard to merchandise and ticket sales. How sad is our world when money making is a driving force to give someone recognition?