Popular Culture (paraphrase) - Essay Example

             Both heroes and celebrities are admired by the public, and as such amass followers or 'fans'. This is for varying reasons: heroes for doing good, celebrities because they are ubiquitous and unavoidable. Heroes are generally held in such high esteem for their personal achievements and qualities: Karoly Tacakz, for example, is a national hero in Hungary. After a 1938 accident in which a grenade exploded in his shooting hand, making an amputation necessary, he trained with his left hand and won Olympic gold medals for shooting in 1948 and 1952 (Ruben).

Celebrities, on the other hand, can become famous for less admirable traits, such as their looks, wealth, or acting ability. Some celebrities are even focused on for doing bad things, O.J. Simpson being one prominent instance of this. The nature of celebrity is that they accumulate vast numbers of fans all around the world, whereas heroes may not be widely known, particularly outside of their native country – most non-Hungarians have never heard of Karoly Tacakz. The wide fanbase of celebrities, and typically narrower fanbase of heroes, reflects the fact that both heroes and celebrities are leaders in their chosen fields.

             Heroes are recognized as leaders and pioneers because they are most often knowledgeable or skilful, with abilities beyond the realm of common experience. However, some celebrities clearly fall into this category: in England, many actors and actresses have been recognized by the same institution which recognized, for example, Sir Isaac Newton, and at the same level. Dame Judi Dench is one of these hero-celebrities, who has been awarded a damehood for her impressive and expressive acting skills.

However, it is demanded of celebrities to make public appearances in a way that heroes are not – both male and female celebrities are expected to present themselves happily for often cruel judgment on their clothes, body and looks. The daily movements of heroes are not generally recorded in tabloids or magazines, whereas sensationalized facts and even speculation of celebrities' whereabouts are readily available. Every detail of a celebrity's life, however irrelevant, is scrutinized, such as in the recent Rolling Stone interview of Justin Bieber in which, inexplicably, the teen pop star was asked his opinion on abortion (Grigoriadis).

             Both heroes and celebrities have great influence on society, regardless of the level of exposure society has to them (greater for celebrities and less for heroes). Usually, although not always, heroes inspire whereas celebrities influence: women such as Aisha Humad, whose achievements teaching Sudanese women about their rights, inspire others to follow her footsteps (McKellogg). Celebrities, on the other hand, can influence people's beliefs by speaking out about certain issues, such as the Canadian athlete Clara Hughes.

Her campaign to help people battle depression is an example of celebrities' words affecting how people think. Similarly, the typical lifestyle of a