Nine Inch Nails- The Perfect Drug
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
*We're all stars now*
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
There's a lot of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not then they love another
Marilyn Manson- The Dope Show
We're all stars now in the dope show
There's a lot of pretty, pretty ones
That want to get you high
But all the pretty, pretty ones
Will leave you low and blow your mind
We're all stars now in the dope show
We're all stars now in the dope show
They love you when you're on all the covers
When you're not then they love another
Marilyn Manson- The Dope Show
Don't let them know how far you go...
If celebrity influences were the primary reason that youths choose to engage in drugs, we would have to ask ourselves what it is that causes celebrities to do drugs. The answers to this would be similar if we did a study as to why anyone does drugs: to relieve themselves from stress and pressure, to numb themselves from traumatic experiences, family issues, or depression. Celebrities, believe it or not, are human beings! Not only that, but the majority of celebrities were not stars the moment they were born. This leads us back to the question of why celebrities do drugs, and the answer to this question is similar to the one that people would come up with when asked why people in general do drugs. To blame celebrities for the influence they impose on youths regarding drug use would lead one in a cycle of blaming former celebrities who influenced popular modern celebrities who abuse drugs, and blame their drug use on the celebrities before them, and the ones who influenced them, and so on.
Furthermore, to say that celebrities have so much influential authority over the illicit activities that youths engage in, would imply that celebrities have more of an influence on kids than their families and institutions that they belong to. Generally speaking, parents are discouraging drug use, true friends who care about the health and well-being of their peers are discouraging drug use, and churches, schools and coaches are discouraging drug use. Do celebrities have more influence on kids than their families and friends? If this is the case, then maybe parents should take a critical look at their morals and standards when it comes to raising their children. If your daughter cares more about looking like Lindsay Lohan and doing everything she does in order to supposedly glamourize herself, than she does about her family and her health, then there is something to be said about what is really causing the drug problem, the celebrity models or the role of the parents in her life. Hmmm…
Furthermore, to say that celebrities have so much influential authority over the illicit activities that youths engage in, would imply that celebrities have more of an influence on kids than their families and institutions that they belong to. Generally speaking, parents are discouraging drug use, true friends who care about the health and well-being of their peers are discouraging drug use, and churches, schools and coaches are discouraging drug use. Do celebrities have more influence on kids than their families and friends? If this is the case, then maybe parents should take a critical look at their morals and standards when it comes to raising their children. If your daughter cares more about looking like Lindsay Lohan and doing everything she does in order to supposedly glamourize herself, than she does about her family and her health, then there is something to be said about what is really causing the drug problem, the celebrity models or the role of the parents in her life. Hmmm…
Picking up the Pieces...
Some celebrities who are considered to be positive influences actually have a dark background of depression and substance abuse. A perfect example of such a person is Eric Lamaze, rider for the Canadian Olympic Equestrian Team. Lamaze brought home a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics for individual show jumping. This was the first time competing the Olympics for Lamaze, as he was unable to compete in the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2000 Sydney Games. He tested positive for cocaine before both Olympics, and after the first time, considered suicide. Lamaze “picked up the pieces of his life,” and came out on top in the Beijing Olympic Games, also helping the Canadian Team bring home a silver medal in team show jumping. His success story touched the hearts of Canadians, and fellow equestrians, who understand how important his dream was to him, and how if you persevere through difficult times, the dream is still attainable.
The story of Eric Lamaze is a positive representation of how celebrities who have been at a time perceived as bad role models and influences to the rest of society, can make a positive example of themselves by turning their lives around and proving themselves to the rest of the world. Eric says of his fantastic story, "When you give people chances and allow them to come back from their mistakes, great things happen and I'm a perfect example that you shouldn't give up on people." He demonstrates not that young riders should engage in illegal drug practices so they can one day follow their dreams, but that people should not be ridiculed and judged by the rest of society for struggling with drug dependency. Lamaze illustrates that if people are given a second chance to redeem themselves from their mistakes, they may then be judged for the person they really are, and display their great talents and personality traits.
Many people who know who Eric Lamaze is may not have known about his troubled past and how his career suffered due to drug abuse. Seeing him come out of the Beijing Olympics with a gold medal, a silver medal, and recognition as one of the top riders in the world, actually gives a positive message to society: don’t let bad habits hold you back, and never give up on yourself.
The story of Eric Lamaze is a positive representation of how celebrities who have been at a time perceived as bad role models and influences to the rest of society, can make a positive example of themselves by turning their lives around and proving themselves to the rest of the world. Eric says of his fantastic story, "When you give people chances and allow them to come back from their mistakes, great things happen and I'm a perfect example that you shouldn't give up on people." He demonstrates not that young riders should engage in illegal drug practices so they can one day follow their dreams, but that people should not be ridiculed and judged by the rest of society for struggling with drug dependency. Lamaze illustrates that if people are given a second chance to redeem themselves from their mistakes, they may then be judged for the person they really are, and display their great talents and personality traits.
Many people who know who Eric Lamaze is may not have known about his troubled past and how his career suffered due to drug abuse. Seeing him come out of the Beijing Olympics with a gold medal, a silver medal, and recognition as one of the top riders in the world, actually gives a positive message to society: don’t let bad habits hold you back, and never give up on yourself.
Words from the Wise...
Celebrities should not be blamed for youths abusing drugs. Whether young adults listen to artists who engage in drugs, or what negative celebrity behaviour they are exposed to by the media, is not the reason they choose to use drugs. If this was the case, and celebrities were the true cause of kids developing drug habits, the rates of drug addiction would be much higher than they are, because so many people are exposed to and are interested in the work of stars who have drug habits. The choice to participate in illicit activities is a personal one. Karima Habibali, a Transpersonal Psychotherapist at Turning Point Detox Centre in Hamilton, says that with their patients who struggle with drug abuse, they aim to “explore their reasons for using/abusing alcohol/drugs internally; to heal trauma from within.” When working with patients, Karima does not focus on outside influences, especially those in the media, to make sense or redirect blame for their substance addiction. She believes that the direction people choose to take their lives, and the steps they take to reconstruct their lives after any damage is done, is an internal process. It does not make sense to say that certain music, films, or artists are the cause of these problems developing in the first place.
If, indeed, celebrities and their work were the source of individuals’ motivation to engage in drug abuse, then once their addiction is treated, their interests in art forms would change. “I would state that there aren’t differences in clients’ interests after a period of recovery and healing,” Habibali says of patients’ interests before and after treatment, “so much as there is increased motivation to pursue individual interests that had been lost within the depths of the addiction.” Her experiences have shown her that there is a general loss of interests amongst individuals with drug problems. Therefore, celebrity influences are not relevant to increased substance use, because people struggling with drug abuse lose interest in the world outside themselves.
If, indeed, celebrities and their work were the source of individuals’ motivation to engage in drug abuse, then once their addiction is treated, their interests in art forms would change. “I would state that there aren’t differences in clients’ interests after a period of recovery and healing,” Habibali says of patients’ interests before and after treatment, “so much as there is increased motivation to pursue individual interests that had been lost within the depths of the addiction.” Her experiences have shown her that there is a general loss of interests amongst individuals with drug problems. Therefore, celebrity influences are not relevant to increased substance use, because people struggling with drug abuse lose interest in the world outside themselves.
au⋅to⋅bi⋅og⋅ra⋅phy [aw-tuh-bahy-og-ruh-fee]: a history of a person's life written or told by that person.
Alyssainwonderland: I am a Journalism student with a passion for asking questions, people-watching and writing. I enjoy reading fictional work, biographies, and auto-biographies. Writers who inspire me the most are Lewis Carroll, Jacqueline Susann and Neil Strauss.
My interests include reading, writing prose, drawing, painting and horseback riding. I am an audio learner and music is a very important part of my life. I appreciate all types of music, and I do not believe that any music, movies, or art forms should be banned or censored. If individuals decide to make bad choices, then that is on their own account. The topic of my blog, which is the drug use of celebrities, is designed not to use stars as a scapegoat to account for the drug use of youths, but actually the contrary. I believe that it is not celebrity examples that drive people to drug dependency, and society should stop placing the blame on them. Why, instead, can’t we listen to what professionals, celebrities, and kids themselves, have to say about drug use, and see what the real reasons are that kids use drugs?
With my interest and research pertaining to celebrity drug use, and cases where stars have been blamed for drug related incidences in society, I will guide my readers in reconsidering what it is that should be blamed for youth drug abuse. This is not a blog, like most others, that points fingers at artists and actors who use drugs, and throws them into the spotlight to be used as a scapegoat and to be perceived as a negative influence. I will dig deeper into the habits of celebrities and youths, and provide professional inputs which will demonstrate that stars are not the reason that kids use drugs.
My interests include reading, writing prose, drawing, painting and horseback riding. I am an audio learner and music is a very important part of my life. I appreciate all types of music, and I do not believe that any music, movies, or art forms should be banned or censored. If individuals decide to make bad choices, then that is on their own account. The topic of my blog, which is the drug use of celebrities, is designed not to use stars as a scapegoat to account for the drug use of youths, but actually the contrary. I believe that it is not celebrity examples that drive people to drug dependency, and society should stop placing the blame on them. Why, instead, can’t we listen to what professionals, celebrities, and kids themselves, have to say about drug use, and see what the real reasons are that kids use drugs?
With my interest and research pertaining to celebrity drug use, and cases where stars have been blamed for drug related incidences in society, I will guide my readers in reconsidering what it is that should be blamed for youth drug abuse. This is not a blog, like most others, that points fingers at artists and actors who use drugs, and throws them into the spotlight to be used as a scapegoat and to be perceived as a negative influence. I will dig deeper into the habits of celebrities and youths, and provide professional inputs which will demonstrate that stars are not the reason that kids use drugs.
Monday, November 30, 2009
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