Pop stars: Do they have a negative influence on teens?

[Azyael]

We’ve all seen the sex appeal used by pop stars like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. The suggestive lyrics and clothing they used. And lets not forget that certain controversial kiss with Madonna.

So, does this behavior have a negative effect on teens?

Parents, have you seen any negative or positive changes in your children that are into pop music? Or does it have no influence at all?

[Kianier]

I think it's been proven time and time again that music and "teen idols" have a huge effect on the adolescence of America. Me, still being a teen, (18) was never really effected, but then again whenever I saw Brit and Christina, I hit mute and watched away.

Kian

[Kulven]

I'm a bit confused as to the topic. Is the question whether pop idols promote promiscuity, whether promiscuity is "negative," whether pop idols have a significant influence on teens in general, or whether the influence pop idols have on teens is "negative?"

I don't see promiscuous behavior as negative or undesirable, so I can't really comment there. I do, however, believe that pop idols (and other popular figures) have a definite influence on the culture and values of adolescents, and I would consider that effect to be generally negative and undesirable (completely independent of promiscuity concerns).

With regards to sexual behaviour by people like that, of course it has an effect, however the defining thing here is both; is that effect a negative one? are they the primary source of that effect?

Okay, so, to speak as myself (who better hey?) I can tell you if I see a cute pop idol on tv strutting around I will generally think something along the lines of "hmm, she's cute". Then if I go to the gym or even walk down the street and see a cute girl, I'll think the exact same thing.

I fail to see how in any way at any time attractive people strutting around a stage is a bad thing. If you're talking about it making people want to look like them, at the risk of sounding like an ass, people aren't meant to be fat, so if it gets those chubby little suckers on their bikes and out running around, again I fail to see how this is a bad thing.

Personally, those people provide entertainment, that's it. Entertainment is a GOOD thing, not a bad one. I think people need to stop blaming the first thing that comes along and start taking a little responsibility for themselves and their offspring.

So to answer your question, no, I don't think it has a negative effect on children or teenagers in the slightest, it gives them something to enjoy, to aspire to, and I think that can be a very helpful thing. If there was footage constantly on the tv of Brittany, Christina and a few others in drunken orgies while shooting crack and slitting their wrist, then by all means complain. They're harmless, and as Eminem would say:

"When a dude's getting bullied and shoots up a school and they blame it on Marilyn, and the heroin. Where were the parents at?"

Dol

[Perire]

Yep, I agree with Dol -and Eminem, strangely enough- a lot parents blame EVERYTHING on the media these days. People generally don't want to be held responsible for their own actions, it seems. That's why people can get away with sueing McDonalds because who would've know deep fried food contains a lot of fat?

Besides, before Christina, we had Barbie. Buxom, blonde, waistless Barbie hardly seems to be a better role-model to me.

[Azyael]

I'm a bit confused as to the topic. Is the question whether pop idols promote promiscuity, whether promiscuity is "negative," whether pop idols have a significant influence on teens in general, or whether the influence pop idols have on teens is "negative?"

I’ll restate the question. Do teen pop stars, using sex appeal, have a negative effect on adolescents? Sorry for the confusion.

So to answer your question, no, I don't think it has a negative effect on children or teenagers in the slightest, it gives them something to enjoy, to aspire to, and I think that can be a very helpful thing. If there was footage constantly on the tv of Brittany, Christina and a few others in drunken orgies while shooting crack and slitting their wrist, then by all means complain. They're harmless, and as Eminem would say:

I agree. Although, if I saw Brittany and Christina in a drunken orgy the last thing on my mind would be complaining… :P

Yep, I agree with Dol -and Eminem, strangely enough- a lot parents blame EVERYTHING on the media these days. People generally don't want to be held responsible for their own actions, it seems. That's why people can get away with sueing McDonalds because who would've know deep fried food contains a lot of fat?

Most definitely agreed. You can find this to be true in almost every subject. Instead of holding themselves responsible, they’re too busy pointing fingers.

[Kulven]

I don't like the fetishization and commodification of sexuality in our culture. Nothing is wrong with sex, but when it's used as a tool for advertising I think that can have some damaging consequences. Dolencion, I think problems like anorexia and obesity tend to stem from some of the same sources fundamentally - to me they're just different coping mechanisms. You seem to be assuming that Britney Spears "is" attractive, but there's overwhelming evidence to suggest that what is seen as attractive is driven (if not defined) by popular culture.

So, is Britney Spears a pop star because she's attractive, or is she attractive because she's a pop star? I think it's a little of both. What's relevant here is that these pop stars are elements of our culture, and have a profound impact on it. That impact goes well beyond the superficial.

Still, I think it's a symptom of a larger problem. I'm frustrated with everyone trying to blame the media or whatnot, but I'm also frustrated with everyone looking for a single source of blame. A wide variety of complex psychological variables are involved in triggering things like school shootings, it's not just the parent, just the schools, just the television, it's not just anything.

I believe a big part of the reason everyone wants to point fingers is that everyone is afraid of what they'd discover if they really delved into the matter. It doesn't have anything to do with blame; our culture is founded on contradictions and we can't function in the normal sense without ignoring those contradictions compulsively.

[Pae]

You know you are tired when:

You read this thread title as
"Porn stars: Do they have a negative influence on kids?"

And my answer is yes. Obviously I'm too tired to come up with good reasons to back my claim, but consider it a straw man argument.. yes porn stars do have a negative on kids.

[Cyrinne]

As a teacher of students who are basically ages eight and nine, I definitely see that there is an effect that these pop idols are having on children. Little girls see the behavior and emulate it, and sadly, children's fashion seems to have moved on to follow this entire Lolita effect. It isn't just teens that these artists are effecting. I had two little girls this year pick "pop star" for their halloween costume, and show up in little sparkly midriff tops and low rider pants. Yes, it's sort of cute. But it's also playing with a sexuality that they are too young to understand. And that is the part that worries me.

This doesn't mean that parents do not have their own responsibility to ensure that their daughters dress for school appropriately. I think that if parents make the choice of allowing their young daughters to become 'fans' of Britney and Christina, then that needs to go with a conversation about what those lyrics and movements mean, and why that sort of behavior and style of dress is not appropriate for little girls.

The part that upsets me about those two stars in particular, is that their music was specifically marketed to children. Britney aired her live concerts on Nickelodien and the Disney channel, and depended on the young girl and preteen market for most of her record sales, at least when she first became popular.

I believe that that gives her as an artist a responsiblity to the children she is attempting to sell her records to. When I was eight, I loved Madonna. I bought little lace gloves with the fingers cut off, and walked around trying to imitate what I'd seen of her on TV. I sat down to watch a concert on HBO that I was excited about, which my parents made me turn off in disgust. But I was not her intended market. Nor was she on any channels I would have been allowed to watch at length unsupervised, like Nick or Disney.

I guess I don't really think that either Britney, or those who market her are responsible for the behavior of little girls on their own. As always, a child's viewpoint on life comes from many different sources, and stars also have their own job to do. At the same time, I think it is sad to see my students strutting around in outfits they shouldn't wear, and I worry for them.

[Aristotle]

Absolutely brilliant post Cyrinne and I really appreciate the viewpoint you are able to give as a teacher of young children.

I am also pretty disgusted by absentee parents who make no effort to learn what it is their kids are interested in. They are definitely sharing the blame with the artists and (more importantly) the corporate big shots who are marketing so much filth to kids.

There is one thing, however, that makes me put the majority of the blame on the artists and the aforementioned corporate whores. There are a lot of kids out there who have HORRIBLE parents, or single parent homes where the single parent works insane hours, kids who bounce around foster homes, etc. Kids like this simply do not have much parental involvement and sometimes parental involvement is really not even possible. Do we just write those kids off to be polluted?