Celebrity Activism and Distant Suffering Literature & Language Essay (Essay Sample)

Celebrity Activism and Distant Suffering
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Introduction
Effective celebrity activism involves the celebrities using their fortune and fame to cover important issues that are of concern to the functioning of the contemporary society. Celebrity activism uses its inherent credibility to represent themselves as agents of social movements. Internationally-recognized celebrities play a significant role in unraveling societal problems that would have otherwise faded unnoticed as a result of no news coverage. Celebrities have increased their activities in Africa. Notably, most of their actions are focused on the suffering of the African populations rather than the development progress in the continent. In the recent past, there is an increasing depiction of white celebrities as saviors in the vulnerable communities in Africa. These activities have unraveled interest in the moral implications of such representations. Also, most stars appear as well-meaning, but ultimately they are irresponsible and potentially destructive to the cause. Celebrity activism perpetuates stereotypes concerning the target communities as a result of selective humanitarian approaches. This paper discusses the concept of celebrity activism concerning the idea of distant suffering while acknowledging the role of news items in the subject matter.