Blog Post 2: Role Modeling & Media Effects

QUESTION A

We picked Angelina Jolie as an idol we all look up to and we believe that she is loved by most of the young people. Angelina Jolie Voight was born on the 4th of June in Los Angeles, California. Both her parents were actors in Hollywood and she has a brother who is also an actor. Her mother quit acting to raise Angelina and her brother because of the divorce. Angelina Jolie started acting as a child artist in a movie with her dad in the year of 1982. The title of her first film was

“Lookin’ to Get Out”. Her first major role in a film was in the year of 1996 and there was where she met her first husband, Johnny Lee Miller whom she divorced in year of 1999. She got married the second time to Billy Bob Thornton in Las Vegas in 2000. She became one of the highest-paid actresses after acting in

“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” as the lead role. She gained more prominence after adopting her kids. Her first son, Maddox, was adopted in Cambodia at the age of 3. She then continued to act in the film “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” where she met Brad Pitt, her current fiancé. The couple has 6 children now.  She is not only admired by the young crowd but also the senior citizens. She is not just a celebrity but she is definitely an icon. Many young people admire her because of all the charity and humanitarian work that she does.

Aly Weisman . (2013). How Angelina Jolie Became The Most Famous Actress In The World Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/angelina-jolie-career-most-famous-actress-. Available: http://www.businessinsider.com/angelina-jolie-career-most-famous-actress-2013-5?IR=T. Last accessed 27th February 2014.

QUESTION B

There are plenty of controversies that this famous person had to overcome. The controversies that this famous person has been involved is opting to have a preventive double mastectomy to prevent getting breast cancer. Breast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge does not agree with the decision Angelina Jolie made. This led into a big controversy. After that, Angelina Jolie recently announced that she wants another baby but her fiancé, Brad Pitt doesn’t want her to risk her life and just wants her to undergo the lifesaving surgery. Other than that, another controversy that Angelina Jolie had to undergo was her battle with anorexia. She had starved herself and started eating only ‘ancient’ bird grains which helps with weight loss. Angelina Jolie has lost a lot of weight from that but has slowly recovered from it with the help of her fiancé , Brad Pitt. A few of the aspects that the young people will follow from her is that everyone will have their downfalls, and no one is near perfect. Everyone has their own imperfections. Even if people are at their lowest point of their life, there’s always a way to finding a solution to be happy again.

QUESTION C

Human's behaviour, especially young adults, tend to imitate their favorite celebrity in terms of lifestyle and the way they behave.  The negative effects would be that young people would basically be living someone else's life and not living their own life to the fullest as they're concentrating on being exactly like their favorite celebrity. Another negative effect would be for the celebrity themselves, it creates a lot of pressure for them as they need to be the perfect role model, or else the media will blame them for every mistake they make. However, the positive effects would be if the celebrity did good things such as charity work, then their fans would follow them and try help society. That's why we chose Angelina Jolie because she is a great role model and has  done a lot of good things to society, helping people in need and doing a lot of charity work.

QUESTION D

Yes we think that a famous person can really promote their positive value and behavior to young people. People always look up to what a famous person do and it really influences young people around the world. Young people think that what a celebrity does is right and could benefit to them. Angelina Jolie has visited almost 30 countries and even risked her life. She focused her attention on refugees and people who have been displaced due to conflict. Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan, Thailand, Ecuador, Kosovo, Kenya, Namibia, Sri Lanka, North Caucasus, Jordan, Egypt, New Delhi, Costa Rica, Chad, Syria, and Iraq includes the places that she has visited.

QUESTION E

As an agent of socialization, the media portrays Angelina Jolie in a very favorable manner. This is said because she is a good role model. Not only is she very family orientated, but she also promotes humanitarian causes. She is noted for her work with refugees as a Special Envoy and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Over the years, she has contributed to many charitable organizations such as By doing so, she has inspired many of the younger generation as well as the older generation and that is why the media portrays her in such a favorable manner.

Post by:

1. Writer: Tiviya, Edwin, Pearl-Lyn, Esther & Carmen.
2. Editors: Tiviya, Edwin, Pearl-Lyn, Esther & Carmen.
3. Researchers: Tiviya, Edwin, Pearl-Lyn, Esther & Carmen.