Monday, April 24, 2017

Essay #1

          Anywhere from television, podcasts, magazines, and social media you can see public figures expressing their opinions on many different topics. Since people in the public eye are followed by many, they have an opportunity to get a message spread out. A lot of public figures use that opportunity for good and try to better the world with their opinion. Since they have a wide following, their message can go viral and will result in people talking about their opinion.
         
           Almost everyone has someone famous they look up to and admire. Public figures can influence a lot of people's opinions by using a variety of platforms. Some feel like it is important to take advantage of that and try to influence people to make a change and better themselves. Just from the passed election, almost anyone in the public eye were sharing their thoughts and urging people to vote. Even if they just state who they voted for, that is enough to make someone want to vote for that person. A lot of public figures are open about their lifestyles and try to encourage their following to be the healthiest version they can be. They make videos on YouTube on how to do some exercises and what they eat to be healthy. That can influence some people to try to be more healthy. With websites like Good Reads, Twitter, and YouTube, I've seen a lot of public figures influence people to read by recommending books and sharing what they have been reading. Reading is amazing because there is always something new you can learn that can better yourself. 

         Another way public figures use their platforms for good is to spread the word about movements and events that are occurring. A few months ago there were a lot of women's right protests in the U.S. Public figures used social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat to encourage people to go to the protests. Many people attended because they saw someone they admire go there. Everyone there hoped to get a message across and since it was all over the media, the message did get to were they wanted it to go to. Last summer people used their platforms to share their opinions on the Black Lives Matter movement. This got everyone talking and spreading their opinions. Some artists released music about the topic hoping it would get people to make a change. For example, "Better Days" by Victoria Monet and featuring Ariana Grande got everyone who follows both artists talking about the topic. This makes everything that is happening currently known to everyone and influences people to share their opinions too.

         Public figures are also good for helping their following form their own opinions. A lot of famous people may not attend to protests but still share their opinions by tweeting or blogging. Many people who may have different opinions can still contribute to the discussion and share what they think. This just creates a massive thread of ideas and thoughts that has great value. There is something new someone can learn when reading the thread and can even provoke another thought that they can contribute. Online discussions are great because it gets people involved in sharing opinions. Public figures create a place for learning and talking with new people.

         In conclusion, public figures using the opportunity to spread their opinions is good in many ways. They encourage people to better themselves by recommending lifestyles and books. They also spread the word on the things that are currently happening in the world and encourage others to keep the conversation growing. Without public figures using their voice, many things that are happening can go unnoticed and maybe not get a lot of change going on. People are influenced by the people they admire which is why using their voice is important. 


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