Last few days have been pretty crazy with the election results. Unless you have been living under a rock, you should know by now that President Trump (elect) will be running our country from the oval office for 4 years, starting in January. The Trump phenomenon though didn’t take place without solid back-end campaigning from both parties.
I remember the last few days before election day, media was full of news reports on stars (celebrities) who would go and campaign for Clinton. Not only that, but singers such as Miley Cyrus , Jon Bon Jovi, Katy Perry and others, were next to senator Clinton’s side day in and day out. Many people have questioned the moral of this all. Should greatly known people in showbiz, show their support for a candidate and also do campaigning events, to pump up those results? Is it fair for people to be influenced in that way and not have thinking of their own? While whether it’s fair or not may be debatable, what isn’t debatable is the fact that a massive number of people is influenced one way or another to elect someone who will be in office for a long time.
I won’t be expressing my opinion on whether celebrities should favor a candidate or not (or maybe I will.) I am just going to say a few things that hopefully will provide food for thought. The election process has been established for a very long time, with the sole purpose of electing someone democratically and in a fair way. So elections mean that everyone gets to have a voice and express that voice through their vote. Your high caliber celebrity vote has the same value with the one of a McDonald’s worker in NYC. We know that the media always tends to favor candidates, depending on their political stance (Fox News favors Republicans and CNN Democrats) but should artists take the same role?
Art can be a way of expressing dislike for something: for example dislike for a current government. In fact many times, the topics discussed in the lyrics of songs have a political sense attached to them. Criticism is among the main things expressed. Rarely will you find a song that talks in favor of an administration. The role of art in our daily lives should be the exact purpose to express feelings and ideas through a very artistic way that can reach millions of people. Keeping in mind that artists can reach millions of people through their art, from this we get that artists can also influence millions of voters. Technically isn’t it the candidate’s job to convince the people of his/her worthiness? Why do 3rd party people need to join? I understand that being elected is very important. But preserving our democracy is also important. I don’t think anyone could deny the fact that voters (especially the younger ones) when they see their idols loving a candidate, they will rush to do the same. What if that star is wrong? Is it fair to drag a bunch of people down the same whole?
To be honest, no one should be blaming the artists that are doing this. They are there to work their daily job, which is to sell more music to people. And it’s a wonderful business opportunity to look as if you care about a candidate, to get their voters to love what you do and attend your concerts. I agree that this is very brilliant, and I wish a lot more luck to those people. Everyone should make sure they grab on any opportunity given. However my question has to do with the democracy of this process. Aren’t people being brainwashed this way? Or if you happen to disagree, isolated? But again, I don’t think people should be blaming Cyrus or Clinton for doing this. These are some of the most powerful and smart women on the planet. Their duty is to take care of their business (respectfully) and I would do the same in their shoes. I do blame however the voters that fall for this. I do blame the people that are letting themselves be brainwashed by their idol. If it weren’t for these masses, then Cyrus would not be joining Clinton on her rallies. The masses are feeding this. And even that isn’t bad: If you feel that Cyrus expressed an idea Clinton has, to make america stronger, then that’s perfectly fine. I just don’t believe it’s safe for the average voter out there. I don’t believe it’s fair to toy with their love for the idol, to help a candidate benefit.
Artists have great power! They really do! And thus they need to learn to respect that power and avoid being gangsters with it. You have been blessed through your hard work to gain such position – great! Now when election time comes and people should be thinking for their self and their own future, please don’t walk in shattering their own personalities. You know what this creates? A bunch of people that mimic one another, just to feel like they are “in.” It’s not fair for that individual (let alone the competing candidate.)
I hope I didn’t get to political here. The point of this blog isn’t to get into politics. I just felt that I had to say something I feel is wrong, once elections were over and everyone had some time to remember those adventurous days. See you next time, and I hope the post didn’t offend you to much. If it did, let me know!