To hope that the Olympics and Paralympics will be the beginning of the end for reality 'stars' and pointless 'celebrities'

[WhyTheBigPaws]

Or maybe just unrealistic? I am so sick of idiots who are famous for having had an affair with someone or not being able to sing very well and am sure I'm not the only one. I know I can read a different paper or turn the TV off but honestly these idiots are everywhere and I find it really depressing. Seeing the hard work and determination of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes just highlights how pointless some of these people are in comparison, especially as role models for kids.

I know while people want to watch/read about them the TV companies will continue to make the shows and the press will continue to write about them but is it too much to hope that maybe the tide will slowly start to turn given how popular the Olympics was and how the Paralympics is looking to be as well?

YABU to base it against the Paralympics or the Olympics.

People will always have different taste in what they want to watch and read...it's the same with music.

I find most reality TV 'stars' a bore but I accept that some others don't.

What I'm hoping is that the message will go out - especially to young girls - that while it's ok to want to be an actor or singer that that's not the only way to succeed.

There will always be people who want to entertainers but we've got to the stage where singers/models/etc are seen as the only worthwhile options - Paralympics and Olympics will hopefully show that there are more avenues to explire.

of course it won't be the end it is up to us what /who our children see and look up too my children are older and don't look up to reality tv people or pointless celebs
, People will always be interested in gossip and celebs yabu to think that the para /olympics will change that, YANBU to think it is all pointless cos you are right, and I wish they would all just go away,

Hopefully, and also the death knell for bloody football with all of those vile over-paid prima donnas.

YANBU to hope it, but I@m sadly, not holding my breath.

I totally agree. Maybe young girls will look at Olympians as role models instead of WAGS/glamour models. I 'inspect' my DS's FB fairly regularly and am sick to death of the pics of young girls with stupid poses, caked in make-up and boobs almost on display. I despair at times.

I can't see what amounts to approximately 3.5 weeks of Olympic sport changing that rainonmyparade - sadly

absolutely op however the front page of the sun was cheryl cole and Wil I Am.
despite the paralympics.

so it aint gonna happen.

Think you're kidding yourself,
While I'm not saying that what the Olympians and Paralympians do is pointless in the way other celebs are the way there fame is being produced and managed is almost exactly the same.
It's completely disposable, it's a flavour of the month and realistically nobody is going to care or financially support fencing, judo or any of the Paralympic events in a casual spectator fashion for the next four years and even then they may not do so as its not going to be English based.

Hopefully, and also the death knell for bloody football with all of those vile over-paid prima donnas."

What exactly do you think will happen to the sport that replaces it in popularity terms? All the competitors will decide not to earn over the minimum wage as a moral decision?
Plus it's not exactly like there's any sports lining up to take it's place or from the Olympics which doesn't have a similar number of vile participants.

Actually that's made me think mayorquimby

Some kids will want to dedicate their lives to being a singer/actor/model/TV presenter, because that's what they desperately want to do.

I suppose they see that as no different to an Olympian dedicating their life to a sport they desperately want to do.

How many Olympian and paralympians make a living from their sport?

And how many of these people you frown on make a living from what they do?

I think it's up to us as parents, no? To help along that shift? I had the same hopes but it's taken generations to get us in the situation we are now, so it stands to reason a new shift won't happen over night.

The majority of football fans will always forgive the atrocious behaviour of football players. As long as people continue to buy gossip magazines, the cult of the celebrity will continue to reign. If we are absorbing, watching and reading TOWIE, MIC, Big Brother, Heat magazine and not question or criticise these things ourselves - how can our children know any different.

We can't stop this culture seeping into their lives - they are exposed to it from a wide variety of sources - we can't parent other children and we can't cut our own children off from society. All we can do as parents is show them alternatives, give them other things to aspire to, to encourage them to question and be critical in their thinking. Make it cool for them to aspire academically or athletically or anything at all other than their looks or wanting to "be a celebrity".

There are lots of other professional sports and sports people, only football pays such ridiculous amounts (you could possibly compare with the IPL, but the money is no where near as much), and it shows in the general attitude of the footballers. Utter disrespect for the referee, the opposition, the fans etc, inherant racism and sexism, quite blatent cheating.

All we can do as parents is show them alternatives, give them other things to aspire to, to encourage them to question and be critical in their thinking. Make it cool for them to aspire academically or athletically or anything at all other than their looks or wanting to "be a celebrity".

this is all we can do,

A lot of the work that these celebrities do goes unnoticed.

look to the stars

There are lots of other professional sports and sports people, only football pays such ridiculous amounts"

Yes because it's the only sport that the market allows those sort of wages. Although F1, Nfl, golf and basketball all pay more because the market allows it.
The sports that earn less don't do so due to a moral code, they do so cause of market forces, hence the relative explosion of rugby salaries in the last few years due to its increased popularity.
My point was that if, as you wished, we saw the demise of football, then whatever sports filled the vacuum would take exactly the same approach to money. And tbh I'm much more happy for my cash to go to the players than to impose some artificial wage cap and see the corporate side retain the cash.
As for the cheating aspect I don't know of any popular top level sport that doesn't suffer the same problems (perhaps golf).

Being a talented, hard working singer/actor/whatever is completely valid, akin to many other creative disciplines that require dedication and talent, and is entirely different to being a celebrity. We've lost all touch with what that stupid word even means.

Famous for being famous. Famous for sleeping with someone. Famous for being a famous person's mistress. Famous for going on a reality TV show. Famous for being in a talent contest. Famous for being married to someone. Famous for being photographed naked. Famous for being in a sports team where their ego is stroked and inflated to stupid amounts. Famous for being pretty.

These are the problem and while X Factor et al might appear to give people access to achieving their dreams, what are they really? They are as bad as the gossip magazines, as bad as the reality TV shows, as bad as being famous for being famous. How many X Factor winners have had actual careers? How many times does X Factor put completely untalented people through to boost ratings? It's as disingenuous as the whole industry is.

Also as for inherent racism I'd argue that football has done huge amounts for racial integration in many countries around the globe, and even if you disagree with that to claim that the racism exhibited by some has anything to do with their sporting preference rather than simply reflecting the attitudes of the society they live in is ridiculous

The problem is mayorquimby racism, like many other unacceptable things happening in football, is accepted precisely because it happens in football. On the surface there might be cheap talk about stamping out racism but no one really wants to take a stand. Everyone is happy to turn the other cheek. It's not even really about racism - it's just another weapon for everyone to abuse each other with, alongside homophobia, sexism and misogyny.

Given that the British media seems to focus its efforts on ripping people in the public eye apart I wouldn't really want any of our fine athletes in their sites.

I do hope our young people can be inspired by them though, absolutely. More talk about our bodies for what they can do rather than how they look.

What's the Olympics and Paralympics got to do with it?

Random

Yabu because I live celeb bb!

The problem is mayorquimby racism, like many other unacceptable things happening in football, is accepted precisely because it happens in football"

Football is anything but acceptable in football. It's been a huge target for the fa for many years. There have been a recent spate of disciplinary actions involving racism precisely because the disciplinary procedures are so tight.
Whatever about other countries, such as Spain and russia, failing to deal with racism in England it is almost non-existent and it is condemned by almost all involved.
I don't know how anyone could claim racism is viewed as accepted in football

It is an absolute rarity for it to occur in football. And when it does to claim that it is accepted as it has happened in football rather than because it is much more prevalent in society than it is in football is logistical gymnastics. Racism is far too prevelant in society and as such some football fans will be racist, but I doubt it's in any greater % than other sports. Over half of all the players on the national team or in a supporters club will be of a different ethnic origin.