JNU And Celebrity Protestors - Why Celebrity Voices Matter
News Peg
In the mix of India’s socio-political drama, a new major event occurred in the nation’s history when on January 5, 2020, more than 50 masked men with rods and sticks attacked the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, hitting and beating students and professors.
Injuring nearly 40 students and teachers, the masked men attacked without being stopped by the police.
JNU, known for its vocal students and leftist ideologies protesting the current BJP government in India, had students protesting an increase in tuition fees a week earlier.
Accusations against the ABVP, a youth organization and branch of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a Hindu conservative organization associated with the BJP as its student wing group, swarmed when two men in the ABVP were identified as armed attackers at JNU.
Rallies and protests against the BJP government and its silence increased as a result. Taking part in protests were students and also Indian film celebrities. These celebrities weren’t just directors and musicians, but also a major actor like Deepika Padukone who came to support the JNU students as they rallied and spoke out.
Deepika Padukone, a superstar film actress in Bollywood, in the midst of multiple films under her name, came silently to support the students at JNU.
But her silence spoke so much more. It spoke to us about the influence of celebrities. The actions or lack of actions of celebrities tell us what they believe and what they support.
An act of mere support and folded hands like Padukone’s, show us the amount of inspiration celebrities have on society as a whole…
IS THERE INFLUENCE?
A Harris Active study states that 45% of U.S. adults believe that celebrities have a major influence on youth. Majority of this influence generally deals with marketing agendas and fashion campaigns, but the influence can certainly expand beyond the entertainment sphere.
The question certainly arises whether celebrities truly have an influence politically. The answer is vague - to determine the impact of a celebrity’s advocacy for a certain politician may be difficult to track.
But there have been instances in recent times where the celebrity’s political voice was of strong interest to the public.
For example, when rapper and hip hop artist, Kanye West, decided to support President Trump publicly multiple times on talk shows and Twitter, fans began to scratch their heads and the media had a blast covering the topic.
His thoughts and ideologies played a role in making fans and audiences think about what Kanye West had to say. It mattered. It might not have physically made fans or audiences change their opinions on the president, but the topic drew national attention. “Kanye West Meets Donald Trump at the White House.” Drawing attention means he has some type of influence.
When singer Taylor Swift publicly criticized Republican Marsha Blackburn, two days after her statement, Vote.org received 212,871 new voter registrations, mostly from youngsters. Generally, 13,000 new voters register per day.
IS IT IMPORTANT FOR CELEBRITIES TO SPEAK UP?
It is true that the opinions and advocacies of celebrities matter. In certain communities and for certain faces the public finds it imperative that they speak up. For the media, the question arises why these social leaders aren’t speaking up.
Is it really important for these celebrities to act as social justice leaders?
Scriptures and texts like the Ramayana, a Hindu epic, states: “Rajasya Kaalasya Kaaranam” - As the king is, so the kingdom is.
But in today’s era it may be appropriate to say that as a celebrity is, so the nation act. Whether it be the words and terms being used like, “YOLO,” or the fashion choices like Yeezys, or certain dance moves, a celebrity’s influence today in the way society acts and behaves is constantly present.
But, social beliefs and character are extremely subtle entities and thus it requires a very subtle and deep level of influence that a celebrity carries for people to follow.
Youth look up to some celebrities and pop-culture characters and thus the way they act, behave, and hold themselves matter. You are what you see - is again a very subtle entity that affects the very core of our minds
A study performed by the American Sociological Association titled, “The Norm-Activating Power of a Celebrity,” stated that, “celebrities can increase the oughtness (sense of importance) of a norm they endorse and of norms that are related to the endorsed norm via a common goal.
This ability should not depend on identification of the audience with the celebrity. Rather, we argue that the prestige-generating power of success makes celebrities special and gives them the power to exert normative influence.”
If celebrities have the potential power to be even influencers at a deeper level than the surface, why shouldn’t they strive to be leaders?
An ideal celebrity is always difficult to define because it is subjective. But there is no hesitance in society respecting characters like Mohammad Ali and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, athletes who became flag bearers for black rights, or any actor who strives to do foundational charity work. We honor and tip our hats to that.
But is that enough? Are they defined by the charities they do and their outspokenness? That definitely plays a major role in their influence and examples they set.
But if I am defined by character, the principles I hold, and the qualities I live by - then why shouldn’t influential markers and characters like celebrities be defined by that as well?
It does matter - Their ability to act, awareness of the world, ability to tap into the social consciousness, and character - should matter.
And thus, it is not wrong to applaud celebrities like Deepika Padukone if she supports JNU protesters. And it is also not wrong to keep celebrities, who refuse to care about issues in their neighborhoods, accountable for their inaction.
But before we do - it is important for us to hold a mirror in front of ourselves and ask: Am I doing anything about it?