I’m about to open up a deep, dark element of my past that has been buried under years of denial: I’m an ex-Belieber.
I can now say that chapter of my life is in the past, but that chapter only came to an official close earlier this month after Justin Bieber threw himself on a downward spiral of stupidity. Better late than never, I guess.
It’s no secret that a lot of people hate him, but consider his life prior to his debut, and it’s clear that things were already going downhill.
His family was dysfunctional before he could even walk. He grew up in a pressured environment where having separated parents was the only way of life he knew. Fame and fortune didn’t make his life any easier, that’s for sure. Italian cars, mansions and private pot-jets would put anyone out of his or her mind with an arrogant disposition.
Simply put, people would be doing themselves a lot of good if they stopped caring so much about a reckless teenager and his idiotic choices and more about the teen who needs a break from humanity.
From drug busts to sex scandals to DUIs, Bieber has covered the board with irrational celebrity behavior — all before turning 20. The story of his rise is inspiring, and his creative spirit is nothing less than contagious. He started his career on top of the world. So how did the YouTube star child go from a fluffy-haired heartthrobber to an icon of adolescence-gone-wrong?
Something tells me Bieber has problems deeper than divorced parents. These are the things I find it hard to forgive him for: driving drunk, egging neighbors’ houses, and smoking marijuana on planes. All of this screams a typical juvenile delinquent.
I believe as much as the next person that none of this behavior is excusable.
Here’s the complicated predicament Bieber is in: he has so many obsessed and devoted fans who will defend him and his actions till kingdom come. Then there are the mobs of Bieber-haters who’s soul purpose in life is to see Bieber destroyed. The Internet’s hate for him is so thick and potent that I could cut it with a knife.
I get irritated when regular college students with normal musical tastes spend a grand amount of time listing off all the reasons why they hate Bieber and his music. It’s like the guy has no redeeming qualities. It’s not kind and it’s not funny to perpetuate that kind of negativity about a person none of us have even met. Too much time is wasted on this very thing and it creates more trouble for everyone involved.
Bieber has a record of doing extraordinary acts of kindness for children in need — mainly children with terminal diseases.
Read the article titled “Justin Bieber breaks charity record after granting 200th wish” written by Peter Gicas on eonline.com and you’ll see the teen is nothing short of generous when it comes to children.
In contrast, many argue that Bieber has tainted his role-model image. So many youngsters have looked up to him since he stepped into the spotlight. He was a unique kid with extraordinary talent.
Everything he stands for, though, has been tainted by a few messed-up decisions and media bias, all while young eyes have been glued to the television screen, witnessing the example Bieber is leaving in the wake of his career.
In an ideal America, people (mainly people of my generation) would have more empathy for fallen stars like Bieber. When we empathize with others, we are more keen to treat them with respect and leave their flaws alone. It’s with this attitude that we will set a better example to the next generation. Hate fuels hate and sometimes people need a break from our judgmental gazes.
The hopeful side of me sees Bieber making a Robert Downey Jr. comeback. The face of “Iron Man” began his career as a teen with soaring colors. He probably didn’t see drug abuse coming, but it put him in jail for several years and shadowed him from the media’s eyes for nearly a decade. Downey is back bigger than ever, sexier than ever, and sets a golden example for wild teens like Bieber.
Bieber is not a hopeless cause. He’s an idiot, but he’s not hopeless. People can disagree with everything the teen star has done, but a softer attitude from us all can impact the way Bieber is presented in the media and the influence he has on us.
