TOPIC: Explain the reasons why people have changed from hero-worship to celebrity-worship based on the text “Icons." You can use this outline: • The distinctions between a hero and a celebrity; • The development in mass media that results in such a change.
It is true that our age is short of heroes but full of celebrities. The major distinctions between a hero and a celebrity lie in the fact that to become a hero one needs accomplishment, while to become a celebrity, one needs only luck. That is, heroes become famous for their uncommon courage, enduring achievement or moral strength of character. But celebrities become famous simply because they are lucky. To sum up, the hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name. Today’s celebrities are highly publicized by the media. The change from hero-worship to celebrity-worship is attributed to the development of different forms of media—photography, moving pictures, radio and television. Photos in newspapers and faces on television have shifted public attention away from their achievement to their dress, appearance and personal life. As a result, there are many media superstars such as movie stars, sports stars and fashion models.
