Band 9 Essay Sample | Celebrities Mislead Young People

Nowadays celebrities are more known for their glamour and wealth than for their achievement, and this sets a bad example to young people.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task and write at least 250 words.

Band 9 IELTS Essay Sample

These days, celebrities are making headlines more for their glamour and their money than their professional accomplishments. Some argue that by flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, they are setting a negative example for youngsters. I don’t quite agree with this view. While I admit that celebrities influence their audience, in my opinion, they are not responsible for the behaviour of young people.

Media gives undue coverage to famous people for the simple reason that their viewers are interested in the private lives of celebrities. One cannot blame celebrities for this. After all, they are also human beings and it is quite natural for them to have flaws. In any case, they do not ask their fans to do what they do. The problem with young people is that many of them blindly follow film stars or sports personalities. Naturally, when they see their favourite star flaunting a flashy lifestyle, they want it for themselves. This, unfortunately, leads to many problems. Famous people are usually rich and have the means to support their extravagant lifestyle. Most of their fans, however, hail from ordinary backgrounds. In their quest to live like their stars, they may even get into crimes. Many star-struck teenagers are ready to do just about anything to make money so that they can live like film stars.

However, the root cause of the problem here is not the flashy lifestyle of celebrities. When we look closer, it is not hard to see that if young people are getting misled by celebrities, the problem is with them and the parenting they received. It is important for everyone to learn to live within their means and to have a moral code of conduct. They should learn to separate the wheat from the chaff. Parents and teachers can help them to distinguish the good from the bad.

To conclude, while it is true that celebrities influence young people, it is wrong to blame them for the wrongdoings of their followers. Everyone is required to have a set of moral principles to guide them through life and nobody is supposed to blindly imitate others.