| You might call me cynical, but have you noticed that | | | | back almost as long as people do, suggesting the |
| natural disasters have a similar effect on celebrities as | | | | public were charitable before celebrities. Equally, |
| sweets do on children? They can't get enough of | | | | though, you might argue that celebrities publicly |
| them. The catastrophe has barely hit the front page | | | | supporting charity go back a long way. If you believe |
| before they're on TV taking part in telethons and | | | | the Bible, Jesus was famous and charitable. Although, |
| charity singles. The recent Haiti earthquake is a classic | | | | as far as I can tell He was charitable to encourage |
| example. Don't misunderstand me, I do not write to | | | | charity, rather than charitable to improve His public |
| detract from the horror of recent events in Haiti, | | | | profile. |
| from the pain and suffering felt by victims and | | | | Perhaps it's more accurate to conclude that there is |
| survivors alike. I merely wish to reflect on how | | | | some sort of cycle here. The public inherently |
| celebrity culture went from invading our televisions to | | | | believes charity to be a good thing, so celebrities |
| influencing that most basic element of human | | | | wishing to boost their profile help charity. Their |
| kindnesses: charity. | | | | support of charity in the media in turn encourages |
| People, rightly, believe charity to be a good thing. | | | | charity amongst the public, completing the cycle. It's |
| People also believe celebrities seen to be helping | | | | like the opposite of a vicious circle: a pleasant circle? |
| charities are good people. But which happened first? | | | | People are often cynical about celebrities and |
| Do people believe charity is worthwhile because their | | | | charities. But it's important to recognise the role they |
| idols (who as idols must be fundamentally good) help | | | | can play. Their high profile makes them influential, |
| charities? Or do celebrities (desperate to be seen as | | | | allowing obscure causes to become more mainstream |
| good people in the eyes of the public) help charities | | | | and improving attendance at charity events through |
| because the public first believed charity to be a good | | | | personal appearances. More and more charity event |
| thing? A little deep, but something to consider | | | | planners are booking celebrity appearances to boost |
| nonetheless. | | | | their fundraising. You might still be cynical, but it's not |
| I hate indecision and sitting on the fence. But I'd have | | | | that bad. If celebrity appearances for charity are |
| to say it's somewhere in between. I can't tell you | | | | what it takes to keep the 'desirable circle' complete, |
| when charity was 'invented.' But, since giving and | | | | then surely it's worth letting them boost their ego |
| caring are fundamentally human, I'd guess it goes | | | | once in a while? Go on, it's for a good cause. |
