Health-Conscious Celebrities Promote Junk Food

http://upfront.scholastic.com/issues/02_18_13/book#/6

In the article Celebrities for Sale?, the author is trying to show how many Celebrities are being depicted on sodas, such as Pepsi and Coke, as well as ads for high-fat breakfast sandwiches, frosted flakes, and Rice Krispy Treats, as well as many other sugar-filled foods. These celebrities, especially ones that are very health-aware, such as Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps should know that these foods are bad for young children. The author is questioning the moral ethics of these celebrates who endorse Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

The author opened up with the fact that, despite the fact that Beyoncé supported Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move health campaign, she is getting paid $50 million dollars to be shown on Pepsi cans and have the Pepsi logo on her mouth. He also showed that many athletes, who most likely know to and do eat healthily, shown holding/eating/or on fatty products. Obesity is quickly becoming one of the leading, preventable diseases in America, and studies show that junk and fast foods are a main contributor. You have to ask yourself, why are people who already make millions of dollars supporting something they know is wrong. The people who are supporting these products are almost all fit and healthy people. Olympic stars that train all their lives and have next to no body fat, probably never eat any fast food. I think that it is one thing to do an ad for a car, but it is almost sad to see how many celebrities have taken to endorsing or publicly supporting things that are so bad for your health.

 Since this was an op-ed piece, the author was clearly biased. The funny thing was, even when I tried to think of arguments, I couldn’t. In his piece, he asked the few questions that might have scored the opposing side a few points, and squashed them. The questions he asked were how much does it matter, really? And what if the product was not really that bad? He showed that for most people, seeing a fit, skinny person on a product prompts you to buy it. I actually learned in science that when you see a healthy person eating something, your brain sends you a message saying that person looks happy and healthy-eat that thing they are eating! It is called the mirror neuron affect. Even if the coke is really bad for you, your brain is telling you to drink it. And most of the food products they endorse are pretty much all junk. I’m guessing the vegetable industry just does not have the money to pay millions of dollars to celebrities to eat their food.

I think that it is horrible what celebrities are doing; they are completely aware, and they are knowingly advertising food that leads to diabetes and obesity.  They do not need that money at all, and could very well give just as much money as they are making to health organizations, or even charities. They have a huge surplus of money, I mean, how much do you really need? Even if they do sponsor foods, why the ones that are so bad. It really makes you question the moral standards we live by, and how much people always seem to want more. The poor would love to be middle class and just have a nice house, the middle class yearn to be rich, with a huge house and a swimming pool, the rich want to be famous, and the famous just keep wanting more. Everyone has their own unnecessary wants, but the junk food advertisement is just too much.

I am the messanger

I am currently reading the book I Am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak. It is a story about a 20 year old cabdriver, Ed, who does not really have any hopes, dreams, or goals in life. He has two very happy, successful, siblings, but he has decided that he has no potential; he will live his life, die, and then that will be that-he will never amount to anything. He then starts receives a series of anonymous notes with the addresses of different people written on the back. As he visits each home, he sees the troubles of each family, and fixes them. In the end, he ends up helping many more people than just the ones who were written on the cards. I think the message of this book shows that everyone has the ability to do great things in life, but they need something; words of encouragement, or support. Even receiving the names of people in need, shows you that someone thinks you are capable of changing lives.

Ed grew up in a family were words of love, encouragement, kindness, and support were given. Just not to him. While his sister and brother grew up to be happy, smart, and successful, he became a cabdriver and never left his home town. The fact of matter was he was doomed from the very beginning. Even when he was little, he reminded his mother of his alcoholic father, and so she shunned him, and never let him in. I think that because of this, he turned to his father for support, and so his mother decided her point had been proven.  Ed never though he could amount to anything, all throughout his life, so he saw no reason to try.  I think he never even considered he might be able to do well, so he saw no point. When you read about famous people who rose from horrible families, there is always a story about how the local shopkeeper told the kid he was talented, or the next door neighbor told them they were smart. And that, the magazines say, was the moment when little Johnny decided to become a computer designer! Ed’s problem was that he never got that moment.

He was told he was worthless so many times, he acted like he was, and so nobody even though to tell him otherwise. It ended up becoming a vicious cycle. Ed’s mom decided he was like his father, (even though at the age of three his brain was not fully developed) and treated him like he had no talent or abilities. Then he began to act like he had nothing to prove, and so she decided she was right, and continued to treat him the same way. “You could be as good as any of them…but you’re still here and you’ll still be here in fifty years.” That was what she said when he asked her why she seemed to hate him so much. The funny thing is, the only reason Ed’s father became an alcoholic in the first place was because the he loved the mother, but she was cheating on him. And the only reason Ed wasn't as good as his siblings was because she never offered him any support. I think this shows that you cannot lose hope in a person, and you should never try to decide who or what they are going to be in the future. Children always change, and parents need to see that they are the ones that decide whether it will be for better or worse.

When Ed was sent those cards, somebody was saying that they trusted him, they had faith that he could help change these peoples’ lives for the better. That they knew he had the ability to alter and help those who were in need, and that was all he needed to start trying in life again.  Teachers and parents often say that you need to try your hardest, in school and in life, but kids need to know that if they do try, they will achieve something. They need to know that they are capable. Once you tell somebody they are stupid, or dumb, they will act it, because they will think they are stupid, and they cannot change. Often, it is not because people are too lazy to change, it is because they do believe they had the capacity to change. 

Sorry I was not able to post this yesterday