Our Celebrity-Obsessed Culture and the Young

We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, a culture that influences young people and drives what's fashionable and "in." Social media is also a powerful driving force in our culture. And that's both good and bad. But some things are out of control and there's nothing anyone can do about it.  I watched some of the Grammys the other night, the music was enjoyable. But when you look at what some female entertainers and movie stars wear, and how much cleavage they show, with slits as high as can be in designer dresses they wear, it's a lot to process. The shock of it all isn't so much a shock because it's become commonplace now for movie stars to dress like porn stars. And everyone just accepts it. And some young people emulate it and think it's cool.
 People of faith always have to have hope and in reality, people will always turn to God for the benefits of prayer, for comfort, for blessings, and to be in a life-giving relationship with God. But unfortunately moral decay, greed and immodesty is everywhere is our society. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue this year is proof of that. Some people interviewed on news programs say, "What's the big deal?" But it is a big deal when a mainstream magazine puts "soft porn" on their cover and gets away with it.
Thank God there is a lot of common sense and goodness in our world too. I saw that on Sunday morning in a presentation I gave to young Catholic students. Their sense of right and wrong, their innate goodness in wanting to be good and stay good, inspired me. Children always do. They want to get it right. They believe in the power of prayer and goodness. Let's pray that amidst parts of the modern culture that promotes immodesty, young people will seek out the true, the beautiful, the decent, the good and a genuine search for God.
NJA