by Deborah Lawwill

Created on: May 30, 2009   Last Updated: May 31, 2009

Hollywood in all its glitz and glamour, does not in itself have a negative influence on us. However, I will concur that that the image portrayed by most Hollywood celebrities and the media sends America and the world many unhealthy messages.

One of the main messages it sends is "thin is in". While it might be unhealthy to be obese, the other extreme is equally unhealthy. In some cases, being too thin can be fatal. Over thin models can often experience dizziness, faintness, and fatigue.

Magazines and mainstream media, which all originate from Hollywood, also make teenage girls and young women think that they must have the perfect weight, perfect make-up, perfect hair, perfect everything. In reality, it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of money to maintain those looks, which not all of us have. Many young women that read women's magazines feel inferior to the models displayed throughout the pages. They may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, which can lead to more serious health problems.

Another negative message that Hollywood sends would be greed. People think that you have to have all the latest things to be happy. Money does not equal happiness. The most money can do is offer a life free from financial worry, but the absence of financial worry does not mean that a person will be happy. In fact, many studies have shown that people often feel more happy when they don't have all of those extra things, as this leaves more time to bond with friends and family.

Also, I must point out that reality TV shows are flooding the airwaves. Personally, I do not like these, but many people watch them and don't know that their children watch them too. The women on those shows are bad influences because they teach young girls that they can be rude, disrespectful, and unintelligent and still get what they want. They teach boys that women are objects that you can have for a few minutes and then dispose of when they are no longer desirable. They influence young men to be irresponsible, ignorant, and wasteful. Reality shows aren't even real and yet they affect our youth in a very real way. They are a huge contribution to the relationship issues that the younger generation is dealing with.

Finally, I will say that entertainment is a wonderful thing. It gives us an escape from the hum-drum of daily life, but we must be careful what messages we choose to receive and not let the negativity impact our lives.

Learn more about this author, Deborah Lawwill.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.