The Trauma of Celebritism

We live in a world where there are many billions of people, but less than one hundred or so that we follow feverishly. Tom Cruise, for instance. An amazing actor, one of the greatest of our time, is plagued by the fact that his religious or otherwise societal choices are followed on a day by day campaign of paparazzi and badly written tabloids. It seems, that we are a society that focuses more on the doings of celebrities than the life and times of our own family.

Just recently, Jamie Lynn Spears, the sister of Britney Spears and star on Nickelodeon, admitted that she was pregnant with her boyfriends child.

I personally find celebrity news childish. A grown-up rendition of school yard rumors, propagated by the modern day technological advancements that can both create and destroy celebrity and civilian alike. But its sad that Jamie is so young and worrying about what the world will think about her mistake. She is quoted to saying "As soon as I found out for sure from the doctor, I took two weeks to myself where I didn't tell anybody," she says. "Only one of my friends knew because I needed to work out what I would do for myself before I let anyone's opinion affect my decision. Then I told my parents and my friends. I was scared, but I had to do what was right for me."

It is a typical reaction from any teenaged girl caught up in the scary situation such as pregnancy. Unfortunately, Jamie's after school activity puts an even larger spotlight on her situation than most teenagers. She now has to raise her child in a world where the child itself will be the source of controversy and fear from some, and others just unnecessary attention from the public.

I wish Jamie's child the best, but I wish moreso that I never had the inspiration to write about her. Jamie has not only the responsibility of raising a child, but the added fear that she has let America's young girls down, and she is in a predicament few can match.

No doubt, this will undoubtedly mark the news headlines for weeks to come. Front pages of newspapers the world over will react with all forms of opinions, but good or bad, I only hope that we realize that little Jamie is just as freaked out as any other kid, and that its not the publics job to judge.