This is my column for the School paper. :) ENjoy. :)

Paris Hilton, Brangelina, The Jonas Brothers, P. Diddy and Britney Spears are just some of the biggest names in the showbiz industry. They have proven their worth in the world by being some of the most influential people in the world, in one way or another. The strength of their image has made many young teenagers idolize them. Unfortunately today, the images that people, most especially teenagers have been the ones that have been very displeasing to the society.
What exactly is image? Image, simply is how the society views you or what your impact to the society is. The more influential you are and the more attention you get is what is believed to be the basis of a strong self-image.
Being image-conscious has its benefits. Once in a while, it is good to ask ourselves, “Where should I improve on? Do I look alright?” Not minding how we look or how we act is a sign that we do not really care about ourselves. This image-consciousness also is a big ego boost. Let us take for example the popular show, Queer Eye. In this show, there is a total makeover in a person’s life ranging from a new set of clothes to a new home. The reactions of the people upon seeing massive change in their life is very overwhelming. They have restored a new image and their lives are renewed. Everyone wants to change for the best. And a slight image change can do wonders for us.
But the bad part is what many people are experiencing today. Many teenagers believe that life is a popularity contest and getting the best stuff or being the talk of the town boosts their image. It is very obvious in our society and it really gets on many peoples nerves. The people who must fit in with the latest gadgets and gizmos believe that they are on the top of the social ladder.
This is where social climbers come in. This is another disgusting sight in the society. Because people look up and idolize some of the biggest celebrities in the country or in the world, whatever it takes, they have to be almost like them. This can be very harmful to us. These social climbers step on people just to fit in or even stand out to gain popularity.
Another horrifying fact about being image-conscious is that it is deadly. This is referring to the physical aspect of image. Because of media, they make it seem that the thinner you are, the hipper you are or the better you are. This is where anorexia and other eating disorders and weight loss programs come in. Because of the people’s desperation to be like the models or celebrities, they would do ANYTHING so that they would fit in, even if this means losing about 20 pounds in a matter of 2 days. In a simpler term, this is VANITY.
People should be aware that the true basis of a strong image is not in the stuff you have, the people you are linked with or how thin you are. It is in how well you deal with life and how confident you are with yourself. When will people ever open to their eyes to the reality that they can never be exactly like the celebrity they want? They should be aware that we were made differently, and we all have different lives to make.
The most famous people didn’t make it to the top because they idolized someone or they used the material things they had to get there. They are at the top because they believed in THEIRSELVES, NOT OTHERS. And it is about high-time we do so too.