By Staff Writer Taleena Nadkarni

I only wanted to know the date. That was it. However, when I asked the girl sitting next to me in class, she began squealing about the fact that Miley Cyrus’ birthday was in a week. Before I could even roll my eyes, she then spiraled into a rant about how inconsiderate people are for judging Miley’s decisions.

“Like it’s her life,” she said. “People just need to like get over themselves.”

My eyes glazed with boredom as she continued on about Miley’s haircut, break-up, and performance at the EMAs. I had engaged in an identical discussion a few hours earlier, and by now, I was over the redundancy. But there I was, trying with every fiber of my being to be polite and steer the conversation clear of celebrity gossip. It didn’t work though. So, I gave up and subconsciously began forming a list of all the topics in the world of less worthy than Miley Cyrus’ day-to-day life. In all honesty, only one or two came to mind.

Finally, when the bell saved me from my misery, I walked out of that classroom wondering how one person, one celebrity, had managed to dictate those five minutes that I’ll never get back. And then, when two other girls walked passed me discussing Taylor Swift’s latest break-up, I understood.

The concept of fame has become universal in the teenage community. It is idolatry and somewhat of a norm. According to a study conducted by US Weekend Online, over 50% of students in grades six through twelve have stated that they would lose weight, get a tattoo, or pierce a body part if a celebrity they looked up to did the same.

While we all enjoy the occasional tabloid or gossip column, there are countless people whose lives are perpetually influenced by celebrities.

If that girl in my class was so informed about Miley, she was undoubtedly just as informed about other fame-addicted icons like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. What if she not only admires Miley’s hair, but her drug use as well? What if she was so upset that Justin Bieber began smoking weed that she decided to harm herself for his stupidity?

We are alarmingly susceptible to the glamour of fame, and we often lose sight of what is truly important in life as a result. We may even be second-guessing the people who matter the most. According to Renew Magazine, children today are more likely to listen to a celebrity than they are to their own parents.

The line has obviously been crossed.

So before our generation begins to be described by words like drug-addicted, prison-bound, and fame-driven, I compel you to step back and examine your priorities. Although celebrities should know their position in society and attempt to set good examples, we have no power over their decisions. However, we do have the power to stay true to ourselves, no matter where Miley may have gotten her last tattoo.