DOES CELEBRITY ACTIVISM DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD?

ANDRÉS: It is clear to me that we are generally guided by our feelings in our day-to-day lives. We become interested in events that evoke powerful emotions within us. Celebrities are often highly skilled at tapping into this natural human tendency. However, the skills or qualities that make a person thrive in the high-power and fiercely competitive world that celebrities inhabit, are often not those that lead to an understanding of the complexities and nuances of a conflict on the other side of the world.

Furthermore, celebrity activism is based on the premise that if we only knew about an issue, we could do something, anything, to make a difference. That awareness is the first step towards making a change. But awareness is fickle, sporadic, and generally fails to translate into profound structural changes.

Ultimately, celebrities tend to direct their actions towards what they know best,