Research Paper on:
What Can The Study Of Stars And Celebrities Tell Us About Contemporary Cultural Production?

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are placed upon a social pedestal. That they may possess this distinction typically reserved for academics and other experts does not mean, however, they have earned it; indeed, far  too much emphasis is placed upon the equation of fame and myriad trends in contemporary culture, such as heroism and body image. II. THE EVER-ELUSIVE PERFECT BODY  Since the beginning of mans timeline, the issue of beauty has been one to dictate many social concerns. From the caveman era to ancient  Greece to modern day, physical beauty has endured constant change to its perception; however, one thing that has not changed is the power inherently associated with celebrity influence. Contemporary  society equates physical beauty with power, even when that power is not warranted. Nowhere is this more apparent than in todays popular culture where societal dictates are readily implemented  and thrust upon a vulnerable female population. From childhood onward, women are given a distinct impression of what beauty is and does within the context of social power, with  children taught in no uncertain terms that those who possess physical beauty will reap many benefits throughout life. "Childhood is a very impressionable period, and what children hear or  read during this critical period can determine the value system which dominates their entire lives" (Hongsook, 1997, pp. 120-138). Kamy Cunninghams article entitled  Barbie Doll Culture and the American Waistland illustrates how society has lost the true essence of individuality, which one can readily attribute at least partially to celebrity influence. That  each generation carries the burden of representing a certain physical appearance is quite easy to trace over the past one hundred years; however, one might readily argue the fact that