Captivating Stars (and Stripes)

What is it that makes us all so fascinated about America?
Is it Hollywood? Fashion? Music? Politics? History?
Or maybe it is their patriotism.

American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson claimed the States are an "asylum of all nations". Emerson aimed to lead his own path and set his own example and while he adheres to America's Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal" his particular terminology in saying "asylum" suggests his acceptance of differences between all different people.

I for one know that their patriotism makes me slightly wish I was American.
They clearly know their stuff and are proud to be American while a lot of other countries' citizens are often embarrassed of being part of their home country.

Hollywood in itself is captivating. Its history as the home of the movie industry makes it what a lot of actors, screenwriters and directors aspire to be a part of. It can be said that Tinseltown is itself what the American Dream is all about.

Fashion is such a big industry in America. From the New York fashion week to Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive, people from all over the world flock there even when they probably have the exact same stores in their home town.

American music is known far and wide. From the late Michael Jackson to the notorious Rihanna, the music of the States is more popular than any other country and is it any wonder? The music is so catchy and with a wide range of musicians with different taste, there sure is something to cater for everyone all over the world.

However, while Hollywood, fashion and music are HUGE in the US, I have always felt it is the politics that makes it so patriotic. From America's fight for independence to their war on terrorism, Americans have generally always remained as one in order to achieve their goals. Americans' patriotism has made me realise that while a lot of people - Americans and non-Americans alike - may not agree with the actions of a minority of Muslims who provoke stereotypes about Islam, that should not mean that I shy away from my religion. As Barack Obama once said:

"America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."

The Right to Anonymity

What is it with tabloid newspapers and magazines that frustrates us? Is it their insane determination to publish a story that they know is not true but everyone will believe? Is it how they insist on getting the pictures that everyone has been waiting for? Or is it the amount of pain and hurt their stories will cause to the people they are about?

One of my favourite actors, Robert Pattinson recently said "tabloids make people stupid". Is he right? Do they lure the public into a false sense of amazement at the supposed actions of other people or are they telling others what they should know? Fair enough celebrities have practically signed away their right to anonymity when they decided to become famous but do they deserve to be hounded by paparazzi? Or are paparrazi only doing their job to make a living? Celebrities are still humans and they do still deserve some sort of privacy, after all, no one wants the world to know every little detail from when they go to bed to what they had for breakfast.

Let me know what you think about this in the comments.

Thanks x