It's time to face the music

I have never really been an avid reality TV follower. Ask me to name all of the Kardashians and I would struggle. And don't even bother asking me anything about Love Island. Ask me about one of my favourite music artists, however, and I'll know all of the latest gossip and releases. I'll sit through the Grammys and read every online review of the performances of artists I like. Whoever you are, there is some form of entertainment that interests you and you will follow it intently. Being entertained is a crucial part of our society. It allows us to escape the reality of our day and focus on something else for a while. This isn't a new concept. Think back to Medieval Times and the involvement of jesters at large banquets. We have always had a desire to be regaled. As I look around now, though, I wonder if our society is facing the consequences of putting too much emphasis on entertainment.

To put this in context, a jester in Medieval Times would not have been paid incredulous amounts to perform. Whilst his skills were appreciated, they were not rewarded at inflated levels. In contrast, the current market value of entertainment has reached unbelievable levels. The world's highest paid footballer, Lionel Messi, earns £7.3 million a year. That equates to £140,385 a week. Compare that to the average salary of a UK doctor who is paid £114,600 a year. Are we really saying that the value to us of kicking a football is worth 64 times more than the value of saving our lives? Yes, it can be argued that this is a supply and demand issue; the supply of talented footballers is so low that it drives the price higher. However, we are also seeing that these higher prices are not really deterring our consumption. In economics, we would determine that the demand for entertainment is incredibly inelastic; meaning that the amount we are willing to consume is not very sensitive to changes in the price. In other words, we value entertainment so highly that we are willing to continue paying high prices for it.

But not only has the pay to entertainers increased over time, so has their influence. Social media outlets, like Instagram, have become havens for influencers. I heard the other day that Ariana Grande is now the most followed female on Instagram with 146 million followers. Imagine that: she can literally be lying in bed and upload one post about her views, which would instantly reach more people than the entire population of Russia. She can affect millions of people across the world and influence their behaviours with frightening ease. This kind of power to rapidly change the mindsets of so many people should not be taken lightly. We need only look at today's politicians to see how far influence like this can grow. Imran Khan, Pakistan's most famous cricketer, is now the head of state on what appears to be very few legitimate credentials, other than his popularity. Donald Trump, a former reality TV show host, now has the nuclear codes for the most powerful country in the world. These appointments baffle me, but yet we continue to buy into the influence of celebrity. For example, the American left have rallied against Trump and his inability to govern, but fractions of the left believe that the solution is to elect Oprah Winfrey to power. How have we reached the point where a popular solution is to replace one inexperienced celebrity with another?

However, all of this fades in comparison to what I see as the biggest issue of all. Recent documentaries on R Kelly and Michael Jackson have brought up the reality of how far we, as a society, are willing to go for the sake of entertainment. I am yet to watch the Michael Jackson documentary, but I have seen the R Kelly one. Seeing the horrible abuse and actions of one of R&Bs superstars was stomach curling. It was undeniable that, for decades, he has terrorised young women, and has done all of this under the public eye. The documentary highlights an interesting point that, in the midst of the first attempt to make him pay for his crimes, R Kelly released hit records, like Ignition (Remix). We all remember that song fondly, right? You're probably singing along in your head right now. But this release was incredible manipulation on R Kelly's part. Knowing the power of music within society, R Kelly successfully used his talent to distract us from the reality of his crimes. Remarkably, at the same time as he was on trial on charges of child pornography, he had a number one album. We then normalise his behaviour by making his actions a joke in popular comedy sketches. Looking back, it is unbelievable how we allowed our moral compass to be swayed so far because of our admiration of R Kelly's undeniable talent.

I fully recognise that, like many people, I did not do enough at the time to educate myself on the accusations against R Kelly. I was too enthralled by his music. I have since joined the Mute R Kelly movement and have boycotted his music. However, it feels too little too late. Whilst justice looks like it could be served this time around, how many young girls went through decades of pain before we woke up? So what do we do now? Well, we have to learn from these moments and not forget the lessons. We need to take entertainers off their pedestals and stop making them feel like they are above the rest of society. Talent does not overrule ethics. Also, let's be honest with ourselves, their talent is definitely not worth 64 times more than a doctor's. We need to recognise that and re-assess how much we are willing to pay for entertainment. It is time we, as consumers, readjust our price point. In the meantime, we have to be more vigilant and open to what is going on around us. Take off those blinders. Personally, my first step will be to watch the documentary on Michael Jackson and face the reality of one of my musical heroes. It's about time I finally face the music. Although, maybe I'll watch the Smooth Criminal music video one more time, as it might end up being the last time I ever do.