From Hannah Montana to the twerking sensation we all know (and some of us still love) Miley Cyrus is a prime example of the kinds of people teenagers are looking up to today. The negative examples set by certain celebrities are reflecting in teenager’s actions and behaviors, and the celebrity idolization we have today has a negative effect on society.

Celebrities crave attention. When they do something out of the ordinary, attention is what they get. Teens are the reason for that. We react when celebrities do something different. We criticize them, yet we want to be like them. No matter what celebrities do, we always seem to have something to say, and the rise of social media has not helped.

Celebrities also set an unrealistic standard for both girls and guys. From the pounds of makeup they wear, to their bodies and the way they flaunt them, teenagers envy celebrities in every way. “Why can’t I be as pretty as this celebrity,” or “I wish I was as skinny as this celebrity,” are things I hear everyday. The pressure to look good is worse now than ever before.

Why do we look up to celebrities? In a perfect world it would be for their personalities and for the good things they do. For some celebrities this is the case. Demi Lovato has been a positive role model for teens recently, along with Jennifer Lawrence. But overall, we lust over celebrities, and this is unhealthy for the future of teenagers.

Don’t get me wrong; some celebrities have proven themselves idol-worthy. It’s the fact that the teens are choosing the wrong celebrities to look up to that’s disappointing. Why don’t we give positive celebrities a chance?