the Wolves
Americans have perfected the art of speaking out against exploitation of children and women around the world. We lead the crusade to end child labor in developing countries such as Afghanistan and China. Yet we ignore the crisis of child exploitation at home. I am talking about the utter exploitation of children in America's entertainment industry and the adults and corporations complicit to it. We distract ourselves from our own tragedy by focusing on tragedies elsewhere.
We think it's inhumane for children to work in factories and fields, yet we find
money-making opportunities for our youth, ways we can use them to support ourselves, ways we can exploit them.
In the name of compassion and empathy for the less privileged, we set up shelters and send aid to those in need. We think we know what's right for everyone else, but do we know what's right for ourselves? We feel sorry for other people's suffering, yet we should feel sorry for our own suffering. Most of us are corporate slaves, and we are happy and thankful to our masters. I think that some of us would feel lost without masters. Some of us even seek out masters for our children before they are able to walk or talk. We think it's inhumane for children to work in factories and fields, yet we find money-making opportunities for our youth, ways we can use them to support ourselves, ways we can exploit them.
Tirelessly, we enlist them to perform in show business, ice skating, gymnastics, ballet, beauty pageants, the circus, modeling, and other forms of entertainment. When children are getting paid millions to entertain, parents don't necessarily consider that child labor. Winning competitions and ascending in the ladder of stardom becomes the ultimate goal of some parents who see their children as their meal ticket. They ignore the effects of the pressure on their children to succeed, to beat out the competition. I believe there is a conspiracy to keep the profitable business of child performers alive and well. The problem is sometimes the child doesn't fare so well. JonBenet Ramsey, "a painted baby, a sexualized toddler beauty queen," was found murdered in the basement of her home in Boulder Colorado. Her parents were suspects in her murder.
Having our boys and girls work in the entertainment business as child labor is considered exploitation? In the name of stardom (greed and money, in particular), parents across the country prime children to sell their bodies and services. Parents drive them to auditions, no, more realistically, auctions. Treating children if they were cattle, the parents whore them out to the highest bidders. That distant, promising stardom twinkles so brightly that it blinds them to their obligations as parents. I am talking about a phenomenon that has been sanctioned by the U.S. government and population. Is America sleeping or just blinded by greed? After all, we created the business of entertainment that utilizes children as entertainers. When thousands of people depend on child stars for their survival, it's hard to stop the exploitation. They exist as parasites feeding off the innocent.
Americans decry the evils of children working in factories and contributing to their families' survival in developing countries. We are the righteous ones, yet we haven't done too much about the exploitation of children in America. We are imperious to think the rest of the world has to operate according to our standards. Yet we can't live up our own standards. Most children in America might not work in dirty, unhealthy or life-threatening conditionings, but they work in an unhealthy way. To me child labor in the United States differs little from child labor in developing countries. Either way children are working to contribute to the survival of themselves and their families. The adults in their vicinity preyed upon them.
I was shocked to read that the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, have been working since they were 9 months old. Their parents literally fed them to the wolves. They are prime examples of exploitation of children in America. The twins were at the mercy of their parents and caretakers who sold them out and exploited them. They were cute and adorable as babies (most babies are). Known to the teenage world simply as Mary-Kate and Ashley, the Olsen twins have been working for over 17 years. They might be millionaires, but they've literally worked all their lives to get there. Only recently, on June 13, they've turned 18, that magical threshold of adulthood.
In recent news, Mary-Kate Olsen has been admitted to treatment center for an eating disorder, anorexia. I can't imagine this is the only disorder she suffers from. It's great that she is seeking help, but I think anorexia is a manifestation of deeper pains and suffering. Her body weight is one of the few things that she can exert control over. Self-control is a big part of those who suffer from anorexia, a disease that poses serious health risks.
The Olsen twins weren't the only children who slaved away to make money at young age. Mary-Kate and Ashley are part of a phenomenon I am calling "star-slavery" who go around providing entertainment for a price. Some other "star-slaves" that come to mind are Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, and McCulley Culkin, just to name a few. The list goes on and on. I perceived them as being forced into prostitution. Another way I see them is as indentured servants of the 21st century.
Former child star Paul Peterson, who heads the advocacy organization for young performers, "A Minor Consideration," understands the cost of stardom. He writes about the extreme pressures for them to stay forever young, and to generate income for adults who depend on their branding for a living. He mentioned Mary-Kate Olsen and other stars, such as Tracy Gold, Mary McDonough, and Karen Carpenter, who suffered from anorexia. Carpenter, tragically, died from the disease, due to the great stress and pressure of stardom.
Regardless of the harm to children, we rationalize employment of child labor in the United States. Professor Shauna Vey, theatre historian, who teaches "The Professional Performing Child: Past and Present Issues," at Brooklyn College points out that the tradition of performing children traces back to the ancient Greeks. Most of us believe the child labor is wrong, but do we change our opinion if there's much fame and money involved? So, we revise our position. Child labor is not wrong if children don't know that they are working, if they think they are playing. We forget that it's not child's play if the children have no say in the use of their time and bodies.
It's not likely that child labor in the entertainment industry would end any time soon. The instant megastar machines, big movie studios and their associates, are constantly looking for the next young, sweet thing. The search expands wide and far. Shows such as Mouseketeers and Star Search constantly seek out talented children to exploit. Once signed on, children learn to do a little dance and shake their little ass. It's sickening. I can't believe that this goes on in America, a country that is founded on principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These goals should not come at the expense of childhood.
Child exploitation makes many people rich. That's why it continues to exist. Much hype, energy, and money goes into keeping the machinery running. Entertainment companies and television networks view children as young talents they can mold into whatever they want them to become. It's economically beneficial for parents to become collaborators in the process of turning children into money-making franchises. The American public loves to be entertained by young children. This demand for young children creates an industry of youth being exploited by corporations and their parents. The phenomenon feeds itself.
But what about their own happiness? It's detrimental for their developmental well-being, psychologically and physically, to be exploit at such young ages. Child stars spent their childhood working hard and being adults, and then spend their rest of their lives trying to recapture their childhood, as in the case of Michael Jackson. In his pursuit to return to his innnocence, he went too far. He's currently involved in a child molestation lawsuit, having paid multi-million dollar out-of-court settlement to another 13-year-old alleged victim.
The basic problem with child labor in the entertainment industry is the children's inability to decide for themselves. Usually their mothers make a career of fostering them as superstars provide them with a source of income. The children get caught up in their parents' hopes and dreams. Before they know enough about the world, they are getting paid to entertain us. To look how others want them to look and act how others want them to act? Is this the American dream, to be everyone else's puppet, to not be in control of our destiny? We exert pressure on children look sexy and stay young forever so that their franchises can exist as a continual source of income.
Tragically, child stars serve an important role in society. Professor Gertrud Lenzer, director of the interdisciplinary Children's Studies Program from Brooklyn College, observed the responsibility of performing children ranging from child actors, child models, prodigies in performining arts and sports to serve as role models for other children, "in the processes of socialization of our young generation." Child stars are kids themselves, and often operate under much pressure and stress. I wish they could convey their real existence to other children. But who would give them air time for that.
The children who look up to them don't see the real existence of child stars. It's not apparent how hard they have to work, and how they have no say in what happens to them. Most children only see the happy and glamorous images child stars portray. Often those smiling faces hide much pain. Yet most children want to be them, to look like them, to be famous like them, to be sexualized like them, and to be loved like them.
Slowly, the allure of fame and fortune corrupts and destroys their youth and innocence. When I look at the Olsen twins, and all I see are husks of human beings. They are not sexy or beautiful. They are manufactured, like Barbies dolls that Mattel churns out by the millions. They were exploited by their parents, before they had any conception of what was going on. I feel sorry for them. They didn't have a choice and voice in how their bodies were used. It's ugliness what they have become and represent.
Outwardly, I assume the Olsen twins are still cute and adorable to most people. They are too artificial for my taste. Who are they? Do they know themselves? They've achieved much fame and riches, but are they happy? Happiness doesn't cost as much as we might think. That should be our pursuit, rather than fame or fortune, especially at the expense of children. They are our most precious resources. We need to protect and love them, and strive to act with their best interests in mind.
If children are entering into show business, some people might argue it's most profitable to break them in as young as possible, to expose them to the tricks of the trade, before they get a mind of their own. When children have grown up in front of cameras, they seem to have many problems - like identity and body image issues. These problems are beginning to surface in the Olsen twins' lives, as they have in so many child stars growing up. Growing up is fraught with complications and challenges. The process is hard enough without the added pressures that show business introduces.
Before we go save the world from its sins, we need to concentrate on our own crisis of child exploitation. It's an exploitation that's legally sanctioned. The U.S. should be ashamed that it has let its children down. The government does provide some protection for child stars through the Coogan Law. This law was inspired by Jackie Coogan, a child star of the 1920s whose parents squandered all of his earnings.
It's the role of the government to make sure that human rights aren't violated. It is up also up to individuals to respect the rights of children. Signing girls up to work at the age of 9 months should constitute a violation of human rights, under any circumstances. Parents and other adults should be fined and jailed for the exploitation of children.
To protect minors from exposure to dangerous occupations, the U.S. government has passed child labor laws governing the employment of anybody under the age of eighteen. Typically, children under 14 require parental consent for employment. I agree with this provision when youth can decide for themselves that they want to work. In the entertainment business, it's less about what the youth wants and more about what the parents want from them.
Many child stars have been victims of greed. The Olsen twins, Michael Jackson, Brooke Shields were all earning money before they have any notion of how they are being used. That is what's wrong. I call for the government to punish the entertainment industry for employing child labor. If it's a crime, no sector should not get special treatment. Collectively if the American people boycott properties created with child labor, and demand for the prosecution of those involved in exploitation of children, we can make a difference in American children's lives.
When I see child stars on the covers and pages of magazines, I see tragedy. It's tragic that our nation stood by and watched and enjoyed the show as they got used and exploited. Children lose their childhood, innocence, freedom, and the chance to pursue their own bliss, to entertain us. We are at fault for how they turned out. We sucked up their innocence and youth. Stardom is costly. Some sell their soul for it. Some sell out their children. Some simply sell their children. America's youth is our cocaine, our addiction. It comes down to supply and demand. We live in a society that values youth and sexiness. They supply it. We all pay the price for it.
Check out the latest generation of child stars and the work they do. This video features only female child actresses such as Abigail Breslin, Alyssa Shafer, Conchita Campbell, Chloe Moretz, Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Emily Osmet, Haili Page, Jodi Sweetin, Mary Kate Ashley, Heather O'Rourke, Isabel Conner, Jodelle Ferland, and Judith Barsi. They are hard working just like any adult, making appearances, speaking to the press, and acting for the camera.
Child labor is a worldwide problem. They are used to make money to support the family. The female child weaver in the video earns nearly 55 cents for her family every day. That's not much according to first world standards, but in developing countries, they offer much relief. Instead of focusing on how horrible it is to use children, why don't we improve the livelihood of the adults in third world countries, so that they don't have to use their children to make money.
More effort and focus need to be placed on education and skill-building so that every parent could afford to put their children through school, instead of to work. Often, children enter the workplace out of necessity.