The Panther

We've all heard the phrase "separate the real from the fake," but do we only generalize the statement when we're talking about each other's actions? It seems as if we give excuses to most of these "problems" and don't even know it. Our question is, is the media to blame for this or is this more of a social conflict?

Is it really a passion of ours as students and young people to emulate successful people? We see the videos, magazines, E! True Hollywood stories, and a plethora of endorsements from our favorite entertainers and ball players, and when we see something we want to attain, we can very well latch on to these people's "lives" and try to force a fairy tale dream from what we are given. Say you are not interested in becoming anything but a successful businessman, politician, or religious leader, are these occupations just as lopsided as the heavily media influenced limelight? Maybe our perception is that when you emulate someone, as long as they are doing well, you can do as well or better, by following their outline. That way of thinking can be attributed to our social outreach.

Who we surround ourselves with can determine what our future holds. It doesn't matter what the media says. A typical story can be told about a young boy growing up in the hood. The boy watches as an older boy from his same street is ambitious to be a rap artist. The boy's eyes watch his every move from drug sales to hood seniority. Finally, one day, he sees the success of the rapper on television and magazine covers. Someone he can finally relate to has made it. Can this be considered a blueprint for "survival of the streets?" The main factor in this equation is who is the boy hanging out with? What is his family like? Is he in school? The media may not even be a concern in this case.

In another story, a girl's father may be a powerful politician, and the whole family is always under the media's eye. Day after day the father goes to work, to make the world a better place. The tools and resources are laid out for this young girl, but what could drive her to drugs, sex, and even a life completely not "planned" for her?

There is nothing wrong with seeing a dream and applying everything you feel is necessary to attain your goals, but always watch the company you keep. There are organizations on campus like Back 2 Basics, CAB, PALs and fraternities and sororities that can teach you the tools you need to tackle the professional world, and even your own fairy tale dream world. Just don't be afraid to be you. If you are black or Hispanic and someone laughs at you because you "talk white," or vice versa, shrug that negativity off and laugh your way to your success. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, because there is always work to be done, SO HANDLE IT!

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