Being a journalism graduate I am all for the liberty of the press. I furthermore consider that people today ought to know everything they need to know about everything. The key word is need, and I must define this a bit more by providing examples. Men and women need to know the state of the union, they need to know the background of politicians so they are able to get a greater judgment of the character of people that want power, they need to know about the benefits and drawbacks as well as the beneficial aspects and flaws of things they may wish to purchase, they need to know about crime rates in their area and wherever else they might desire to go, etc. What they don't need to know is each and every last detail no matter how obscure about every single Hollywood celebrity that walks the face of the earth. Even so that is what they want to know. I am not stating that the press has to be censored to stop individuals from reading about Hollywood celebrities. Instead I am asking why do people care?

Hollywood celebrities are no different than everyone else right up until the rest of the population places them on pedestals. It is my honest opinion despite the fact that I am sure most people would deny it that a majority of the population cares more about what is happening with Paris Hilton and Justin Bieber than what is happening to our fighting men and women abroad. This can be illustrated by the Houston Chronicle. Living in Houston I read this newspaper daily and it is as good a newspaper as I have read and I have read most of them. The Chronicle's section A has celebrity news on page two and usually you have to flip to the back two pages to read the news about Iraq and Afghanistan. You can find exceptions with either after anything really substantial takes place, but what I have stated is the general norm.

We have entire magazines about Hollywood celebrities that point out the details of the private lives of actors and actresses, sports stars, and may favourite type of celebrity - reality stars.

Ordinary people don't put full page advertisements when they have a break up and most of the time they doubtless would not want everyone in the world to learn about their personal life. Well perhaps they might if Facebook proves anything.

Why is it even news what anyone thinks about their sister-in-law? I have never ever been able to grasp why people in the U.S. are fascinated with the British royal family. Did we not kick them out of our nation in 1776?

The point of this is that individuals have become obsessed with the most mundane particulars about people who the media has displayed in the limelight. Well maybe the crystal meth story isn't so mundane (hopefully making meth never becomes an ordinary recreation)

This is all just a part of the dumbing down of society. People today devote their time concerned with the unimportant in place of educating themselves on the fundamental things in today's world. China is quickly catching the U.S. in pretty much everything, but that is OK because we can go to celebrity internet sites and vote on which hair style looks best on Charlie Sheen's head. I personally voted for flat top cut and clean-shaven!

My determination is that people like gossip about Hollywood celebrities for the same reason's they like soap operas. Seeing another person live out publicly things that common people do everyday. It provides them an outlet to bash actions and decisions humans make in a justifiable way. Celebrity gossip that's "good" is usually something a celebrity has done that's embarrassing or otherwise not in very good taste. Sort of like laughing at somebody falling down stairs. If everyone else is laughing with you it's not improper.