S
sebastiansdreams
Okay, so I was flipping through the channels this evening and something caught my attention. "Celebrity Justice," a program I was unaware existed until this evening, commented that Tom Cruise may have made some statements on the Today Show with Matt Lauer that may be raising discussions in Washington. Now, whether or not anyone in Washington cares what Cruise thinks, I found it a fascinating conversation.
Here's the basic scenario:
Lauer was interviewing Cruise on "War of The Worlds." Somehow the conversation turns into Tom Cruise breading the field of psychiatry. He made comments regarding Brook Sheilds and her using the anti-depressant Paxel. Then he scolds Lauer for suggesting that drugs such as Ritalin and anti-depressants do help people.
Here is the Drudge Report's coverage of this exchange.
This brings up two separate issues for me:
Firstly, should actors/actresses use their stardom to address issues? Especially in cases such as this, where Cruise is simply being interviewed for his movie, or Michael Moore's speech during the Oscars? This seems like a growing trend, and it is getting to the point where reporters are actually speaking to these celebrities to get their opinions on issues that the celebrity really has nothing to do with. So, speaking from an ethical point, should celebrities speak on such issues, and should reporters seek their opinions for such issues?
Secondly, what are your thoughts on psychiatry? Specifically, do you think that medicine can cure or help to cure disease or sickness? Does Cruise have a valid point in his diatribe? Is psychiatry a valid science, or is it as Cruise suggests, an invalid science?
Here's the basic scenario:
Lauer was interviewing Cruise on "War of The Worlds." Somehow the conversation turns into Tom Cruise breading the field of psychiatry. He made comments regarding Brook Sheilds and her using the anti-depressant Paxel. Then he scolds Lauer for suggesting that drugs such as Ritalin and anti-depressants do help people.
Here is the Drudge Report's coverage of this exchange.
This brings up two separate issues for me:
Firstly, should actors/actresses use their stardom to address issues? Especially in cases such as this, where Cruise is simply being interviewed for his movie, or Michael Moore's speech during the Oscars? This seems like a growing trend, and it is getting to the point where reporters are actually speaking to these celebrities to get their opinions on issues that the celebrity really has nothing to do with. So, speaking from an ethical point, should celebrities speak on such issues, and should reporters seek their opinions for such issues?
Secondly, what are your thoughts on psychiatry? Specifically, do you think that medicine can cure or help to cure disease or sickness? Does Cruise have a valid point in his diatribe? Is psychiatry a valid science, or is it as Cruise suggests, an invalid science?