Whenever a political event or global conflict occurs, people head to social media to ask for celebrities and influencers to give their take on the matter. If a public figure refuses to make a statement, or expresses something other than what people want, the public will then cancel them or label them as problematic.
A few months ago, Michelle Yeoh, a Malaysian actress—who has starred in many Hollywood films but currently lives in Switzerland—declined to speak about U.S. politics, saying that she thought it was “best not to talk about something I don’t know about.” Michelle’s honesty is commendable in a time when celebrities will post reactions to news events on Instagram stories in order to look good, informed, and virtuous. It is unfortunate that the public looks to singers, actors, and comedians for political takes. It should be the responsibility of the individual to do their research and form their own opinion.
