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Rosengard
Rene Rosengard
ENC 1101
Ashley Humphries
Paper 2
A Change in Identity, the fall in a Reputation
Media has caused the downfall and rise of so many celebrity stars. Its the fastest
mode of communication. A click of a button can share information to the entire digital
community. Individuals use social media to help update others on personal events in their
lives, and to make their lives seem more relevant to others. However, many people use it
to their advantage and manipulate their image through. Celebrities are a prime example of
media shaping an image. Everyday celebrities are put under the pressure of fitting the
expectations fans and critics put them up to. The looks, the attitude, and the persona are
all characteristics put before talent, and also all characteristics portrayed over social
media. The affect of media on people causes individuals to change appearances in order
to create a different perception of the individual. Justin Bieber is a world famous artist
noted for his bad boy attitude and handsome face. His use of social media shapes the
identity portrayed by himself and his fans. Social media allows people to craft their own
identity, whether it be accurate or not. Justin Biebers crafted identity has been formed
through the text he publishes, the pictures he posts, the people he associates himself with,
and much more.
Justin Bieber was originally a very nave, and innocent 13-year-old boy. Before
his rise to stardom he shared his passion for music through YouTube videos and small
concerts in communal venues. His identity was portrayed through his music, dance, style

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and more. His intentions were far different then than they are now. As a younger artist his
intentions were solely to sing and produce music. It was his passion and hobby. As he
aged his intentions quickly turned to him
being more popular, him getting more girls,
and him partying more with better people.
Fame got to the young pop stars head
affected his attitude and behavior. His
identity changed in order to keep up with his changing perspective on important aspects
of his life.
In every social media account Justin Bieber has, he makes an effort to post photos
of him being the character hed like to become. Image is extremely important to Justin
Bieber. His photos are portrayed in a light that depicts him as being more of a bad boy.
He wears tattered clothes to enhance his bad boy look and shape the identity he aims to
achieve. His hairstyles also go along with his bad boy attitude. Original a long cute cut
turned into a spiked up, slicked back, dyed hairstyle. His unnatural look goes along with
him aging up into adulthood and becoming the person he wants to be. Along with certain
clothing choice he wears a tattoo sleeve, which demonstrates his bridging to adulthood.
His sleeve of tattoos portrays him as being the bad boy kind of guy he dreams of
becoming. His use of filters and lighting also helps create a darker image and helps
portray a darker personality. In pictures he fully trys to capture the character he wants, in
ALL aspects. In his photo-shoots he uses photo shop to make him look bigger, badder,
and better. In his Calvin Klein photo shoot he photo shopped a larger penis into his photo.
This shows his longing to be viewed as a man, rather than the boy most people still view

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him as. This event brought awful publicity on him but his picture did make him look
manlier, and his identity still grows in becoming the bad boy he wants to be rather than
the innocent boy he was. He also pictures himself with people of the same identity, so
that by association he has the hard core and bad boy lifestyle he wants to have. His
identity portrayed through photos in social media leads viewers to believe that his attitude
is dangerous and radical. Though his past life makes others believe him of being the
perfect child who had intentions of becoming a successful artist. He became nothing short
of a successful artist, but his intentions of being solely a successful artist diminished
quickly. In his pictures his bad boy attitude slowly disappears into a more destructive
self. Bad influences started to emerge and so did drugs, alcohol, and girls. His
associations have led him to a new attitude on life, and an absolute re-shape on his
identity. His new associations have quickly changed his personality, his clothing choice,
his song style, and his overall view on himself. New relations with new people have
altered the way he chooses to represent himself, and have shed a new light on his own
identity. An identity forever changed by the influential people in Justin Biebers life.

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Association can change an individual
tremendously. The people someone is constantly
around influences the other in so many ways. They
change others perspectives, choices, ideas,
everything! Progressively Justin Bieber hung
around less with the kids from school and more
around the older, yet still less responsible, celebrity
stars. His priorities consisted with hanging around these new people, and doing what
these new people do. Whether it be partying more, trying different things, using certain
words are wearing certain clothes, his goal was to change his original image into a new
one. His influences changed his identity in a manner that could not be reversed.
Not only did his style change, his word choice changed. He no longer spoke the
same. He quickly started picking up derogatory terms, and slang words were more
prevalent in his daily vocabulary. The word swag was coined after Justin Biebers
change in identity. New terms like this were used to replace other words like cool,
awesome, yeah, and so much more. He turned into the ghetto white rapper of the 21st
century. His change in diction was clear in his new song choice. New words led to new
meanings, changing the entire identity of the rising star, and also the degradation of the
English language. Influential stars like this that coin new slang words also help
deteriorate the English language. Fans strive to be more like pop stars and to do so, use
similar words. Therefore the coined words not only become prevalent in Justin Biebers
vocabulary, but also in the fans vocabulary.

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His associations with these people have also led him to run ins with the law.
Constant bad influence has led him to believe that certain behavior is appropriate when it
is extremely illegal. His effort to change has led him to become a criminal. In January
2014 Justin was arrested with a DUI. Bad influence led him to drink under age and to
drive under the influence of alcohol. Along with serious crimes he has also been involved
with minor crimes such as egging neighbors, disrespecting protocol, speed racing, and
allegedly spitting at fans. His rioting against society goes along with the identity he tries
to achieve. Crime helps create the bad boy attitude. Though his new persona may be
forming from this unruly behavior, his fan base is mostly underage as well, which sets a
poor example for younger generations and ruins his reputation as a rising star. In an effort
to change his identity from being the nave and innocent boy he was to the unruly and
poorly mannered man he is now, he changed the face of his own image, and the face of
pop music. His popularity made such an impact on the face of music that his new identity
created a change in the music genre as well. Pop music, originally oriented to be kid
friendly, became vulgar with inappropriate content included. His adorable love songs to
middle school crushes changed into odd songs to older girls that alluded more to sex
appeal. Pop music has made a sharp turn in that direction. Justin Biebers rapid change in
self-image contributed to the rapid change in the music industry as well.
His appearance in music has also diminished. He being concerned now with his
image has taken away from his production of music. Less time is spent in the studio and
more time is spent out at the bars, at parties, and with bad influences; His identity
continues to change with this behavior though. His constant effort to change his identity
has also led to the downfall in his popularity. No longer is he appreciated for his cute

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tunes, with his sweet lyrics, but now for his insane behavior and bad boy looks. The
maintenance of his identity takes priority in the bad boy life of the pop sensation.
Many points can be found on Justin Biebers change in identity. So why did he
change? Reasons for changing come back to social media. In his original profile he was
teased for his young face, and innocent music. His change in appearance on social media
was caused from social media. The incredible effect social media has on the lives of
people is unbelievable. The online world affects people more than the real world does.
The online social realm has the power to completely build or destroy a reputation. Justin
Bieber relied so heavily on image. His reputation couldnt keep up with his constantly
changing image. Justin Biebers effort to become someone new, ultimately destroyed his
chances of becoming a successful new person. Identity change can be good, but in his
case it led to his downfall.
In the end, his change in identity could be due to pressure from the media.
Publicity gets to the heads of so many pop stars. Fame is a blessing and a curse that
makes and breaks people. Justin Biebers fame went to his head quickly, which is a main
reason in him trying to maintain his identity and become someone better constantly.
Media puts immense pressure on being perfect, and having the perfect body along with
the perfect lifestyle, friends, personality, talent, and so much more. Its and impossible
place for a person to be, but the media and fans expect it from the stars. Media puts
pressure on all stars, but extra pressure is put onto the most vulnerable stars. Justin
Biebers transition in character put him in a seriously vulnerable position. Media attacked
him and publicized every negative part of his changing person. Though the person he was
turning into wasnt a good one, the paparazzi made it out to be even worse than he

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originally was. Justin Biebers reputation fell mostly due to his own faults, but also due to
the media.
Identity is portrayed in Justin Biebers profile through photos, style, attitude,
association, and overall behavior. Elements from his social media pages can be pulled
directly from his profile to show his changing identity, and the identity he is trying to
show. His attempt to change his identity and the way others view him is based solely on
how he portrays himself through his social media pages. His new style is thoroughly
shown in the pictures he posts, his vocabulary is seen in every update he makes, and all
social media sites reflect the people he now associates with and chooses to become. As he
grows in the man he chooses, the mistakes, the prizes, the fame, the publicity, and
attention he receives shapes him and creates the identity that he and his viewers see. The
identity is the ultimate priority and the ultimate reason for most everything he chooses to
do nowadays. Though so many things added to his change in identity, the true change
came from social media.

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Citations Page:
"BiebsSmokesCigara=sSinger'sCampSaysHisEgoIsOutofControl." E!Online.
N.p.,n.d.Web.05Mar.2015.
"JustinBieberUKTourAnnounced."JustinBieberUKTourAnnounced.N.p.,n.d.Web.
05Mar.2015.
"Justin Bieber Pleads Guilty to Careless Driving, Makes Donation in DUI Case
CNN.com."CNN.CableNewsNetwork,n.d.Web.05Mar.2015.
"JustinBieber'sFashionEvolution."JustinBieber'sFashionEvolution.N.p.,n.d.Web.
05Mar.2015.
"TheCompleteGuidetoJustinBieber's20Tattoos."TheCompleteGuidetoJustin
Bieber's20Tattoos.N.p.,n.d.Web.05Mar.2015.
"JustinBieber'sFashionEvolution."Twitter.JustinBieber,n.d.Web.05Mar.2015.

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