Should we beware the Biebs?

And I was like, ‘Bieber, Bieber, Bieber, no’

By Angela Espinoza, Arts Editor

Five years ago, “Baby”-faced Justin Bieber from London, Ontario was uploading videos of himself singing onto YouTube—first red flag. These videos caught the attention of a talent manager by the name of Scooter Braun—second red flag. Braun passed the videos onto one Usher, who in no time signed this kid to his record label—three red flags and no going back. The result has been, to reiterate, five long years of everything from terms like “Beliebers” to hits like “Baby” to a 3-D concert/documentary called Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2010) to repeated Grammy nominations. As of March 1, 2013, Bieber is only 19-years-old.

Bieber’s recently had a lot of bad press. Along with his public breakup with Selena Gomez, Bieber’s willingly let the world know how “difficult” his life has been lately through social media posts and some lousy timing. From Tweets about his “worst birthday ever” to Instagram rants that included gems like:

“…if Anyone believes i need rehab thats their own stupidity lol I’m 19 with 5 number one albums, 19 and I’ve seen the whole world,” and, “And to those comparing me to Lindsay Lohan, look at her 2012 tax statements ;)”

These may be Bieber’s own red flags in regards to his childhood stardom. Child stars have a bad rep for aging into broke, addiction-heavy, egomaniacal monsters whose sole purposes are to put food on the tables of TMZ and Entertainment Tonight hosts. However, as we’ve seen from the likes of Emma Watson, Justin Timberlake, even (and it pains me to add) Kristen Stewart and Zac Efron, being a child star does not always spell disaster. Every child’s situation is different, but in the case of Bieber’s recent negative antics, it seems his situation might simply be that he’s the epitome of spoiled—or at least in the public’s eyes.

Far too many child stars have gone off the rails, and, honestly, who gains anything from seeing another kid fall apart from being thrown into a world they didn’t fully understand? Put your high school rages and judgments aside and remember that while you’re all here working to some extent, he’s getting ready for another press party or concert or some other meaningless endeavor. I’m not saying to feel bad for him, but I am saying that it might be too early to wag a finger. What I’m getting at is that there is still ample time for his life in the limelight to go in a very horrible direction, and convincing him that it really is “him against the world” as the public isn’t going to do any favours for his psyche. We the public have essentially taken on the role of parents to his rebellious ‘teen.’

With all of that in mind—as the creepy public we are—let’s wait and see what his next move is. Who knows? Tomorrow he could be donating a couple million to a kennel for orphan puppies… or he could take a shot at Hilary Duff next, the possibilities are endless. Now if you’ll excuse me, all this Bieber talk has left me parched for some delicious Fitz and the Tantrums.