Source: Karwai Tang / Getty
Jaden and Willow Smith recently sat down with Pharrell Williams for Interview magazine. They talked about how their parents, Will and Jada Smith, are their biggest role models, and also shared their thoughts about social media.
Pharrell states that Willow and Jaden grew up in a time where technology has advanced a great deal. He then asked them about the generational gap, and what they think about social media. Willow stated, “It seems like they don’t understand our thought process.” She went on to say, “I know so many kids who literally are, like, Instagram-famous. They have done nothing but post pictures on Instagram. And they have followings. People love to see them in person, but it’s only because they post on their Instagram. It’s literally crazy. Kids will paint a picture of themselves that is so far beyond who they actually are. It’s like they’re wearing someone else’s skin.”
The siblings were then asked who their biggest inspirations were, and of course they both said their parents. Surely their parents got a little teary eyed after reading their answers. Willow said, “Growing up, all I saw was my parents trying to be the best people they could be, and people coming to them for wisdom, coming to them for guidance, and them not putting themselves on a pedestal, but literally being face-to-face with these people and saying, ‘I’m no better than you, but the fact that you’re coming to me to reach some sort of enlightenment or to shine a light on something, that makes me feel love and gratitude for you.'” She continued, “They always give back what people give to them. And sometimes they keep giving and giving and giving. And some people don’t feel like they need to give anything back because it’s like, ‘Oh, if you’re famous, you can just keep giving, and it doesn’t matter.’ It’s not just about money. It’s not just about giving people gifts or whatever. What my parents have given to me is not anything that has to do with money or success or anything that society says people should be focusing on—it’s something spiritual that only certain people can grasp and accept. And that’s how I act and move in the world today.”
Jaden said that he 100 percent agreed with what his sister had to say. He added, “My parents are definitely my biggest role models. And that’s where me and Willow both pull all of our inspiration from to change the world.”
