Last night, I spent the majority of my evening watching Friends. During class discussions on Tuesday, we talked a great deal about how people in America are wasteful, and never satisfied. There was also a discussion on how the media has transformed us into a conformity telling us to like the same things, buy the same things and be the same. Anyone who was different wasn’t cool. As adults, this becomes less evident, but as teens and kids, we are brutal towards anyone we deem as different. Last night I really focused on what all these big wig corporations were conveying through the Television. I was very surprised to see how bad it really was. Constant commercials using lust, sex, and beautiful unrealistic looking women to sell perfume, jeans, or shoes. Commercials were showing how cool people were dressed in the latest fashions, surrounded by their equally fashionable friends, all laughing in slow motion. Look around you! Who in this world always looks like that? Absolutely no one. Models are air brushed; their waists’ trimmed on Photo Shop. These corporations are constantly trying to convey that you should be beautiful, skinny, and wear all the right clothes with all the right accessories. There are no commercials about the other problems looming in our future, like global warming, or other countries in need of our help. I saw at least 3 commercials from McDonalds, and the people in the commercials were all healthy, with perfect smiles. They happily served their families, what we know now, as practically a heart attack on a bun. People need to stop relying so much on fitting in and focus on their individual personalities. The messages being sent to people explain the high rates of suicide and depression, along with anxiety. People are constantly being told that they won’t fit in if they don’t buy whatever the trend is for the week. Also, there’s an obvious message that if you don’t buy all these products, you won’t be happy. That if you don’t buy the next best thing, you’ll be outdated and left behind. This needs to change!
Katie,
ReplyDeleteNice work on this entry--it's good that you are passionate about what you are saying. You raise some very good points as well.
One passage caught my eye: "...the media has transformed us into a conformity telling us to like the same things, buy the same things and be the same. Anyone who was different wasn’t cool. As adults, this becomes less evident..." Is this true? Are adults left out of this media-targeting business? If you think about car ads, on-line dating sites, and other types of "products" that businesses try to lure adults into, is the level of deception/ persistence/ emphasis on being happy at a different level when it comes to marketing to adults compared to children? Just some things to think about! :)
I wish I was allowed to only say "what she said", but I know I'm supposed to write more so I'll give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have the bigger picture with what is going on in America, it's a shame we all don't see the world like this. Anyways, I really liked when you referred to McDonalds as " a heart attack on a bun" that's just too funny. Also you made a great point when you said that "People need to stop relying so much on fitting in and focus on their individual personalities". That reminded me of a movie I saw again yesterday (Xmen:First Class). I don't know if you are familiar with it, but there is a part in the movie where Raven is like working out or something. Then Erik drops the barbell on her and she changes back to her blue form. He then says, "If you're using half your concentration to look normal, then you're only half paying attention to whatever else you're doing. Just pointing out something that could save your life. You want society to accept you, but you can't even accept yourself." I think a lot of people in America sometimes get distracted by, like you said, trying to fit in. I agree that if you were just ourselves, we would feel a lot less anxiety.
Anyways, nice blog!
This is why I wonder what our society would look like if Brittany Spears promoted "radishes" instead of "Pepsi" or Michael Jordan was featured in ads discussing volunteerism instead of the latest tennis shoes...
ReplyDeleteI think we've got it all wrong.
Hey Katie, thanks for having my back thursday and making sure I went to the right class at the right time. I would have been really confused otherwise. I think you did a nice job with this assignment. I especially liked this part "As adults, this becomes less evident, but as teens and kids, we are brutal towards anyone we deem as different." I didn't really realize it, but that is very true. I watched the move House Bunny (Which You'd probably like since its a comedy) last night and I thought it was interesting to see how people below the fashion radar attempt to become popular buy doing what society tells them they need to do to achieve this. Plus, people were mean to them in the beginning because of how they looked and other factors.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought it was interesting how you made the connection between media messages and rate of depression/suicide. I didn't even consider that, but its a great observation. Anyways, great job. You got me thinking, and i think thats exactly what you were supposed to do!
Katie, this was really interesting, you did the assignment well and my favorite part of your post and the part that stuck with me the most was when you were talking about Mcdonalds and referred to it as a "heart attack on a bun." That statement could be debatable, for me, i would agree. I also agree with one of the last sentences stating that is one doesn't but the next new thing then your outdated or left behind, this again is also very true. I wish our culture wasnt like that, but is it, so what are we going to do about it?
ReplyDeleteWere you watching the nick at night friends marathon?... (Cause I know I was) Anywho, I compelety agree that the media has control over how society views everything including eachother. What I just can't wrap my head around is why? Why do we let people we don't know dictate our lives and tell us what's cool and how we should dress or what we should eat or how skinny we should be? It just drives me crazy that we rely so much on what the media tells us to think. Thanks for making me think about this. :)
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