Body Image in the Media
I hate ads that use sex appeal to try to sell their product, it makes me not want to buy their product. Women in TV shows are usually pretty and skinny and the only comments from the men around them are about appearance, which is not exactly the best thing to model our lives after. It's influence was seen in our in-class activity, "act like a man/lady", when the guys gave their responses to "what it means to be a lady" and most everything they said was about appearance.
I see a lot of girls wearing tight clothes, and I think to myself "that looks uncomfortable". I see a ton of really skinny girls too and people at lunch who don't eat, I ask "why aren't you eating?", "I don't have any money" or "I forgot it at home" are acceptable answers. The answer I hear the most is "I'm not hungry". Then I ask what they had for breakfast: "nothing". How can you not be hungry? Seriously, your body needs so much fuel to be able to function normally.
The way the media uses body image is very negative. It has negative affects on people, like eating disorders or chosing a boy- or girl-friend, and it gives a bad stereotype to girls.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Media and Childhood
Early Favorites
When I was little I played a lot of Pokemon. I still do. I played and play relatively violent video games. Like most other little girls my age, I was obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. Unlike most girls my age, I loved dinosaurs. I remember I first saw Jurassic Park when I was 5, it scared the dickens out of me. Then for the longest time it was my favorite movie, until I read the book. Speaking of books, Holes is one of my favorite; the summer after 5th grade, my friend and I were obsessed with it, we even tried to dig holes that were 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep.
The dinosaur thing really influenced my values, most kids go though a dinosaur phase, but I still love them and I'm thinking of going to school to be a paleontologist. I think that my fascination with dinosaurs led me to value science and evolution more than I might have.
Gender Roles/Self-Image
Many programs on TV try to encourage certain gender roles, but I try to use my parents as gender roles.
A lot of people might be influenced to change their self-image to agree with media images, but I take it more as something I don't want to be.
Boundaries & Guidelines
My parents never really restricted media. Although I didn't watch PG13 movie until I was about 11, when I was actually interested in seeing them. I still watch a lot of PG movies, but most of them were made in the late 70s so they're PG13 by today's standards. I will probably not let my children watch PG13 movies until they're actually 13.
Historical Events
I vaguely remember sitting ina 4th grade classroom on September 11, 2001 and watching the news. I remember Katrina and especially the 35W bridge collapse, I had drove over that bridge twice the day before.
Opinions about Violence
I personally love violent games and movies (as long as they have a good plot). Smaller children have a tendency to repeat things they see or hear on TV or in a movie, older kids should know better. It takes a certain maturity to go from "OK, this must be how I should act" to "LOL, this is entertaining, but I'd never actually do it". It should really be the parent's job to make sure their children know how not to act.
When I was little I played a lot of Pokemon. I still do. I played and play relatively violent video games. Like most other little girls my age, I was obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. Unlike most girls my age, I loved dinosaurs. I remember I first saw Jurassic Park when I was 5, it scared the dickens out of me. Then for the longest time it was my favorite movie, until I read the book. Speaking of books, Holes is one of my favorite; the summer after 5th grade, my friend and I were obsessed with it, we even tried to dig holes that were 5 feet wide and 5 feet deep.
The dinosaur thing really influenced my values, most kids go though a dinosaur phase, but I still love them and I'm thinking of going to school to be a paleontologist. I think that my fascination with dinosaurs led me to value science and evolution more than I might have.
Gender Roles/Self-Image
Many programs on TV try to encourage certain gender roles, but I try to use my parents as gender roles.
A lot of people might be influenced to change their self-image to agree with media images, but I take it more as something I don't want to be.
Boundaries & Guidelines
My parents never really restricted media. Although I didn't watch PG13 movie until I was about 11, when I was actually interested in seeing them. I still watch a lot of PG movies, but most of them were made in the late 70s so they're PG13 by today's standards. I will probably not let my children watch PG13 movies until they're actually 13.
Historical Events
I vaguely remember sitting ina 4th grade classroom on September 11, 2001 and watching the news. I remember Katrina and especially the 35W bridge collapse, I had drove over that bridge twice the day before.
Opinions about Violence
I personally love violent games and movies (as long as they have a good plot). Smaller children have a tendency to repeat things they see or hear on TV or in a movie, older kids should know better. It takes a certain maturity to go from "OK, this must be how I should act" to "LOL, this is entertaining, but I'd never actually do it". It should really be the parent's job to make sure their children know how not to act.
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