End of semester wrap up: Beautiful and Ad idea

       Over the course of this semester the topic that really caught my interest was when we began talking about advertisement and the idea of being beautiful. In high-school we also covered this idea of "killing us softly" but it still sparks my interest every time its brought up. The reason why it was all so interesting is that in class we were able to not just discuss America's idea of beauty but the way women internationally felt about the issue. It was very surprising to me that women around the world have trouble when asked if they think of themselves as beautiful.
       The advertising of the women's body its also a disturbing factor that has risen since the availability of technology's advisement. The way in which the female body can be plastered on a beer glass or a screen shot of the behind I understand as "sex sells". I have always heard the term "sex sells" but the thing is, which sex, who really is becoming the target of the advertisement industry? Women are become used more as parts and pieces to sell things then as a person. When advertisements are selling their products they almost never show the whole body unless its twisted into some unnatural version of  itself. People are no longer wanting to see the body as it is; a person, but as a thing. This topic in class made me wonder how everyone else is effected by the ad's places in their disposal,  do the question its effects or just think "its just an ad".

News Fluffy stories

       After reading an article by Chuck Klosterman we were given the idea that most of the reasons people don't like the news is for the wrong reasons. In relation to this idea that news stories can be miss interpreted and there are flaws indeed we watched a few short news stories.  After watching a few of the latest CNN stories it was very true sometimes there's isn't enough information to make a good story, and the writers hae to work with what they got.

       One of the stories that popped up was about two suspects having their bail request waved. The thing is the first this which were being discussed had nothing to do with what they were allegedly being charged for or anything relative to there case. The only this that was discussed at first was there clothing, now how does that have to do with anything?! The the reporter went on to say you could clearly understand what emotions the suspects were going through. No journalist who is watching from afar should be able to speculate there feelings by just looking at them. Another story which was played was military wife's getting a makeover, sure that's nice in all but a whole section of new dedicated to seeing there transformation is more of a show, not high priority news. The wives story could have be mentioned but it felt like an advertisement from the one's doing the makeover. The News sometimes buts in fillers into what they cover, maybe they haven't gotten the whole story or there wasn't even that much of a story to covered in the first place.

Generation Defined by Harry Potter

       In class we were asked what is a defining thing in our generation such as a movie, book or show. The generation I'm talking about are the children of the generation X or the kids born somewhere in the late 1980's early 1990's. I chose to represent our generation by the series Harry Potter, which we practically grew up with.  Harry Potter the character in the movie as I remember has always been around the same age as me from each movie, maybe that's why it was so much more recognizable to me. The characters all had certain qualities that others in my age group did.

       Our generation is much more seen to be whinny and given everything in our life. Just like in Harry Potter sure Ron was poor but he sure seemed to have all the food he desired. Herminone never was short of a book and Harry had presents periodically flown to him. Also my generation has dealt with the normalcy of being without a "normal" family in cases of increasing divorce rates, adoption, and foster care. Harry relates to that as himself being an orphan and the children in Harry Potter being separated at times from parents; as in the case of Herminones human parents. Harry's experience to entering Hogwarts and the magical world was that of new and unknown  possibilities. This relates much to my generation being raised in the new technology era, the endless possibilities. Also characters like Herminone with high self confidence from an early age helps in representing a change in the way girls in my generation see themselves, there is a sense of self strength and ability to be who they are.  The thing that most correlates with the Harry Potter Series and my generation is the curiosity. Harry and his friends were always exploring and trying to discover new things that surround them is what I can relate to the most. Our generation has had to deal with the ever so changing environment around us due to technology, exploring and learning as we go.

Reality TV

        Chuck Klosterman article about how he thought reality TV was changing American culture actually made some sense for me. The fact that these fake made TV characters are making a certain type of characteristic like figures to our society isn't so hard for me to wrap my mind around. The fact that this article was made in the past shows how much larger reality TV now fits into our lives. Present day there is a reality TV show for about anything one can think of.  Me personally, have never found much interest in the idea of watching someone else's life, but it is becoming increasingly popular. Earlier in our class I remember us discussing people being famous for being famous, also know as all these reality TV stars.
        Chuck goes on to describe in his article that people in their everyday life use reality TV references that used to not exist. He discusses the reason why these types of shows are so popular are because of their relatable connection, but also the exaggeration version from normal life. He also describes how the characters in reality TV need to believe that their original and never has anything like them happened before. We talked in class how their is a false image that can easily be made to form how the audience interprets a character. Also how producers of these shows can even influence when certain drama disputes are to up the ratings. Chucks idea of how reality TV is changing the way people react in society is semi true, but also the fact where their acquiring their image is very much manipulated.

Stereotyping Country Listeners

         In class we were given a list of random adjectives of what we think  listeners of country music are like; then given the same list to describe what we thought others would list country listeners as. In fact some of the choices were very high listed in both being patriotic or humble. We discussed how you can't describe a person by what they listen to. Sure there are certain looks people associate with the "country look" but when we were asked to describe it wasn't by looks at all, it was personality traits.

         The reason though that I believe people do not fit into their stereotypes is, there are so many different genres and different subgroups inside of them to label a person as a type. The reason certain music is labelled aggressive and another seen as patriotic is all about how you reference yourself to the music. Does one make you think of gangs&young or the other unintelligent&flags. Yes certain types of music can be associated with other things. But the main thing is you can not identify a person that enjoys a music genre by certain stereotypical ideas that go along with the music.

Bootleg Culture

       As of now bootlegging music is illegal. As I read the article by Pete Rojas at the end when he said should this type of music be only available to those able to pay licensing fee, I thought absolutely not. If this music is a genre like any other its the expression of the creator. Where the bits and pieces originated from isn't as interesting as what was made to create something completely different from its origins. He made some key ideas about the fear of the music industry, they shouldn't be attacking this new form of genre but help in its production to be available to listeners everywhere. Even though its seen as a threat there is potential for it to be a good thing if handled properly.
       I think one of the points this article showed to me was, that bootlegging is an advancement in the creativity of music. Just as the internet will continue to increase in its possibilities, bootlegging creates the opportunity of old hits to once again be introduced to the new generations. There is an appreciation in how someone can mix some of the old hits with the new to create something new altogether. Even though the music industry is afraid of losing money, Pete goes over the fact that those who are creating the bootlegs are not altogether profiting financially. Bootlegging is just showing how people are able, to now interact and create with the music they know by means of technology.

Ads "Manly Man" projection

       This Ad is a normal ad which we are accustomed to. A man clearly is being shown only by his muscles and face. The ad asks a question to the consumer, if they are tough. This ad also likes to take into account current financial problems by saying times are tough, which is the start of having someone question their self. When you read all the words presented in the ad you are still unable to understand what product they want to have advertised. What they're advertising isn't a product, but an idea of what a man is and a man to them is tough.
       This ad is presenting a stereotype of what a manly man is and even for that matter, asking the question if the man who is seeing this ad is tough. The ad itself isn't even clearing informing the customer what they are selling even after reading the smaller print. The idea of this ad is to hit them where it hurts, tell the consumer if you buy whatever their product is you will become more tough, manly and by the picture better built. The ad is playing into the insecurities of men, if a man fits into a certain image, and they use it as a tool to sell.

Football High Response

       After watching the documentary called football high I realized the extent of damage young men in America are taking from its most popular sport. I knew as many people know that brain damage from concussions is a serious and increasing thing from the sport of american football. The documentary was an eye opener when it described the brains of former NFL players to the brain of high school player in the present years. The new studies are finding evidence that is a scary reality, the repeated head injury's not the concussion is the cause of early signs of CTE disease in young athletes. The study showed there are 60,000 concussions a year for football players in high school, but in reality a year isn't accurate when their season is quite less than a whole year.
       The information that was presented is alarming to me, I would have never figured high school players to have more damage than that of college players. But the facts comes down to the pressure of american society in increasing the level of media coverage to young athletes to be better. There are more boys that play football in America than any other sport. The work outs of the present day are more strenuous than ever before. High school football has now reached an all time high of pressure from personal trainers, scholarships, off season workouts and the newer idea that being physical is the only way to play. What was more scary then the results of the statistics, was when a young man who could have died from an excessive workout in preseason could not wait to go back to the game.

Comparison between Ad's and Women's Body Image

       Advertising is the new standard for women as taught younger and younger in the new age. But not only is advertising changing its way, women themselves feel the need just as much to change to this new standard. The bra is no longer a place of comfort as in the older days; its now a place of flashy and sparkly desire, but for not that of the wearer.  The new idea in advertising towards young women is that, its ok to change to be something that your not. In advertising like Victoria secret ad's, the main focus isn't even the product or the focus isn't even towards the buyer anymore. 

       The body is not only being seen by certain standards but now through new technology no body is perfect. Even the body types that fit into the "type" everyone is suppose to idolize is being distorted. Models cannot any longer look at an advertisement and see their true self but an image created through software and photo editing devises. The body is becoming a thing ever so more then it did in the past thanks to the way mass media and large advertising company's are portraying "it". I think that advertising is going too far, the models are becoming younger and inhumanly skinnier and their is clearly one standard they are presenting, what they need is all different shapes and sizes making the body less "thing" like.

Beauty and Advertising

       Ah yes, the human body, how many ways can one thing be tormented, judged or as Barbara Ehrenreich's article describes filleted, dismembered and trashed. As I continued to read this article talking about the  human body being a play thing towards the media's interpretation I became disgusted. The fact is it wasn't just the grotesque description from Barbara, but the idea that we as a people truly are seeing the body for less that it used to be. Following it up by the reading about Victoria Secret's marketing of the body and beauty was no shock at all. As i continued this reading I realized how the body now wasn't only being a a play thing but a marketing tool that in the end was changing the over all way in-which beauty should be perceived.

       After the reading by Barbara I re-read the article "Only two percent of Women describe themselves as Beautiful".  I found the fact that women can't think of themselves as beautiful is absurd . As i first began to write this I wrote see themselves as beautiful instead of think of and there it is; the underlined idea that beauty is something one sees when in fact its much more or not even relevant to beauty. It was shocking to me that women all of the world were able to describe being beautiful and being physically attractive as something genuinely different from each other. Yet at the same time women felt the need to lessen the idea that they themselves could be beautiful.

Our Cultures changing ideas of sex

       After recently reading a few articles by Chuck Klosterman about how our current culture is changing its way in which we see sex was an unusual surprise but is also quite obvious. Klosterman conveys the differences in which our society has changed by using popular sex icons of different generations. He describes similarities in how both figures represent the different generations view of sex as a whole. From the alluring,classical and built up image of Marilyn Monroe to the newer sex kitten, wild and all too real Pam Anderson. These two figures just as themselves can describe whole generation's, which helps in deciphering how the idea of sexiness has changed.
       I went on to read Chuck's view on what internet has become thanks to the evolution of pornography. This was very surprising for me to wrap my mind around the idea that porn, yes porn has helped in the development of the internet.  Chuck describes the fact that internet porn ideas some what differ from ideas in the real world. The idea of seeing a normal person online is more welcoming that any outstanding real world fantasy. That was a surprise to me that the world online would rather see naked real looking people, compared to the ones in which they've always dreamed of in their present lives. The main thing I comprehended from both of these articles was the way we're seeing sex is changing dramatically with icons, internet to society in all.

Article:The Futile Pursuit of Happiness

      After reading the article The Futile Pursuit of Happiness by Jon Gertner I discovered differences in the way people react to certain events that occur throughout their lives. One of the main idea's that I got out of the article was that our mind creates a sort of safety blanket in response to negative life changing events, but in response to less intense situations we take on a larger reaction because our mind doesn't sense the need to shelter our fall in those situations. Another idea that stood out to me was when Jon described that the way in which people forecast mistakes to happen throughout their lives, being not nearly as life changing as we would predict.
      Jon Gertner's attitude on how we think the length or degree of happiness will last was a very interesting subject to come upon. It goes on to say that how we predict something will "give" us a certain amount of happiness, is not nearly as great and enduring as imagined or predicted. Jon describes that happiness can increase but once its reached its satisfying state, it will go back to its original state of happiness  until something comes along to create another peak of happiness.