"The Perfect Body"

My whole first semester pretty much I got to study print media and a lot was discussed about how media portrays women. Advertisers say that they aren't affecting body images just selling products, but who says products need to be sold by women in no clothes with their bones popping out of their skin. It is hard to find advertisements with healthy women even athletic ads have people who don't look like they have ever touched a piece of bread. As girls are surrounded by these images of what is "beautiful" they have nothing else to believe. What I found so true that I had never thought about is if you ask people who their role model is chances are they aren't going to be a super model, they will be a healthy person. It is important that girls to work harder on making sure their insides are beautiful and not worrying about the outside. However, the way media has brainwashed us it is too hard to think about giving up how we care about our looks. I know I have fallen under this trap that if I were just a little more pretty or a little more that, everything would work out. The truth is that society has become so superficial and shallow that it is hard to make friends or get a boyfriend/girlfriend without focusing on looks. Not to say everyone is that way but until more normal looking people with less editing and makeup get into magazines society on a whole will continue judging each other on looks. I feel kind of hopeless on the issue because I don't see media changing for a long time. I am happy that there are more self-esteem speakers going to schools. I think that that should continue and hopefully advirtisements will soon become heathier influences on children, teens, and adults.

The Ultimate Brainwashing....TV

Have you ever been watching TV and not known you had an entire conversation while watching? Maybe you haven't experienced this extreme form of a trance the the television pust us in every time we watch it. I know from personal experience I have had entire conversations with my mom and friends during a show and afterward don't even recall talking. Maybe you have been eating one time while watching television and realized you finished an entire bag of chips. These are two examples of the trance television puts us in that are easily seen. However, the television can brainwash us without us even noticing. It tells us norms we should follow and teaches us values. One example would be the effect of looks of characters on TV on viewers. Many viewers start developing an unhealthy body image at a very young age. As we see ever channel full of beautiful, flawless, unhealthy skinny people, children and teens are conditioned to think this is the way they are supposed to look. With unrealistic views on what they should look like much unhappiness springs into the minds of young people thinking that they aren't good enough. In addition, try and become good enough t.v. manipulates us to think that the way to be good enough is to buy stuff to make us look better or become more popular. As we continue to buy and cease to find any results we continue the never ending cycle of buying then not feeling good enough and buying....

Lucky Pencil

The other day before class my friend borrowed my pencil. Later that night I had realized I had not gotten it back. So jokingly I texted him saying that was my "lucky" pencil and I could not live without it and then I said I was just kidding. He responded by saying "hey there's nothing wrong with having a lucky pencil." Immediately my mind shot to sociology. He was right that there is nothing wrong with having a lucky pencil, but what has made it okay for humans to have such strong emotional attachments to objects. As materialism grows in society, so has the attachment to objects versus people. Biologically we were made to be attached and to need other humans to nurture us. However, I have been wondering at what point has this attachment spread to objects? Socialization of needing to independent seems to be an answer. Society has taught us the it is super important to be independent as soon as possible, but that is not what we actually need. We need to be nurtured and as we lose being nurtured from people we look to objects to give us what we need. Instead of getting help from others before a test we depend on a lucky pencil to help us get a grade. From this I wonder just how many objects do we have to replace the spots that other humans are ment to fill.

The girl who laughs at a funeral

I have always been the girl who laughs at a funeral because I'm too afraid to feel anything else. It is weird how much American culture has shaped me into being afraid of feeling. I can't remember the last time I've cried and when ever my mom cries I will do ANYTHING to make her stop because it is so weird and hard for me to watch. And death well that is even harder for me to process. I never sleep the night before a funeral because I'm so horrified of going to see a person in a casket. The thought that I will die someday is something I like to keep as far away from my thoughts as possible. It is interesting to me that other countries find death as a positive thing or at least accept it without fear. I feel a lot that when people die your connection with them dies and you wont be able to affect each others lives anymore. However, I think the problem is I and many other Americans don't let people in enough to allow that ever lasting bond. We are so afraid of the physical loss that we don't want to risk it. I think the story behind "Tuesdays with Morrie" is a very strong one that we aren't even really living unless we give love to others. It has made me reevaluate my life and my relationships with my family and friends. I realize that it's so important to give all the love you can. While I still am horribly afraid of tears and death, I did learn one lesson and I'm going to keep trying to get over those fears.

Understanding of Gang Subculture

Two main aspects of American culture cause the offspring of violence in poorer communities. The values in materialism and having a sense of belonging don't come easy for many of these unfortunate children and teens. Lack of leadership in households, so their leadership and credibility comes from the streets. With weak sense of belonging within families in poorer neighborhoods kids and teens resort to gangs to feel a sense of belonging. Elite "thugism" comes from killing someone, people don't want them to get credit through being arrested for murder. They would rather kill the murderer themselves to show they are the true leader. In order to decrease these mass amounts of violence they need good role models out visiting the streets to show they actually do care about the poor black men versus just making speeches on T.V. They need people to show they truely do care and respect these men and allow them to connect with them. I think one part of this gang subculture is the need to belong. Many of us upper middle class citizens take advantage of the sense of belonging we get from family, friends, and teachers. In addition, American society is revolved around materialism. For the people are born into less fortunate situations, it is difficult to live up to these values of spending when they have little money to do so. They see gang violence and selling drugs as their was to become rich like American society tells them too be.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is wayyy overblown and really to me is more of a commercial holiday than anything else. I think the idea is good that people who have been married for a long time can celebrate their ever lasting love for each other. However, when I hear about people buying front row bulls tickets after dating for 2 weeks, I think this holiday has gone a little far. People's expectations are so high on what they will get materially for valentines day when really they should be focusing on how lucky they are to have a person to share so much with. Also, because of the size that valentine's day has blown up to here in American makes those who are single feel majorly "alone". Valentine's day is a perfect example of how materialistic America has become. I know i have fallen tap to the "If he doesn't buy me flowers it is over." However, I realize that's a really silly way of thinking. In addition, maybe the guy didn't grow up thinking flowers were so important to show emotions. I think if we focus so much on the material things we give and receive on Valentine's day we will forget the most important part which is to celebrate how lucky we are so have people we love in our life. Taking a few steps back, I've realized how material goods are such a big part of showing feeling in America and I'm not so sure if I like that.