Affect of images in our lives
Advertising, images and environment around us give us a constant message whom to identify ourselves with, what we should be like, what is an acceptable image in society around. Media constantly tries to inspire people to sell the products which will make them what is shown in unreal images. It gives us message through what a woman and man should be like. Women should be sexy, beautiful, good looking and real man tough, brave, strong, and powerful.
It makes women realize from a very young age how important it is to be beautiful. What it means to be beautiful. All these images of women tell what beauty is and leaves a long lasting impression on a girl kid who then tries to be like that cool, hot and sexy image. Stressing out to be like one, increases eating disorders or females even starve themselves to have a desired body which invites lot more diseases and even death. In order to get a desired body or to look cool is done either by plastic surgery or in any other way like tattoo or piercing to get the most wanted body. Result of all that is spending lavishly and always in a constant stress of being not looking good enough. A sexual image of women used for selling product is also exploiting the perception of a woman. It sends constantly conflicting messages to woman and men out there in society about what need and wants are. Turning images of woman or make product which looks like woman body makes women just an object, an object which can be used. It is a big reason for increased sensation of domination over women and violence in society.
Images of women of color as an animal let one think that somewhere they are different from others. Their thoughts, needs and demand are not the same as a white woman. It is a racist image and it promotes an idea of something less than a human. Its true images in our lives affect us and images portrayed in mass media as perfect do not portray an image of real world which is a brutal truth and needs attention.
It's really interesting that you mentioned tattoos and piercings. I myself don't think a women or even a men looks hotter or sexier when they have these things on their bodies. But what the media portraits for me is that people who have these things are daredevils and like to live on the edge.
ReplyDeleteThe images of women who are dressed like animals never hit me as being racist until I saw this video. It makes sense to me now. I think it is ridiculous how subtle the way advertising can be, yet they get the message into our subconscious. I was just shaking my head through a lot of this video. Kilbourne does a great job of pointing it out.
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