Images of people are seen all over and are viewed in the public eye. There are billboards, TV programs along with commercials promoting new clothing lines or products, and of coarse magazines. Very often celebrities are criticized for the way they look. Many celebrities often become anorexic, example is Nicole Richie.
So much pressure is being put onto teenager girls. When these girls see these ads they begin to wish they could have the same look, whether it’s their hair, style of clothing, or the shape of their “perfect” body. This may even lead to suicides because it affects their self-esteem. The reason is many teenagers compare their selves to these images that are all over the world. However; in Killing Us Softly 4, Jean Kilbournes explains about behind the sense of putting together an image of a person. Sometimes there is often four images put together to form one. Another thing that was shown in this video was the popular Photoshop that was used for many touch ups such as to fix their face or to form the perfect body.
As seen in this youtube clip, about State Farm an insurance company, this is a perfect example of the perfect bodies for men and women that are always seen on TV and as a viewer you may not even realize this.
What do you think would happen if State Farm portrayed a different type of body? How do you think the target audience would react?
ReplyDeleteDo you think that the types of perfect bodies State Farm represented are actually what people want? Do you think that if people knew about all the photo editing that went in to creating a perfect shot, that they would stop trying to imitate what they see?
ReplyDeleteDo you feel that it is completely the media's fault for all these cases of anxiety or other disorders or do you believe that it could possibly be the person and what they actually want, not just what they see?
ReplyDeleteDo you think that if more pictures of regular people were in the media (not airbrushed), that there would be less eating disorders and suicides in teenagers?
ReplyDeleteBrianna,
ReplyDeleteTruthfully I feel audience members are so use to seeing on TV the perfect body or the very fit guy, its hard to say how the reaction would be. Maybe some would be happy to see a real life person rather than what this ad shows or perhaps some wouldn't care. But I actually liked the couple before the guy did the jingle because to me it was funny until she changed him into this guy with abs and the woman with short shorts and a push up bra.
Kearsten,
I feel the public would want to see someone who is healthy and as the average real person. If the public eye actually knew what went on behind the scene, they might be offended because I feel I rather see the person for who he/she really is not for what a computer puts him/her together as.
Matt,
ReplyDeleteI think the media does play a role in the eating disorders because of the multiple images you see whether you are sitting in your house or driving. And this is what teenagers see and possibly wish what their life or body could be. But the media isn't to blame completely because these teenagers need to know what is healthy for their selves and what is not, perhaps if they were educated about the disease being extremely unhealthy for them.
Kimmy,
It is hard to pin point the reason for why there are eating disorders and suicides. If real people who were happy and healthy that advertised in commercials or in magazines maybe there could be less of these situations. And women could boost their self esteem and to believe in their selves instead of always judging their body. I have always heard the saying a picture is worth a 1,000 words.