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Erin Daprato
Joined: Dec 1, 2006
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Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 8, 2007 - 12:13 PM
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Hey all,
I was wondering your thoughts on the propagation of image disorders with the media as a catalyst. By image disorders I mean eating disorders, BDD, general insecurity and age inappropriate dressing.
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Anuoluwapo
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Re: Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 9, 2007 - 03:20 AM
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Very Good Question!
I have often wondered about what people do, when there is nobody there.... when there is no audience..... and the silence of our conscience becomes defeaning.
I am constantly amazed at the - well, especially- American media and the ideals they propagate. Where a culture of materialism, shallowness, among others, is encouraged on a second by second basis. The amazing thing is that this has spread like wild fire to so many other countries.
For example, In Lagos Nigeria,where I am from and live in, it is no longer about who you are as a person, but what you wear, how you look, the car you drive and who you know, the parties you attend, how much plastic surgery you've had, how much money you "spray" in parties....bla...bla..bla. A case of misplaced priorities in a country where an awful lot of people cannot afford daily essentials.
I mean, as nice and as friendly and as warm as a typical Nigerian is, some of the vainest people I have come accross are Nigerians!
The media makes it worse by ensuring a huge divide between the "haves" and the "have-nots" - terminologies defined by this same media.
I also wonder at billboard adverts, when I see a semi-nude lady advertising a blender or some candy or whatever! There is no correlation or justification between what is being advertised and the picture, BUT they know that a gorgeous young lady will attract the attention of most people faster, especially when she forgot her clothes at home! For me, it just doesnt make sense.
It is worthy of note here that the pressure to be what the media decides as ideal is more prevalent on females than males. I believe that is self-explanatory.
To come back to your question, I am of the opinion that yes, the media does play a pivotal role in the decadence of the society, knowing fully well that what we constantly see on the outside, ultimately influences what we become on the inside.
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Anu maheshwari
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Re: Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 9, 2007 - 12:16 PM
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Hmmm,I see a slight change in this process of objectification.
Now even men are under the 'gaze'.
Here in Mumbai , the main train station called Victoria Terminus ( Chatrapathi Shivaji terminus) has posters of men advertising undergarments. There was a tiny uproar when the posters went on the screens all over CST but it cooled down very quickly. The posters are still there.
Last year , a cosmetic brand launched a 'whitening' cream for men .... something which Indians would have laughed at a few years back.
But now it seems that men have started to carry their own vanity bags.
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hekatea
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Re: Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 14, 2007 - 01:01 AM
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I think, the problem more is that the parents are not there to guide thier children, to have time to explain what's happening in the world. What happens is that, the tv becomes a substitute for parents.
Media is still in a capitalist world so we can't do about it now, unless we participate more to help the alternative media.
We need to teach our younger sisters and brothers on how to develop a creative and critical thinking when they are watching the tv.
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Anuoluwapo
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Re: Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 15, 2007 - 03:17 AM
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anuriandima84 wrote:
Hmmm,I see a slight change in this process of objectification.
Now even men are under the 'gaze'.
Here in Mumbai , the main train station called Victoria Terminus ( Chatrapathi Shivaji terminus) has posters of men advertising undergarments. There was a tiny uproar when the posters went on the screens all over CST but it cooled down very quickly. The posters are still there.
Last year , a cosmetic brand launched a 'whitening' cream for men .... something which Indians would have laughed at a few years back.
But now it seems that men have started to carry their own vanity bags.
The posters will soon be replaced by nude men, I can assure you! LOL! I liked the bit about the vanity bags. Thing is, in Lagos, the men already have vanity cases, some larger than the women's!
I believe I had a healthy childhood mixed with a little bit of TV, A little bit of reading and lots of going out. However, for those just "evolving" now, there are so many things to get you distracted / arouse your curiousity!
For instance, If I as a mother, send my child to her room for being naughty, all she needs do is put on her laptop and she starts to surf the net, where we can be rest assured that there will be no holds barred.
Katea, since I cant readily profer an alternative/solution, I am curious as to how you'ld go about teaching young people how to "seive" / filter information ganared from the media. It is worthy to note here that this affects old people as much as it does young people. I mean, why would a 69 year old woman go for an "uplift"? The only difference is that a lasting impression would be made on a younger, fertile mind than an older one.
Maybe it will make more sense to simply pray, no?
This post was edited on: 2007-01-15 at 03:18 AM by: tokunbo
This post was edited on: 2007-01-15 at 03:23 AM by: tokunbo
This post was edited on: 2007-01-15 at 03:26 AM by: tokunbo
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Saladin
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Re: Does the Media Enforce a Distructive Image Ideal?
January 20, 2007 - 12:28 PM
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I think that the problem behind the rising tidal waves of materialistic thinking worldwide could not be only attributed to certain forms of media.
Other factors strongly contribute to this trend, including socio-economic changes in each region of our planet.
After the "Oil Boom" in the mid 1970s and 1980s, lots of Egyptians found new generous job opportunities in the Gulf, and when transferred money began to pour to Egypt's mainland, materialistic thinking began to rise promptly.
Some people have begun to display their "social prestige" by possessing fancy cars, widescreen TVs, clothes that are "signe", huge flats, summer residences in the North Coast, and recently mobile phones, laptops, and other expensive electronic devices...
The real problem is that a consideable number of "poor" people may strive to get a cell phone, while lacking some of the essential needs...it became a matter of fake "prestige"....motivated by serious socio-economic factors....and by some types of media that do not reflect the true problems of a country where 49 % of the population are illiterate, and fall under the poverty line...
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