tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15703475858145373422024-02-20T01:17:46.870-08:00Media Literacy: The Power of PersuasionMindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-48646596184777221012010-04-19T18:07:00.000-07:002010-04-19T18:18:21.141-07:00"Teenage Love Affair" by Alicia Keys<div align="center">"Teenage Love Affair"</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Can't wait to get home</div><div align="center">Baby dial your number</div><div align="center">Can you pick up the phone</div><div align="center">'cause I wanna holla?</div><div align="center">Daydreaming about you all day</div><div align="center">In school can't concentrate</div><div align="center">Wanna have your voice in my ear</div><div align="center">'Til ma comes and says it's too late</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">[Chorus:]</div><div align="center">'cause the lights are on outside</div><div align="center">Wish there was somewhere to hide</div><div align="center">'cause I just don't want to say goodbye</div><div align="center">'cause you are my baby baby</div><div align="center">Nothing really matters</div><div align="center">I don't really care</div><div align="center">What nobody tell me</div><div align="center">I'm gonna be here</div><div align="center">It's a matter of extreme importance</div><div align="center">My first teenage love affair</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Another secret meeting</div><div align="center">On the 5th floor stair case</div><div align="center">I'm gonna give you this letter</div><div align="center">Of all the things I can't say</div><div align="center">Want you to be my first, my last, my ending and beginning</div><div align="center">I wrote your name in my book</div><div align="center">You last name my first</div><div align="center">I'm your Mrs.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">[Chorus]</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Hey boy</div><div align="center">You know I really like being with you right?</div><div align="center">Just hanging out with you is fun</div><div align="center">So maybe we can go to first base</div><div align="center">Because I feel you</div><div align="center">Second base</div><div align="center">Want you to feel me too</div><div align="center">Third base</div><div align="center">Better pump the breaks</div><div align="center">Well baby slow down</div><div align="center">I gotta go home now</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">[Chorus]</div><div align="center">My baby baby</div><div align="center">Nothing really matters</div><div align="center">I don't really care</div><div align="center">What nobody tell meI'm gonna be here</div><div align="center">It's a matter of extreme importance</div><div align="center">My first teenage love affair </div>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-72655394673909276272010-04-19T17:59:00.000-07:002010-04-19T18:07:11.121-07:00Female Adolescent Sexual DesireThe article, “Object Lessons: Romance, Violation, and Female Adolescent Sexual Desire” written by Deborah L. Tolman, was troubling to read because I could identify with it and therefore felt uncomfortable. I didn’t identify so much with “Isabel” as with her situation. Tolman asserts that adolescent girls struggle with their sexual desire because the dominant culture secretly educates girls into thinking that they are mere “objects” of male sexual desire and that to think otherwise is indicative of “deviant” behavior. Tolman feels that “to construct sexual desire as a normative feature of female adolescence, then, is to challenge psychology’s covert but persistent collusion with a culture that alternately denies and denigrates girls’ sexual feelings” (70).<br /><br />As a teenager in the late 70’s, early 80’s, I was brainwashed into thinking that good girls did not call boys… good girls did not come onto boys… good girls did not have sex before they married… A common adage I often heard was, “why buy the cow… if the milk is free…” On the other hand, my brother who was one year older had boundless freedom, at times even sleeping at his girlfriend’s house. I knew it was unfair, but I went along with it anyway. To say that I was confused by what I felt and what I was told not to feel was an understatement. I could definitely relate to the article when the author wrote about “contrapuntal” voices, defined as “voices at odds with the accepted cultural voices that speak to and about female adolescent sexuality” (71). Unlike Isabel, I let “my erotic voice” speak and I am a better person for it. My experience as a teenager has helped me now as a mother of three daughters; I am very careful to talk about sex as natural, not something shamefully associated with being “bad”.<br /><br />I am completely supportive of Tolman’s logical intervention. She suggests that “when educating girls about sexual health, not only are we obliged to teach them about the physical and emotional risks of sexuality, but also of the ways in which our sexuality can make us more resilient and more alive and about our entitlement to an erotic voice. By cultivating an erotic voice, we are not going to turn girls into sex fiends. However, we will challenge a system that depends on the erotic silence of many girls---the lynchpin of our current construction of adolescent sexuality” (78).<br /><br />When I read this article, I was reminded of Raby’s article, “Girls Negotiating Adolescence,” especially the sections on “at-risk” behavior and “social problem”. Keeping the adolescent down and controlled is a way that problematic behavior is dealt with; denying the adolescent a voice is just one more way to control. It is even better if the voice is never developed in the first place (I am being facetious, of course).Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-45971278118927875962010-04-12T15:23:00.000-07:002010-04-12T15:35:10.162-07:00The article, “New Media, Networking and Phatic Culture” written by Vincent Miller did not grab my attention right away, but by the third page I was intrigued. One concept that is made perfectly clear to me also made me sad. The manner in which people communicate has changed. The art of conversation is dying; it is being replaced by “communication between people that [is] more ephemeral and more akin to an exchange of ‘data’ than deep, substantive or meaningful communication based on mutual understanding” (390). This quote conveys to me that this form of communication, via blogs, social networks and microblogs, is superficial. There has been a shift from substantive communication to brief connections. The purpose of these <em>Wam Bam Thank You Mam</em> communications, such as Facebook and Twitter, is to stay connected and be “continually contactable”. The article states, “the overall result is that in phatic media culture, content is not king but keeping in touch is” (395).<br /><br />What I don’t understand is the attraction of Twitter; it seems to me to be extremely egocentric for the writer and obsessive for the follower. There are also rumors abound that <a href="http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/178898">celebrities </a>are paid to twitter… I am not familiar with the whole concept, but it does not sound that ethical to me... but then advertising is manipulative and unethical at times.<br /><br />Miller’s article can be compared to the “Coming of Age with the Internet” by McMillan and Morrison in the sense that blogging, Facebook and Twitter all deal with virtual communities. Personally, I agree with this article's take on the whole situation: “Many informants warned about the potential downside of communities that were defined by technology and interests, rather than geography and relationships” (85). It concerns me that we may be producing adults deficient in the ability to socialize in person.<br /><br />I am looking forward to discussing the second article in class. Due to the end of the quarter and time constraints, I was unable to include that article in my blog.Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-79897262452462500872010-03-22T16:16:00.000-07:002010-03-22T16:18:24.045-07:00Fast ForwardThe one and only time I visited Los Angeles I was dismayed by the outlandish opulence existing right next door to abject poverty. If my memory serves me right (it has been over 20 years), I was at the Hotel Bel Air which I recollect was separated from a rough neighborhood by a graffiti-covered blockade. Needless to say, I was not surprised by Fast Forward, Lauren Greenfield’s pictorial view of life in L.A.<br /><br /> The most disturbing aspect of Fast Forward was how many young people (12-13) looked older, acted older and just wanted to be older. The picture of Ashleigh (13) with too much make-up weighing herself in front of her friend and parents made me sick. This image reflects Raby’s discourses “Becoming,” “At Risk” and “Pleasurable Consumption.” Her identity seems to be centered on her looks, her obsession with her weight could lead to at-risk behavior and the support she appears to be receiving from those around her encourages her to “buy” into what the media tells her to be true. Lauren Greenfield, in the preface of her book Fast Forward, states, “… L.A.’s teens are greatly influenced by the television and films they watch, the magazines they read, and the music they listen to.”<br /><br /> I was also disturbed by the “keep up with the Jones” mentality, especially when it pertains to the <a href="http://www.aish.com/jl/l/48956006.html">bar mitzvah</a>. Recently, I helped a student with his bar mitzvah speech. The feeling that I received from his ceremonial speech was that this experience is deeply spiritual. I did not get that impression when I viewed Greenfield’s picture of Adam at his bar mitzvah. Actually, I was repulsed by the idea that kids and go-go dancers would be at the same party.<br /><br /> Greenfield writes about kids in L.A. growing up too fast. “A common theme that kept me focused throughout was the sense of an early loss of innocence. I observed this in many forms, and the young people underlined it again and again in their interviews. As one teenager said, ‘You grow up really fast when you grow up in L.A. it seems like everyone is in a rush to be an adult. It’s not cool to be a kid.’”<br /><br /> Lastly, one of the themes apparent in Greenfield’s writing and photographs is the idea that “young people are preoccupied with becoming other than they are.” What is real and what is just image? I do know that the “world” has its eyes on Hollywood and the images being projected from there. It’s scary to think that the world will make generalizations about Americans based on what they see.Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-83610124084110485202010-03-08T19:55:00.000-08:002010-03-08T19:56:50.059-08:00What's Wrong With Glee?“Glee” means hilarity, mirth and gloating. When I watched the pilot I experienced all these emotions and then some. I do confess that I was completely entertained as I watched this episode, sometimes laughing out loud. Although I could enjoy it, I knew that it emphasized some serious stereotypes about minorities, specifically: women, people of other races, the gay community and the physically challenged. I think the reason “Glee” is so popular with the viewing audience is that the plight of the marginalized is tempered by the humor. <br /><br /> The stereotypes seen in this episode are grossly exaggerated: the invisibility of people of color, the gay male as completely feminine, the lesbian as butch, the Jew as being aggressive, the jock as being dumb, and the physically challenged as being useless… the list goes on. Despite all this, I do see some hope. In order to challenge the dominant ideologies, one first has to talk about them. What better way to expose them for what they are, than to blatantly display them for the world to see. This show has created quite the stir, based on what I have read. Controversy creates conversation and conversation creates change (C3= C to the third power). <br /><br /> As a middle school teacher I look for the Finns of the world. They are in positions of power and can create change. It is important to guide them when they are young, before they get completely caught up in the “herd.” One comment from the episode that disturbed me was the football coach’s assessment of his quarterback’s desertion: “the herd will bring him back.” The message I get is life is easier when people are placed in compartments, when they robotically follow along; life is messy when people stray from the “box” that they have been placed in. <br /><br /> Order… Classify… Control… Regulate… Conformity… Tidy: Let’s clean-up the world… make it “dust-free” (I am being facetious). I think shows like “Glee” make it impossible for the world to ignore the inequality in the world. In its twisted way, it makes us see what is really going on and creates conversation which, albeit slowly, creates change (C3).<br /><br /> The concept of change was brought up in our last class: Can one person enact change? Marco, our guest speaker, believes this is possible. We don’t have the “great movements” that occurred in the past, but this does not mean we are stagnant. As long as we have a voice, then change is possible. The show “Glee” gives viewers the opportunity to voice their discontent. In this respect, the show is powerful. It is also powerful in its portrayal that some people will come forward and stand up for what is right. Is there anything wrong with that?Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-27483035293543747872010-03-01T17:40:00.000-08:002010-03-01T17:57:58.795-08:00Hip-Hop, Mass Media and Colonization“Hip-Hop, Mass Media and 21st Century Colonization” and “Hip-Hop and the Corporate Function of Colonization” are columns written by <a href="http://www.voxunion.com/?p=207">Jared A. Ball, Ph. D.</a> The writer, using intensely pedantic rhetoric, seems to be saying that the popular <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/hiphop/">hip-hop </a>that is heard today is but a caricature of its true self because the elite, [a.k.a. dominant ideologies] control how it is perceived by the public. “Rarely is what we know of as “popular” the initial intention of the culture or individual from which the expression comes. Most often what is the final product is what is decidedly different than what its creator initially set out to make and is more than likely no longer in their best interest.”<br /><br />Pop culture is a form of social control and the elite manipulate it to control and keep down the very people who created it. “Hip-Hop’s popularity has done nothing to improve Black America’s overall wealth, education, health-care, or certainly rates of imprisonment. In fact, the popularity of hip-hop is used to deny these conditions or explain them as natural to the conditions of African Americans.” This is a case of the elite establishing rules, and those who do not “fit” under said rules are marginalized, “othered,” ignored, made invisible…colonized.<br /><br />This idea of colonization (repression) is a claim the writer repeats often in both articles. He maintains that only certain aspects of the colonized culture (in this case Black America) are allowed into mainstream America; these aspects being the very ones that will perpetuate the negative view of this culture and thus, keep it down. The reason for this suppression is because the elite who have established power fear that they may lose this power.<br /><br />The only thing that confused me about this article was the author’s convoluted explanation of the assertion, “censorship is political not linguistic." When I tried to understand his defense of Young Buck’s “fuck the police” lyric, I was more confused than ever.<br /><br />During our next class, it would be interesting to get everyone’s take on censorship. As a teacher, mother and writer, I don’t believe in censoring music, movies and books, however; (and this may sound hypocritical) I believe in labeling the aforementioned items so that the public can make up their own minds. It’s all about free choice. Do I choose to listen to music with lots of profanity? No, but I shouldn’t decide that for others.Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-18538187659145402392010-02-20T10:07:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:28:16.260-08:00Coming of Age with the Internet: This study achieves its purpose...but is limited<p>“Coming of age with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">internet</span>: A qualitative exploration of how the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">internet</span> has become an integral part of young people’s lives” is a study conducted and written by Sally J. McMillan and Margaret Morrison. These researchers, through the use of autobiographical essays, endeavored to “capture the evolution of cultural patterns” as it pertains to the use of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">internet</span> in young adult lives.<br /><br />The study concludes with the statement that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">internet</span> is pervasive … this I knew. While this article was interesting and easy to read (not convoluted like the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Raby</span> article), I did not feel like I had many “a-ha” moments. It seemed to me that the purpose of the study was to determine common experiences with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">internet</span>, classify them and through these classifications, attempt to explain them. The explanations were simple and straightforward, not mind-blowing or earth-shattering in any way…<br /><br />The following are areas that I connected with as a reader and fellow <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">internet</span> user: </p><ul><li>“The breadth of information available via the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">internet</span> sometimes made self-definition challenging” (79). Personally, I believe that self-definition is a journey that lasts a lifetime. Every time I read a book, participate in a stimulating conversation or “surf the net” I am adding or taking away from an identity that is constantly emerging as I age. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">internet</span> is unique because it opens up so many learning possibilities and thus, can be overwhelming and challenging to sift through. Consequently, it could be very easy to lose one’s self in the resulting bombardment. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li>In my opinion, one of the finest features of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">internet</span> (specifically Email and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Facebook</span>) is the close association between anonymity and the ability to really communicate. It is easier for me to open up and converse when I do not have to cope with the self-consciousness that results when I am face-to- face with someone. In the article, Brian points out that his relationship with his father improved through the Email correspondence that they shared. “… We still rarely talk in person about anything of real personal significance. My relationship with my dad is definitely closer on the electronic level” (81). The ability to build and maintain close relationships with people who are far away (both physically and emotionally) is definitely a plus of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">internet</span> use. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li>“Many informants saw online work as necessary and appropriate, but had grave concerns about online play” (84). I can definitely subscribe to this feeling. I feel completely confident when using the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">internet</span> to research for school or my job, but feel trepidation when using it for other purposes. I do not know why there is a difference. Perhaps, I am afraid that I may become dependent on something that could replace human contact. This was a concern voiced several times in the article. </li></ul><p></p><ul><li>This article conveys to me that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">internet</span> use, for the most part, is a positive experience. The article does conclude with the following cautionary advice: “students need to be counseled that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">internet</span> does not replace the need for traditional forms of research” (91). The temptation to use the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">internet</span> exclusively when conducting research is great (I too, fall victim to this) because it is so convenient. The problem is that it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">doesn</span>’t give a complete picture.<br /><br />My conclusion is that this article "touches the tip of the iceberg" when addressing the use of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">internet</span> by the youth of today. It serves as a decent introduction, but does not offer a complete picture of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">internet</span> use. For example, I was troubled that the article neglected to touch upon <a href="http://www.cyberbullying.us/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">cyber</span>-bullying</a>, unless this is a recent development in the use of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">internet</span>. I was also hoping that there would be information on the prevalence of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">internet</span> pornography, and how many impressionable teens have <a href="http://www.helpguide.org/mental/internet_cybersex_addiction.htm">addictions</a> to it. Lastly, there is the issue of <a href="http://enough.org/inside.php?id=2UXKJWRY8">online predators </a>and how dangerous they can be. I understand that the scope of the study did not invite a discussion of these topics; I do hope there will be an opportunity to explore these <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">internet</span> dangers in some depth during our class<br />discussion.</li></ul><br /><br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gu_PQBmk-6c&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gu_PQBmk-6c&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eYyN_6GmzWI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eYyN_6GmzWI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-21913586905018125072010-02-15T13:05:00.000-08:002010-02-16T05:45:48.397-08:00"Controlling" AdolescentsRebecca Raby’s article, “A Tangle of Discourses: Girls Negotiating Adolescence” is not an easy read. There were times when my thoughts were tangled up as I struggled to create meaning out of the text. Fortunately, I was able to understand enough of the article to garner its main ideas.<br /><br />In her article, Raby discusses five dominant assertions about adolescence (discourses) that she feels accompanies the adolescent experience: the storm, becoming, at-risk, social problem, and pleasurable consumption. My understanding of these discourses is that they are imposed upon the adolescent experience from the outside by “professional positions who hold a particular authority and thus create knowledge about certain subjects” (430). These professionals wield the power (very similar to the concept of dominant ideologies expressed in class) and in essence control how teens in general are viewed by the public.<br /><br />Another aspect of this article that was abundantly clear to me is the pervasive theme of control. Throughout the text, phrases like, “social control,” “subjugated people,” “dismissal and control,” “paternalistic regulations,” “insufficiently controlled,” and the “ungovernability of teens” to describe adolescence suggest that this is a time that must be managed closely.<br /><br />During “the storm,” the adolescent’s turbulent and unpredictable behavior must be “managed” and ultimately dismissed as a part of a phase. To be dismissive is an act of control because it minimizes or ignores what an adolescent is going through, thus rendering the individual powerless.<br /><br />“Becoming” is a time when adolescents exert independence and strive for self-identification. When I read this part of the article, I am reminded of a song that my sixteen-year-old daughter plays in the car. The song is “<a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hoku/perfectday.html">Perfect Day</a>” by Hoku. I used to be irritated when I heard this song, but now after reading this article, I get it. The theme of the song is let me enjoy this time in my life, don’t control me, don’t ruin this for me… Nevertheless, authority in the form of parents, institutions, and the media do exert control over teenagers. The media is extremely manipulative as it encourages adolescents to express their independence and individuality through the consumption of goods, yet at the same time enslaves their free will and seduces them into being like everyone else.<br /><br />“At-Risk” and “Social Problem” are discourses that do not apply to all teenagers; however, they are thrown over the entire group like a blanket. The common response is to presume that all teens need to be controlled because it is in their best interest. “A discourse of teens at risk, like the discourse as teens as social problems… justifies mechanisms of social control” (435). Some examples of social control indicated in the article are uniforms, curfews, boot camps, zero tolerance policies, and incarceration.<br /><br />Lastly, control is evident in “pleasurable consumption” when marketers target and “brand” teenagers. I associate <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/driving.aspx">branding</a> with brainwashing. If marketers brainwash teens into believing that shopping is pleasurable, and said shopping does elicit pleasure, then teens will shop. They will be programmed into believing that certain products are cool and they will develop a loyalty to those products into adulthood. The result is that adolescents are robbed of their free agency, although it will seem like they are in control.<br /><br />Can adolescence really be controlled? Personally, I do not think so. Nor do I think adolescence can be predetermined exactly...<br /><br />As mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I did find some aspects of this article confusing. For example: <p></p><ul><li>What does the author mean when discussing rebellion and resistance? </li><li>Are adolescents victims or agents of change?</li><li>Why do teens, in the search for individuality, conform to their peers?</li><li>What came first… the teenager or the diagnosed behavior? </li><li>Do teens act the way they do because it is built in or because it is predetermined by society?</li></ul>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-52645295196136852392010-02-08T16:50:00.000-08:002010-02-08T17:16:37.593-08:00I enjoyed this assignment! Here is what I found so far...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.medialit.org/default.html">Center for Media Literacy </a>has a vast collection of articles, although many of them were from the 1980s and 1990s. Most of the articles appeared in a journal titled, <a href="http://www.medialit.org/media_values.html">Media & Values</a>. Some articles of interest are “Today’s Image Culture and Why Media Literacy Matters,” “Television and Consumption,” “Power of Images: Creating the Myths of Our Time,” and “Rise of the Image Culture” to name a few. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.pbs.org/teachers/media_lit/related_studies.html">PBS Teachers </a>is a great site for teachers. I found some great off-shoot sites like the following:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.about-face.org/">About-Face</a>: Don’t Fall for the Media Circus! A website whose “mission is to equip women and girls with tools to understand and resist harmful media messages that affect self-esteem and body image.” I highly recommend you watch <strong><em>Covert Dressing Room Action, </em></strong>a YouTube video found on this site.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm">Media Awareness Network</a>: I found a great article titled, “Beauty and Body Image in the Media.” A great quote from this article is by Robin Gerber, author and motivational speaker. "We don’t need Afghan-style burquas to disappear as women. We disappear in reverse—by revamping and revealing our bodies to meet externally imposed visions of female beauty."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia030905pkg.cfm">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation</a>: A site that conducts lengthy studies and surveys. One such survey generated the article, “Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 Year-olds.” The “survey found children and teens are spending an increasing amount of time using ‘new’ media like computers, the Internet and video games, without cutting back on the time they spend with ‘old’ media like TV, print and music. Instead, because of the amount of time they spend using more than one medium at a time (for example, going online while watching TV), they’re managing to pack increasing amounts of media content into the same amount of time each day.”Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-29089238816432296332010-02-01T14:52:00.000-08:002010-02-01T16:19:56.680-08:00Commentary on "Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us" by Christensen"Understanding the Myths that Bind Us" by Linda Christensen is a provocative look at the hidden messages perpetuated by the cartoons of the 20th and 21st centuries. These seemingly innocent shows convey ideas like the superiority of men and the inferiority of women; that being white is associated with good and that being black is bad; and that you can get what you want by simply changing what you look like. In this article, Christensen states that this indoctrination "delivered by children's books... instructs young people to accept a world [that] depicts the domination of one sex, one race, or one country over a weaker counterpart" (126).<br /><br />As a Caucasian female, I have always connected to the Walt Disney fairytale, "Cinderella." As a child, teenager and young adult, I saw myself as the main character being swept off my feet, rescued from a life of drudgery, and living happily ever after. Ironically, my husband affectionately refers to me as "Minderella" because according to him, he "saved" me. I consider this "ironic" because back when I was young, I would have considered it romantic... now I bristle at his teasing. It is interesting, but I never questioned my reaction to his nickname before reading this article. Although her initial wording is a little too dramatic for me, I agree with Christensen's student Justine when she writes, "True death equals a generation living by rules and attitudes they never questioned and producing more children who do the same" (129). Because I never questioned the messages embedded in fairytales, my daughters grew up on the same "media diet" that I had.<br /><br />There are many aspects of this article that I agree with, but I wonder having been written seven years ago, if the media is still promoting such strong, negative messages. I understand Kenya's point of view when she states, "Women who aren't white begin to feel left out and ugly because they never get to play the princess" (131). This view on race can also be extended to issues of weight or physical disabilities. Why do all princesses have to be white, thin and physically "whole." Recently, Disney came out with " The Princess and the Frog" which depicts a black woman playing the princess (http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/princessandthefrog/ ). I think some progress is being made, although there is always room for improvement.Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570347585814537342.post-78693048082307260552010-01-28T16:57:00.000-08:002010-02-20T07:57:46.220-08:00<span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">When I was thirteen, I started high school with a brace on my back and clothes two sizes too big to disguise what I referred to as the "plastic corset". It was nothing more than a torture chamber; it burned... it chafed my sides... it was awful. I walked awkwardly, resembling the gait of a chicken as I ambled by cafeteria tables of guys who would mimic the clucking of chickens. It was a dark time in my life. It was definitely not the introduction to high school that I had always dreamed of. I envied the girl whose brace was the full-body kind because at least people knew why she had a rectangular body; although my brace was hidden, it made me feel conspicuous. The first half of freshman year was a "silent" year for me as I tried to be invisible. Joining theater saved me; it allowed me to slip from my identity and become someone I was more comfortable being... and I didn't have to wear my brace on stage! </span></span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"></span>Mindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13054203113851545290noreply@blogger.com4