Part 3

The media shows what it wants to show but, does it create a true representation of reality? In advertisements we see perfect people. The women who are slim and beautiful, and the men, fit and masculine. If you took a look around, you would see all different shapes and sizes while if you just watched television or read magazines, you would see that everyone was pretty much the same. Yes, there are advertisements for weight loss, but they're not really that realistic. They just show you the before and after picture, while in real life it takes hard work and a long time to look like the after picture. Also, the world is filled with The Other because everyone is different.  Judging by the fact that certain things are  foregrounded and backgrounded, shows that media doesn't fully represent reality because we're not seeing the full truth. The media can make things seem realistic but not without some kind of manipulation. Whether it's a body, or a story. 
Like in my journal about Lana Del Rey's GQ shoot, women are not always so vulnerable and dependent on men. And men aren't always so smartly dressed, and powerful. 
Advertisements aren't really realistic either because even if you buy the products, what happens in the commercials won't exactly be the same as your results. I do not think that the media creates a true representation of reality. I think that they represent this "false reality" because if they just left things the way they were, we the society, would not engage with it. We see normal things everyday but the media shows us what "could be" even though unrealistic.

Day 5: Representation of Muslims in the Media

In the media, Muslims are automatically associated with immigrants, bombs, and terrorism, especially because of Osama Bin Laden. It's because of what the media puts out, that Muslims are now all generalized into one dangerous category. It also doesn't help when shows like All American Muslim were being aired on TLC, where so-called Muslims were out acting like typical American teenagers which is not even close to what being a Muslim represents. It's what they put on our television screens that add to some people's false ideas of Muslims. Some girls are even prohibited from playing certain sports, or working certain jobs just because they wear hijabs.

But it's not all the media. People believe what they let themselves believe, and I think people should remember that whatever they see on TV isn't the same everywhere else. Just because there's one dangerous Muslim somewhere, doesn't mean that every other Muslim is the same. We should all let our minds be less constricted and not believe that what we see on the television, is the full story.

Journal 5: Commercials

I was watching some commercials and noticed that they add unnecessary details. But I think it's those unnecessary details that are what sell the product. They add sexualization to an M&M commercial which doesn't really make sense but it makes people laugh. Also they use things that are popular in the media, such as adding in a popular song that teenagers love, that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the product. But since people know what song it is, and since they like it, and since they laugh at the M&M making a fool of himself, it sells.

Also in cosmetic commercials, the makeup is clearly always edited. But for some reason, girls and women watch it and go "Oh! I want that!" staring at the painfully obvious fake eyelashes on the screen.

Day 4: News

After watching Fox News, there was a case "Accused shoplifter dies at Walmart store". The man was apparently a serial shop lifter and he was accused of stealing a couple of DVD's. Three Walmart workers, including a security guard, restrained him by using a choke-hold on him and placing themselves on top of him. By the time the police were about to put handcuffs on him they said he was unresponsive and bleeding from the mouth and nose, and pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The male news anchor then discusses the case with a female Fox News legal analyst and a male former Federal Prosecutor.They then show a quote on the screen from a Walmart Spokesperson saying,

"This is truly sad news. We're in the process of working with the law enforcement to determine all of the facts and cooperating and providing any information we have to assist..."

Throughout the discussion it seemed that the two men were trying not to put the blame on Walmart by bringing out details like how he's shoplifted before, and how he has been known for substance abuse, and that apparently he took a swing at a Walmart employee which means anything can happen. The Fox News legal analyst continues to say that he was just trying to steal a couple of DVD's and that 3 workers basically jumped on him. She also adds that Walmart's policy is to back off and call 911 when something like this happens because they are not Law Enforcement trained people. Also, she says that if they had been Law Enforcement, it would have been excessive use of force.
I think that the Legal Analyst was right and it seemed like they were making excuses by saying that he was accused of substance abuse and cocaine abusers have weak hearts, but then saying that they don't know all the details so who knows if he could have been "theoretically fuelled up on narcotics".

Journal 4: The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries clearly does not represent reality, because they deal with supernatural things like Vampires, Werewolves, Hybrid-vampire-werewolves, and witches.

But, the show has been showing some consistencies. So far, they have been following a typical horror convention where they always kill off the minority. Even friom season 1, the first ones to die have usually been black people. Also, every single witch that we have seen in the show, has been black. One could make the argument that they must all be descendants of the Bennett family but they never showed any evidence of that and there must be more witches out there who aren't part of the same family. I don't know that it's a coincidence but we have yet to see a change.

Day 3: Stereotypes

Stereotypes are seen a lot in the media today. In the news, as well as on shows. There's always an Asian, who is overly smart, good at math, small, bad at driving and has a strong Chinese accent. And African Americans are generally stereotyped as dangerous thugs who live in the ghetto.

In reality, and coming from experience, not all Asians are straight A students. And we don't all have strong accents because in fact, not all Asians are Chinese. And although the driving in certain countries in Asia isn't quite as orderly as in Orleans, that doesn't mean they're all bad at driving. 

Also, Americans are just as capable of committing crime as any African-American.

Another stereotype is the dependency of women upon men, and how men hold all the power. Women are meant to be in the kitchen and men are off to be successful in their work.

I am not quite sure how to combat the usage of stereotypes in media. Once we get rid of one stereotype another will take its place. I think, however, it is very important that people are able to recognize the stereotypes. Children should be taught from the schools what are the stereotypes that exist in society and how one should understand them, so that they, first of all, did not reproduce the existing stereotype, and secondly, did not except everything what they see in movies, press or Internet for the pure truth. I believe that we need to start from elimination of believe in stereotypes within the society. - Lily Gataullina

Journal 3: Lana Del Rey GQ Photoshoot

In October, Lana Del Rey did a "Woman of the Year" photoshoot with GQ Magazine. She looked beautiful in all of her photos but, it was a little disturbing that in the picture below, the man is dressed well, in a suit, while she is positioned the way she is. This picture gives off a very strong feeling of power, and male dominance. The manner and location  his hands are positioned, are very aggressive and it's a bit overwhelming. Lana could have easily been just as beautiful without being objectified had they put her in more clothes, as in the rest of the pictures she is wearing little to no clothes.  

The media's idea of what a "Woman of the Year" should be is questionable, if what you're wearing is just enough to cover your private parts. Especially since all of the GQ "Men of the Year" were fully clothed in suits in their magazine covers while Lana Del Rey was bare naked.

Men's Cover:
http://forums.thefashionspot.com/showpost.php?p=10987547&postcount=588
Other photos Lana Del Rey's shoot:
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/men-of-the-year/home/winners-2012/woman-of-the-year-lana-del-rey/viewgallery/0