The Institutions of the Pageant January 31, 2007

So after having watched that movie last week, I think that what truly shocked me the most was the 13 year olds participating in the pageants. These girls were the perfect definition of the “mid-drift” they in no way understood their bodies or their sexuality, but there they are flaunting it. The girls were talking about looking up to pop stars like Britney Spears and the like, but Britney is no perfect role model for your normal 13 year old girl. So anyways back to the pageants, I was so shocked at these girls, it was the fact that they felt that this is what it took to win. They need to look good all the time, wherever they are going and they feel this desire to flaunt themselves before millions of judging eyes. This topic got me to thinking about pageants that involve even younger girls. You know the beauty pageants that comprise young girls aged about 4 to 6. So I am sitting here comparing the two and trying to figure out if one is worse than the other. The 5 year old girls aren’t really too aware of what is happening to them, they are just following their parents and participating without any idea of the social conditions. 13 year old girls on the other hand, seem to have a higher understanding of what is going on. They are re-enacting what they have seem “sexy” women do before them. They have been socialized to this condition and this way of thinking. Where on the other hand, the younger girls are less aware of their actions and the reactions that come with it.

In this debate I was not coming to any conclusive answer when it occurred to me there are numerous institutions that these girls are passing through, all of which are sick. So first I will start off by saying that 5 year old girls should not be showcased in this manner under any circumstances especially by their parents. Their parents must in some way have been warped by society and such forces to think that this is normal. So here we have institution number one, parents who are allowing and potentially supporting such exploitation.

Secondly, we have this mass media (my second institution) which is throwing out these images of what a “sexy” woman is meant to look like. There are women like Britney Spears who are not taking any responsibility for the power that they have come across. Media and corporations are continuing to target younger and younger girls with their marketing of sexuality, and it is being eaten up. Personally, I think that little Ms. Spears and other women in her position should step up to the plate and help save these girls from these circumstances instead of encouraging it.

           

            Thirdly, we have this institution of the pageant alone, an event that is completely based around the critic and exploitation of young girls. Some body out there actually put this out there, they created a sick and twisted event of judgements and forcing girls to flaunt themselves before they even understand it.

            Now what might be even sicker than all of this, is the fact that these institutions are not being stopped, we sit here and realize all of the flaws within them and nothing happens. As a society how have we gotten to a point where we are accepting these institutions into our lives? And why is it that people who are in positions to be moral entrepreneurs are falling us miserably? We should be able to count on the people of power such as managers of huge media corporations and even Britney Spears, but they are not looking out for the better of man kind.

So there are some laws? January 24, 2007

Well I must say that this is news to me, I definelty thought that the media was not under the control of anyone really but themselves. So maybe even though there are regulations, does anyone really have much power over the media? Maybe for example, if someone were to claim that some form of media has oversteped the rules, would the media corporation not just pay off the individuals before bad press could circulate? I mean I have never been involved in any legal cases, but I think that, that might just happen. 

As I was reading through the ‘Moral Principles’ I noticed, “Social Responsibility Ethics”. I think that all theories where someone presents an idea that allows a person or group of people to decide the better for all of society. It just really seems so ridicoulus to me. Sure maybe and I mean maybe the people of power behind global, are responsible enough to screen what is being presented to the majority of its viewers. But then what happens when their positions are taken by others, when they retire or quit, or whatever condition would cause them to leave. We know have new people taking on this responsibility…but what assures us that these people will be as responsible.

So not only is that an issue with this theory, but does it not bother you just a tad to think that as you sit there watching TV someone else is deciding whether or not it is appropriate for you to be viewing. It reminds me of that feeling I had when I was 16 and my parents would not let me watch certain movies, because to them I was still too young. So even though I could drive on my own, stay out till mid night, there is no way that I a old enough to see a sex scene on TV.

Finally I would like to take a second to tell you all that this class has gotten me addicted to my computer. Never before have I watched so many episodes of The Office, maybe because I did not know that they were so accesible. Oh and to all of you who are arguing about Scrubs, Greys and whatever else, my vote is for House.

Elitist Versus Populist January 17, 2007

As I was reading through chapter 1… just in time for tonights lecture, I might add. The whole concept of “Elitist vs. Populist” really jumped out at me. First I thought that the notion was a brilliant idea, but then they just left us hanging, I mean who are these people? I understand that the elitists are concerned with the amount of power that the media has and wishes that the media would take up some responsibility and control the information and views that are presented. On the other hand, the populists are completely endulged in the media and believe to be all mighty and true. But then that is all, they do not provide us with any information, so I have been left wondering is it possible to move from one end of this theory to the other? Does it allow for people’s opinions on the media to change. Personally, I think that most people’s opinions should change as they age and become more aware of the patterns and systems that the media is using. For example; teens in high school seem to appear far more involved in the music, movie and TV industries, yet as they age and start to realize the faults in the media do they not seem to move from watching music videos to listening to records. It seems to me thats what my friends did as they left high school and moved on to MUCH better things, but that is not the point. All I really wanted to say was that this theory is intriguing but from what has been presented in the text book it seems to falls short.

Intro to Mass Communication and Bloggin January 11, 2007

So I am not too sure how to start off a blog considering that this is my first time, I guess that I am no longer “blog innocent”. I should be honest and say that I originally thought that blogging was “emo”, but I look back now and see that, that thought was superficial and poorly supported. Anyways back to Sociology… I am looking forward to when this class gets rolling so that I can have some insightfull things to say about the media other than what is obvious to me now and what I learnt in Sociology of Youth. Which was interesting but a little too “Save the Youth” to me, at times it seemed like a mini-rally. Although I must agree that youth do indeed have severe issues and lots of them are inflicted upon them through the media and the views that this sources expresses. I am hoping that in this class we will have the opportunity to learn more about the types of media, how they were develloped and the ways that they manipulate information or even the ways that they don’t… if that exists.

The little exercise that we were doing in class yesterday got me to thinking is their media discrimination. Do people dileberatly alienate or “flame” others who choose to express themselves or obtain information through different forms of media? If so, is there some type of gamers or television addicts support group? Do book readers look down upon gamers or the vice versa… could you imagine that argument?