Reflection

     When this class began, I never though much about media. I watched TV, saw commercials, texted my friends, posted on Twitter, snapchat, and Instagram, and basically every form of media an average teenager does. When we started learning about the effects of media, i didn't think I would learn as much as I did. As time went on, I noticed I was paying more attention to what I saw and heard on the media. All the way from small commericals to movies, I began to notice the lasting effect it leaves on everyone paying attention and watching it. 

     These media blogs lead me to pay more attention to what I was seeing on different apps and in different movies. MissRepresentation, I believe, left the strongest impact on me. To hear these percentages of low self confidence, women as protagonists in movies, women in government, and many more was almost a wake up call. I never payed much attention to these problems surrounding us, but now I see them everywhere. In the movies I watch I see how women are portrayed, along with commericals and TV shows. I was also able to evaluate these specific problems in ads and the aps teenage girls use these days such as FaceTune and perfect365. 

     Media blogs have also allowed me to become more aware of the presidential election occurring this year. My family is very involved in politics, but now I have been able to read and evaluate articles I see and interviews on television. I see how different news channels lean more towards a certain candidate (for example Fox turns to more towards republicans and their views). 

     This semester I have also learned how large of an effect we have on the media. Our generation is the most involved with Twitter, Instagram, snapchat, and many other forms of media. We are constantly posting how we feel, sharing our opinions, and nearly anything you can do on media. Teenagers now and days are able to get a lot of their information from media, constantly taking in new ideas and opinions from the second we open our phones. 

     Overall, this semester and media blogs have led me to become way more aware. I was opened up to a whole new spectrum of problems occurring in our world. I believe I can start to make a small difference through what I post, what I chose not to post, which movies I watch, and how I take in the media around me. Although these blogs at time have made me sit down and type up something on a Sunday night, I appreciate them. As I went on I enjoyed typing them. I am  now sitting here on a Wednesday night with a whole new perspective of the world and it's involvement with media. 

Even snapchat is telling women how they should look?

     Now and days, more and more teenagers and adults are using the app "Snapchat". In the past year or months, snapchat decided they needed to add another aspect to their app to top some of the other photo apps that were becoming a big deal. They added filters, each one different and some changing on the daily. These filters include the dog face, face swaps, a face that puts a flower crown on you, the filter that ads a blue tone, a filter that makes you have makeup that is being cried off on, a face that makes you frown, and one that makes you look like a ghost (there have been many more that have been switched off). Although these are comical filters to use, what are some of the messages being shown?
     Some of these filters, including the dog, flower crown and tinted blue filter create a different face shape for the person using it. If you look closely, the filter slims your nose down, smooths your skin, makes your eyes larger, and gives you a slimmer, sharper jaw line. (The top photo is Emily before any effects, the next two are with effects.) These filters, also, have become the most popular and are the only ones that have lasted for a long period of time. They are, in a way, creating a standard for what women need to look like to be beautiful. Snapchat is saying if you use this filter to give you a small nose, clear skin and slim face that you will become "cuter" to send and post more selfies. But, there is somehow another catch to these filters (especially the dog filter). They are now known as the "hoe" filters. Suddenly, if you post pictures using these filters or send them you become a hoe, i mean c'mon. Snapchat is telling you that these filters you are prettier but other people call you a "hoe"? This just shows how sad our society and involvement with media has become.
     Another app, which was mentioned in class, that is typically used is FaceTune. This app can smooth your skin, change the shape of your body (make your stomach smaller or your butt bigger), make your hair softer, change your eyes, whiten your teeth, patch blotchy areas in a photo, brighten a photo, and do nearly anything to completely change the original picture. It is mostly saddening because a large percentage of teenage girls use this app. Pictures on instagram and twitter can be posted looking nearly nothing like the original photo. There is also an app similar to this one known as "Perfect365" which is just sending the message that you can not be perfect until you completely edit your body and face down. This is just another example showing how media has caused women to create these unrealistic standards for themselves that are naturally impossible to reach.

MissEmpowerment Part 2

     MissEmpowerment, the powerful movie teaching people across America the effects of media on women and men, and specifically focusing on the image of women portrayed through media. So what is the impact of the media on women/men? All across movies, magazines, billboards, and TV shows women are shown a certain way, and it leaves a lasting effect on both men and women watching. First  off, men tend to judge women harder because of the women they see in magazines and movies. This happens because no mater what, the people who own and produce for companies edit down a women until she looks almost like a different person. This creates an unrealistic standard that both women and men create for women in real life. Along with this, women are objectified across the media. Instead of looking at women as individuals and appreciating their accomplishments, they are viewed as almost sex objects or just objects. This, then, brings along self objectification. Teenager or older women begin to look at themselves as objects. Women are only 16% of the protagonists in movies, and half of this time they are just chasing after a boy. Even when the women is a protagonist, she is dressed in little clothing. For example, in the new movie "Suicide Squad", the character Harleen Quintal is a villein but is one of the main characters in the movie coming out. But, she is dressed in nearly no clothing, which is already objectifying her just through the commercials. This is the same for the 2012 movie, "Now You See Me". One of the main characters, a women who is a magician is constantly wearing tight clothing or short, tight skirts. The media, for the past years, has left a negative effect on both men and women.
         Do i agree with this issue? I completely do, and i believe anyone who does not is close minded and oblivious to the effects of media. First off, self harm rates and rates of girls who do not feel positively towards themselves are soaring. They continue to increase as the media use in our society today increases. I do believe that as girls see these unrealistic images of other girls/women, they create standards for themselves in which are impossible to meet. Along with this, women in movies or TV shows are never seen in positions of power, certain jobs, or in government jobs. They are also typically never seen as strong, hardworking individuals. This causes women to not strive to be in government positions or ones of power because it is difficult to strive for something that you have not seen other women in. Media is also extremely false, portraying women this way. Everyone needs to learn and know how strong, intelligent, and independent women can be, and media is teaching the opposite of this. Women are shown as objects who are judged based on the "ideal" attractiveness of their body (perfect skin, tiny waist, silky hair). It is saddening when you pay attention to movies, articles, commercials, billboards, and nearly any other form of media. I believe this is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with as much and soon as possible.

MissRepresentation

     Last week, in zero period, we had the opportunity to watch the movie "MissRepresentation". This movie focused on the place women have in society and how we are portrayed in media and movies. This movie started off with frightening facts: 53% of women are not happy with their bodies and this moves to 78% by the age 17, 65% of women have eating disorders, 17% cut or self harm. The question i asked myself was, what is causing these large, horrifying percentages?
     I strongly came to a belief that media is a large part of the reason for these numbers. Some other facts that were mentioned was that only 17 percent of protagonists are women, where half of them are chasing after a boy, 17% of congress is women (Iraq and Afghanistan have more women in government than the US), and there are 2,300 governors are men compared to 36 women. On television and movies, women have begun to be seen as objects, instead of being their individual self. This leads to something known as self objectification. When women see other women on TV being considered more like an object, we begin to do this to ourselves. We begin to believe we have no voice that we can speak our minds with. Throughout movies, women are dressed in a way that they look almost as if they are just their for sex. This, on its own, objectifies women and does not let women or men view them as their own. Also, on TV, we only see men as the powerful one, not women. They are leading characters in which you are supposed to look up to, they are shown as the important one. When women can't see other women in these roles, or jobs in the real world, it becomes harder to be inspired to do these jobs are take the route media only shows men to be taking.
     Models, today, are unrealistic. After the company choses a picture, the model is edited down extremely. When girls view these pictures or commercials, we begin to set a standard for ourselves that is nearly impossible to reach. This also raises the expectation that men have for women. When we set this standard for ourselves, we are also telling ourself that how we look is our value, not  our intelligence. This leads to a cycle of women never feeling good enough with who we are how we look. The standard throughout society at which women are set to is impossible. That, i believe, is a cause to self harm and eating disorders. It is horrifying, no one should ever feel this way, but it continues to occur and a large thing i blame is media, TV shows, and movies.
    Each week, teenagers spend thirty one hours with TV, seventeen with music, and a total consumption of ten hours and 45 minutes with media a day. 235.6 billion dollars is spent on advertising a year. These numbers are higher than ever, going hand and hand with the percentages of women not feeling confident, self harming, or having eating disorders. I do hope one day I can see a world in which women are portrayed as who we truly are and can be. Women are strong, intelligent, athletic, determined, and are so much more than how we are seen across the online world. Women can be leaders and take on any job a man can. But media is keeping many women from seeing this, we are just exposed to men having these jobs. More people should become aware of these problems, it is horrifying and terrible to see the real percentages in which many women face low confidence and self harm. MissRepresentation is a powerful movie that I recommend for everyone, both women and men, to watch.

Advertising throughout Festivals

     Over the past two months, i have had the opportunity (that i am extremely thankful for) to visit two music festivals, both three days. These festivals were Coachella in April and Bottleneck just this past weekend. These festivals bring thousands of people from around the world to listen to music and be a part of the experience. Although everyone is focusing on the music, famous people, art, and clothing, there is something hidden within nearly every concert and square foot of the festivals: advertising.
     Before the actual weekend, many youtubers or well known people from the media are invited to come to these festivals, more typically in a larger festival such as Coachella, and they blog about the event. Even before the weekend starts, these famous people are given something known as care packages. These include small objects, gifts, and items that they will be able to use. These youtubers follow this by blogging or posting about what is in the package. They show which brands and companies put their products in the basket for them to try out. This starts off the whole weekend of advertising.
     When the festival begins, there are advertisements all throughout snapchat, instagram, and twitter. On snapchat, there are several filters advertising different brands while mixing with the location it is at. Also, during Coachella and Bottlerock, there was a video section on the discover area. This video, covering the whole weekend, has people take over snapchat while talking about the festival. Throughout these ten second videos, they suggest different products or items that would be helpful to bring while mentioning which company they are from. Also, certain companies have famous singers sponsor their food, drink, clothing item, or product. On the Heineken instagram (click the link) there are pictures of a famous singer or someone at a music festival holding their beer or a sign for the beer.  At coachella, there are also several tents that are sponsored by Heineken that people can enter.
     At bottleneck, the festival I went to this past weekend, there were many companies that had someone working give out small objects for free to everyone. For example, there was a company that was selling drinks and food. There was a huge line, but while in this line they had someone passing out orange sunglasses. This was smart, as it was very sunny and hot, but this was also a form of advertising. On the side in large, bold letters the sunglasses said REYKA (the name of the company). I got a pair of these sunglasses, and later on someone asked me where i had gotten them, leading their advertising to be successful. There were also companies giving out water bottles, chapstick, paper fans, and other small products.
     All of the merchandise being sold was an advertisement in itself. Although most people have heard of these festivals, they still advertise. Each time someone buys a shirt that says Bottlerock or Coachella, they are just advertising the three day event. If you look close, you can find many instances of advertisements in different forms throughout these famous festivals that thousands of people attend.

Scott Disick and BooTea

     Earlier this week, Scott Disick, who is usually associated with the Kardashians posted a photo on instagram that was advertising BooTea. This is a product that apparently helps people lose weight and become "healthy". The caption to his photo was, "Here you go, at 4pm est, write the below. Caption: Keeping up with the summer workout routine with my morning @ booteauk." He had copied and pasted the email the company had sent him instead of just using the caption they told him to. They paid him to post this with the link, so as soon as people click on it there is an instagram page for the tea full of bright colors and other models holding this tea.
     In our media today, people are constantly looking up to famous people or being influenced by them. For example, Kylie Jenner stated that once she said what lip liner she was using it would become sold out. As soon as Scott posted this, or I saw it becoming viral, it made me realize that the products famous people advertise are probably not what they really use. This creates something like "social media fraud" as Isabelle said in one of her blogs. Thousands of people are looking up to these famous people and what they use, so they try to buy the same products. But now and days, companies are just paying certain people to post a picture with what they are selling in it.
     Although I usually do not race to buy the products when I see a famous person using it like some people do, this does make me look at advertising differently. Companies now and days are taking advertising to extreme limits, doing anything they can to get people to buy their products. Usually, the companies who have advertisements associated with famous people, their products are towards the expensive side. But when someone famous is using it, it is ok that it is expensive, it seems to have more value. Now that i see Scotts caption to the post,  it makes me and many others not want to trust what is advertised in situations like this. If the products are not actually being used and everyone knew this, it would probably change the amount of consumers towards what they are selling.
     I believe this post and caption and show how much social media can create images in our mind that are not true. We can see just one post and change our minds towards a product or image completely now and days.

Threads creating even more Negativity

     Here I am, once again, talking about body shaming throughout social media. Although I am finding myself repetitive, it shows how horrible this problem really is. I was on Twitter, and I came across what is called a "thread". This is a series of tweets that are connected, usually having the overall topic in common within all of them. Some of these threads include best childhood movies, favorite foods, or music videos. They usually tend to go viral, as many twitter users get almost pulled into them until they finish looking at every tweet.
     Some of these threads or becoming negative, though. For example, I came across a thread called "Thread of reasons to lose weight." Of course when I saw this i became very angered, and wanted to see what these reasons were. There were probably over twenty tweets connected to this where the user stated her reasons. Some of them included, "they won't laugh at you behind your back, literally nobody likes a fatty, you won't CRUSH someone by sitting on their laps, finally have confidence, you won't be embarrassed of how much you weigh, and look amazing in tight clothing."
     When I read these I was disgusted, and also disgusted by the fact that about one hundred people were agreeing with her. Although that might not seem like a lot, even one is too many people agreeing with her. I am not here to put down the user for feeling confident looking "skinny". I am angered by the fact that she is putting down people who are not as skinny as her. She is also creating the image that only one body type can be considered beautiful in our society. She believes the moment you are not the weight she is, people will talk behind your back and you will become self conscious. Like c'mon girl, i know you are confident but do not put other girls down. I am focusing on girls, because some of her tweets applied girls as her focus group. Girls of all weights are beautiful, and we shouldn't be putting others down.
     This thread of tweets can connect to a thread I talked about on one of my last blogs. It was talking about what girls should not wear if they are over 125 pounds. The user in the thread I am talking about in this blog stated that only when you are skinny you can look amazing in tight clothing. This again, makes me so so so angered. Women, no matter what weight, can look beautiful in any clothing. It is also completely unrealistic to believe that everyone will have the same extremely skinny body type. I am not saying this body type is bad, I just don't think we should label is as the "best" one.
     Typing these media blogs have made me more aware towards problems like these ones in our society. I am now constantly seeing instances of body shaming and girls being put down for how they look. Social media should not be a home for bullying, it should be something where we can uplift and help each other with a positive attitude. Although that is also kind of unrealistic, to think everyone will always be positive on these apps such as twitter, i don't think i should be seeing this many horrible instances of negativity.