After you’ve selected a chapter from Section 6 of our textbook, do the following:
- Tell us the title of the chapter
- Give us a paragraph summary of the chapter
- Pick three (3) keywords that you think are important from your chapter and define them.
- Find one real-world media example and apply the concepts from your chapter to analyze that example.
Writing is a Process 
The title of the chapter I read is “Growing up Female in a Celebrity-Based Pop Culture.
This chapter is basically how women are sexualized in media or in general all over the world. It talks about how because of media and the magazines we read and so on women need to look a certain was all the time to be visible, which is by dressing in very little clothes. It also talks about a lot of different celebrities that got their fame from being hypersexual. Like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. There’s also the fact that women are slut shamed for their appearance or what they do, more than men are. A magazine called Cosmopolitan is mentioned a lot in this section because the magazine is all about what women need to do/look to keep a man. And it’s all in a sexual way. Basically this article is about women needing to sexualize their image in order to be seen. But they are also criticized more for it than men are. It’s about how women doing/acting the same way as men but the women get labeled badly for it.
Visibility: To be seem or noticed
Sexualized: To make sexual in character or quality
Hypersexual: unusually or excessively active in or concerned with sexual matters.
A real world media example I have is this group I like “Little Mix” performed their new single “Shout Out to My Ex” and they got bad backlash from it. It was because of the way they dressed people felt it was inappropriate. It was the first time they wore heals and clothes that were more show-y. The Little Mix group gave their input about it and basically said its double standards you always see guys with their shirts off and that people should be happy that they feel confident in their bodies to show it off a bit. I think this related to concept of this chapter because it is a double standard men go topless and it’s not able deal but when they dress a bit more show-y they’re slut shamed for it.
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Hey cassie,
I agree, Girls and woman tend to dress provocatively and people sometime judge them in a negative way and it is seen differently when men do it. Women go through a lot and are pressured to look a certain way and get treated different ways depending on how we dress and I agree that men are looked at differently if they show off skin because women should be more “reserved” or you are not having respect for your self I guess. I don’t believe in that. You had a good article, I can relate to this
Thank you,
Claytonya Auelua
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Hi Cassie,
I agree that we live in a society filled with double standards. And building on the idea of women being labeled a slut because of what they wear, I can’t stand when women are blamed for being raped because of what she wears.
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Aloha Cassie,
Yes I do believe that when women dress provocative they are seen in a bad light, but when have their shirt off they are seen as macho and masculine. I though am teaching my daughters by the clothes that I wear long skirts, professional attire dresses. I feel that I am the example to my children in how to dress. We shop together and look for what to wear and what is not appropriate. I do believe that the way you dress as a women is how both men and women perceive you and how they will treat you. Either they will respect you or they won’t. I believe that magazines do not teach appropriate dress for young women in society. I think that we should go back to the modern days of dressing, I mean I don’t mean shorts below the knees but more conservative like skirts that when you put your hands down the skirts is to the finger tips. Professional.
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The title of the chapter that I read from section 6 was called Monarchs, Monsters, and Multiculturalism
Disney’s menu for global Hierarchy written by: Lee Artz
My Summary: Disney movies use the world of animation through production to assert their point across to the young viewers. Disney makes a ton of money doing this. Disney has sold tons of toy figures from their created animation characters from their movies. Disney uses the character of hero, heroines, attractive muscular and powerful men and women. Disney also uses verbal styles and dialogue to pursue young viewers. Disney shows use of powerful relationships through hierarchy. Characters need to be powerful and wise. They show moral concepts of good vs. evil in their movies. Disney will do anything to market their products and make money. Order determines outcome. The individual quest for self through adventure. I love Disney so please don’t get me wrong. From watching Moana my son is fascinated. I believe this movie controls him to believe a certain way. I feel that it is okay that my son wants to put on fake tattoos to be more like the fictional character Maui. The movie Moana shares about the Polynesian cultures, the Hokule’a, and the dieties of Hawaiian culture. The 3 key words from this chapter is: Ideological-which I cited from vocabulary.com>dictionary>ideological this word means an adjective that describes political, cultural or religious beliefs. The second word I chose was power which I cited from Merriam- Webster>dictionary>power this word means the ability or right to control people or things. The third word that I chose was Fantasy which means a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without location, events or people from the real world. I cited this word from Wikipedia>wiki>fantasy.
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I love Disney as well! I think its great that they create characters that aren’t two dimensional. They have personality like us. I do of course think Disney will do a lot to make money because they know they can get children to love their movies so much they’ll want their parents to buy their product. That’s just how business works really. And children are easier to advertise to.
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Hey Fallon,
I picked this chapter as well and I could really connect with this chapter because I loved watching disney channel growing up so I could understand what types of influences it may have on children for each film. This was a whole insight that I didn’t realize until now.
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The chapter I chose from section 6 was HIV on TV. The chapter covers the many different ways people interpret HIV through media as portrayed on television networks or movies. In every case you’ll find the one thing everyone has in common is the fear of contracting the disease.
On July 7, 1981 CNN aired the first ever story about HIV. Shortly after many movie’s where made in regards to the disease and many of those movies stereo typed the disease as suburban white males that just happened to be down on their luck or contracting the disease by misfortune. Later HIV on TV would move more towards raising awareness about the virus as far as the numerous ways to contract the virus but also the many ways to prevent contracting the disease such as condoms or using clean needles to prevent drug users from contracting and spreading the disease as well. As HIV became normal to discuss and view, HIV on the big screen turned to sitcoms on basic cable TV and HIV on TV moved more towards the effects the virus has on friends and families of those living with the disease along with couples managing the disease together in relationships where one has the virus and the other doesn’t.
When I was a kid I remember watching a movie called KIDS and It was about a group of rebellious teenagers that did everything from cutting school and smoking cigs and pot to drinking and having sex unprotected. This was in the mid 90’s and I remember thinking wow this is really uncensored and to the point as apose to the usual way I’ve seen shows and movies about the virus. Up until that point I saw the virus as something older people got by either doing drugs or having many different sex partners. It blew me away to know that kids my age are at risk to contracting the disease. HIV on TV portrayed it to me this way or perhaps I interpreted it this way. To see it at a level that affected my generation hit home for me.
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I liked how you mentioned being blown away by the content on the show you watched growing up, nowadays subjects like sex and drugs is so common to see in today’s TV shows and movies. It’s interesting to see how much entertainment has changed since the 90’s.
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The title for my chapter is Monarchs, Monsters, and Multiculturalism Disney’s Menu for global Hierarchy. This chapter is about Disney animated movies and characters. When we think of Disney we begin to think of a magical place filled with joy and happy ever afters, in this article it explains how there are theories of ideological criticism in these remarkable animated films. This chapter explains how each character perceives in these films for example The lion king, the King of the jungle who is mufasa his appearance is an alluring healthy muscular lion, beautiful thick hair and his character posses as a wise leader for the pride lands who symbolizes strength, bravery, and majestic. On the other hand, we have his betraying brother scar who’s appearance is not so appealing for example his fur is darker, his body structure looks weak, and hare not healthy. His characteristics shows jealousy, unfavorable, and destructive. This is one example one out of many ideological characters. This chapter also talks about how Disney displays equality for all nationalities around the world to share the culture in their stories. Their verbal dialogue that pursues young viewers is one of the bestsellers for Disney. There is a lot to get into depth about.
1) Ideology: a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
2) Heirarchy: a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.
3) heroines: a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.
One real world example I would have to say that young girls from back then and now are still having the ideas to dress like princesses, have tea parties, and or even growing up as teenagers/women still have that saying that they need to “find their prince charming.” My little sister and many young girls were into that new disney princess movie Frozen and from there they had the idea to dress like Elsa or Ana. This hit home for me because growing up I didn’t realize how much of an influence Disney channel movies and characters influenced children through the stories and dialogue that is presented. I loved watching Disney as a child and not that my son is getting older he is starting to enjoy Disney and this really took into effect what he watched will have an influence on him somehow. -ca
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The Title of the Chapter I picked was “Growing up Female in a Celebrity-Based Pop Culture”.
In this chapter by Gail Dines. The Hypersexualizing of women in Media and Culture is the focus. According to Dines, todays tidal wave of soft-core porn images normalized the pornstar look. Women, have been inadvertently taught to appeal to men through sex, and having a sexualized image through our consumption of popular culture.
Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian contribute to this for the fact that they propelled themselves to being A-list celebrities through the release of a sex tape. The chapter points out that although they were boasted by media as a “super slut” they get away with it for the fact that they are fabulously rich, whereas Britney spears who didn’t have the same wealthy upbringing was classified as a “trailer trash slut”, she is judged accordingly for any stunts she pulls and it sticks despite being wealthy now.
Gail also talks about how women’s magazines sell an ideal of Pseudo-independence such as Cosmopolitan, which tote being empowering for young women, yet centers most of its material on pleasing men through the idea of Porn sex, how to keep a man from leaving you, and critiquing women’s bodies. This Pseudo-independence offers no real empowerment. Though we females may think that we hold enormous sexual power when a man gives us attention for our look, it is still the man’s attention we are seeking and so the power is only given to us through their appeal.
Hook up sex is talked about as something that is also being normalized among young women, and yet studies still show that although it is normalized a woman is still slut shame and a man is praised for being sexually active with many partners. Moreover, studies show that women who participate in this behavior often have self-esteem issues, seek validation and secretly hope that the guy will want something more, whereas men show more confidence with more sex partners because that ideal is supported and accepted as being masculine.
Gail concluded that although women of the 60’s and 70’s fought for sexuality that was not defined by men, today what we have is the opposite where hyper sexuality is “generic, formulaic and plasticized. “because of the normalization and consumption of Porn. Which is great for men I guess, but shitty for ladies.
Normalize: bring or return to a normal condition or state.
Pseudo-independence: a fake sense of independence, that is in truth dependent on what you think your independent from.
Hyper-sexuality: a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity and objectified partner sex for a period of at least six months.
A real-world example would be The Kardashian sisters or more specifically Kim Kardashian, like Paris Hilton they have absolutely no skill that propelled their stardom except for a sex tape and an exaggerated body, yet media and young girls are obsessed with them and trends are based off them. Current trend is having a ginormous butt, thin legs, big breasts, A heavily contoured face and a tiny waist. The Kardashians brought back the use of Corsets, cleverly re-branded as “waist trainers”. Women are getting Brazilian Butt lifts and breast augmentation to look more feminine like Kim. She has normalized customizing your body and face.
“Paint your face with lines that disguise your face shape and color”
“Suck fat from your thighs and put in Butt cheeks for round look, or breasts for a full look”.
“Synch your waist with a Victorian contraption that has already been deemed unhealthy because it literally displaces your organs”
I have even caught myself thinking i need to nip that and tuck this.
These ladies look like this because they have ridiculous amounts of money and the women who buy in to their thing end up supporting them for literally doing nothing. it’s mind boggling
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I totally agree with you, I think that women are always held to some standard that a model or a celebrity set for the “NORM” for women. I was watching a show last night with my with we Khloe Kardashian was trying over weight women to get in shape. Just recently the makers of Barbie dolls started to make dolls of every size, short, tall, and more hefty, as if they are trying to change America’s idea of sexy. My wife and her sister’s all want to look like Kim Kardashian and what ever woman that comes along that fits that build. I couldn’t imagine how hard it is trying to live up to those types of standards, even the younger sister Kylie Jenner tries to look more like Kim.
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Well weather Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton wanted to be their own stars, they we’re already famous just because of there family. The Kardashian father represent OJ in the trail for the murder. Also the Hilton family were well off
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Video Games and Machine Dreams of Domination
This chapter in part 6 of our textbook was about how the video game industry has completely dominated our and younger generations. Some experts say that video games are sexist or even racist, that video games completely warp the think of how we as a culture view women and people of minority. Video games also give the gamer a chance to blow off steam by playing violent war video games or fighting games that fuel and stimulate the gamers to want to preform what they see in the game. There are also game that take parts from history and completely change the idea of how the events unfolded. Video games also use most times a predominate white male hero who, this leave women and other men of other cultures to be view as prostitutes or drug kingpins. Most Asian in these games are usually martial arts experts and or the villains. There are certain types of video games that allow the players to experience military tactics and simulation such as piloting a fighter aircraft and playing first person shooters that simulate real battle in a warzone.
A. Disembodiment:
a. “The human and animal body — the knowing of — is diminished, as virtual reality leads to a sense of disembodiment.” (P.479)
b. To divest (a soul, spirit, etc.) of a body.
B. Instrumental realism:
a. “In this regard, the computer video game may represent the ideal distillation of what Marcuse and other critics have termed instrumental realism.” (P.478)
b. Entity realism claims that the theoretical entities should be regarded as real if and only if they refer to phenomena that can be routinely used to create effects in domains that can be investigated independently.
C. Manipulation:
a. One skirting feature of computer video games is the extent to which the player’s fundamental cognitive and behavioral modality is oriented toward manipulation of the representational world, rather then receptivity toward it.” (P.478)
b. To adapt or change (accounts, figures, etc.) to suit one’s purpose or advantage.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/02/16/lawsuit-grand-theft-auto-led-teen-to-kill.html
Lawsuit: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Led Teen to Kill
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A lawsuit claims the video game “Grand Theft Auto led a teenager to shoot two police officers and a dispatcher to death in 2003, mirroring violent acts depicted in the popular game.
Thompson is accused of killing the three men in June 2003 after being brought to the Fayette police station on suspicion of driving a stolen car. Thompson allegedly grabbed one of the officer’s guns, shot him and the other two, then fled in a patrol car.
The suit alleges Thompson purchased “Grand Theft Auto III” at the Gamestop (search) in Jasper and “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” at the Jasper Wal-Mart when he was under 17. The games, which depict police killings and other acts of violence, are rated M, meaning they are appropriate for those 17 or older.
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I thought that the chapter you wrote about was really interesting. I played a lot of video games when I was younger and it’s interesting to think about if they had any affect on me. I also thought the example you chose was really interesting. It seems really relevant to the chapter and even to some of the events that are still going on today
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Growing up Female in a Celebrity-Based Pop Culture
Women in today’s society are living in a celebrity based culture, which has an affect on how they believe they should live and look. Women look up to these celebrities who seem to have everything and be at the center of attention. The Cosmopolitan magazine is just an example of media that encourages women to act as objects for the pleasuring of men. This idea that women must be seductive in order to earn attention for men can be detrimental for women and their health.
Hypersexuality is defined as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity and objectified partner sex for a period of at least six months.
Slut is defined as a woman who has many sexual partners; a woman with low standards of cleanliness.
Conform is defined as complying with rules, standards, or laws; (of a person) behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards.
It was mentioned that women who engage in casual or hookup sex as labeled as sluts, where as for men there are no negative labels associated with this type of behavior; instead they are called players or studs which in society is something they can boast about. This idea is also seen in the dress codes enforced in high schools; in highschool girls who wore shorts that couldn’t extend past their fingertips and who wore tops that exposed their mid drift areas were frowned down upon and were forced to change clothes. In today’s society women are constantly being labeled based on their appearance and actions, when men are able to engage in the same type of activities and are praised for it.
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The title of the chapter I read was “Video Games and Machine Dreams of Domination.” It was an interesting chapter about how Video Games is very popular in our world today and can be a way of escaping reality and living your own fantasy. It is a dominant industry of media in our society in this day and age. Video Games immerse you into its world and takes you out of the real world. It was said in the chapter that video games can play us as much as we play them. I think that this means that playing certain games can change our perception or way of thinking about things. It can ultimately change our ideology which is an ethical set of ideals and principles. In video games throughout its history the dominant or main character is usually always the male. The hero is the male in games while the female is usually just eye candy to the player. This ideology in games changes the way people who play the game perceive the real world, especially children or kids that play these games.
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The title I got that pop in my mind was the chapter “Growing up Female in a Celebrity-Based Pop Culture. As a father this is one of the things that I fear the most. Hopefully my daughter isn’t too influenced by the television or being heavily inflicted on a look that’s so suppose to be the norm. These women that they gaze upon are unrealistic.
For modern society, and the fact sexual objects and belittling them. A woman or even a young girl should be held up high even empowered,But the word Normalize is crazy to me but means to be return to an normal condition or state. Hyper-sexuality is defined as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity and objectified partner sex. For a period of time. Visibility is my last one the state of being able to see or be seen
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Growing up Female in a Celebrity-Based Pop Culture
This chapter was about how women are being sexualized as objects and not subjects in this day and age. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian have this generation by their throats. Teens and young women really do the most just to be similar to what’s hot and new. We try to buy the cutest clothes (that reveal things we don’t need to), makeup, etc. to gain the attention of men. Even Cosmopolitan talks about how to please MEN.
Sexualize – make sexual; attribute sex or a sex role to
Subject – a person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with.
Object – a material thing that can be seen and touched.
Hookups are so common in high school now it’s pretty crazy. I don’t know when it became okay to have sex with just anybody, but I never conformed to that idea. Personally, I believe it’s supposed to be intimate, and this idea of trying to keep a guy that way is retarded. You don’t want to end up with someone who stays with you because you’re good at that. You want someone to hold you as an equal, and admire you for your personality.
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I thought that chapter seemed really interesting. I also totally agree with your opinions. I think that it’s important to be able to admire someone for more than just appearance.
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I read the chapter, “Monarchs, Monsters, and Multiculturalism.”
This chapter discusses Disney’s view of the world and the effect they are having on society. Since Disney films are so popular, they give examples of the “proper” way for people to live. Throughout the chapter, ideas of hierarchy, power, and democracy are exemplified in Disney films. Disney films focus on worth, ability, and the “good guys” to always win. It causes everyone to find it normal for life to play out like a Disney film.
1. Hierarchy – A system in which people are ranked higher or lower than each other.
2. Globalism – The process in which ideas and policies are formed on a global scale.
3. Capitalism – A system in which the economy is controlled by private owners.
One example that could relate to this chapter is video games. With violence becoming the norm in videos games, people are starting to become accustomed to violence. This is similar to the idea that normalization is occurring as a result of Disney films, which was discussed in the chapter.
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Video games have been up for debate with violence for awhile now. I agree that the more exposure we have to it, the more normal it becomes in our everyday life.
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I agree with you that people become accustomed to violence because of the violence seem in video games. The video games now days are very violent and graphic. I remember when I was growing up I played games like Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and Super Mario which didn’t have much violence. Today games like Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, and Grand Theft Auto all depict blood, violence, and crime.
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‘Monarch, Monsters, and Multiculturalism: Disney’s Menu for Global Hierarchy’ by Lee Artz.
Disney, as we all know, has a great influence on society. Through popular animated movies, tv shows, characters, etc. they portray a certain ‘image’ of what is considered to be ‘normal.’ ‘Disney animations are formed from the same redundant template of elite hierarchy’ (Art, 2005). The hierarchical society that they portray in their movies generally depicts a hero or heroine that is beautiful, privileged, and has a great moral compass vs. the villains who are ‘unattractive, semi-elite social misfits’ (Art, p.451). The author also talks about how, in Disney movies, the general population first off doesn’t matter and ‘nothing is resolved until the preferred social order is in place. No one lives happily ever after until the chosen one rules’ (p.451).’
This quote sums up what I think this article is saying about Disney, “In all fairy tales, good triumphs over evil, but for Disney good is the exclusive genetic and social right of the elite. Elites are attractive, benevolent, good, and successful; villains are misshapen, treacherous, and evil, and cannot win. The rest of the Disney world is undifferentiated, passive, dependent on elite gratuity, and largely irrelevant, except as a narrative fodder’ (p.452).”
1: Hierarchy: A ruling body of clergy organized into orders or ranks each subordinate to the one above it; a body of persons in authority (from Merriam-Webster)
2. Fantasy: the free play of creative imagination (Merriam-Webster)
3. Ideology: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture; a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group or culture; the integrated assertions, theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program
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Part VI: Chapter 48: Constructing the “New Ethnicities”: Media, Sexuality, and Diaspora Identity in the Lives of South Asian Immigrant Girls by Meenakshi Gigi Durham
Summary:
This chapter examined the impact and influences of media for five South Asian immigrant girls. Each of these girls was asked a series of questions about how media impacts their everyday lives. Before the researcher conducted the interviews, Durham discusses how parents of these second-generation South Asian immigrant girls exercise a great amount of control over their sexual and social lives. American culture as depicted through media worries these parents and makes them paranoid as to what their daughters and their peers are doing at all hours of the day.
The girls admit that while they do watch popular American TV shows like Friends, it doesn’t mean that they see the actors and actresses on these TV shows as role models. They claim to watch it for the humor and social acceptance amongst peers at school. Without some sort of base of “American pop culture”, it becomes difficult to engage with their fellow American classmates at school, as it is a common question to bring up the latest social trends. Despite the criticism and interrogations these girls receive from their parents about their relationship with American pop culture, they still connect strongly with Indian pop culture. All of the girls agreed that they still self-identify as Indian and listen to Indian pop music, watch Indian movies, and follow Indian pop culture trends.
Keywords
Cultural Hybridization: The process by which a cultural element such as food, language, or music blend into another culture by modifying the element to fit cultural norms (as defined by the Open Education Sociology Dictionary)
Self-identity: the recognition of one’s potential and qualities as an individual, especially in relation to social context
Cultural Globalization: the transmission of ideas, meanings and values around the world in such a way as to extend and intensify social relations.
Example:
Growing up, my grandfather used to hate that I was so tan. I would go to the beach every weekend, swim in the ocean, and soak up the sun, but every time I saw him, I would get lectured that I was so dark and looked like a “plantation worker”. I didn’t understand his point of view then, but being from Hawaii and going to the country with my family every weekend, it was difficult to escape the sun.
Now, I am crazy pale. I barely have free time to go anywhere outside and even if I did have a day to go to the beach, I wouldn’t be anywhere near to as tan as I used to be. Since my grandfather is from China, I can understand that he is still heavily influenced by the Chinese culture and probably always will be. I feel that in situations of first-generation immigrants in America, they feel the need to continue their culture and customs here, and have the next generations follow as well. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to set the example for your children in hopes that they will follow in your footsteps, they will ultimately have to make the decision of who they want to be for themselves.
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