This essay will analyze the music video You Belong With Me by artist Taylor Swift. Focused on examining the stereotype of women competing with one another for the male attention and romance. Expanding on cultivation theory defined by Gerber and Gross (1976), I will argue the video displays a fictional reality which can shape misconceptions of social reality. It will also elaborate on the stereotypical “good/ bad” girl image which is used by the media to influence women. Young adolescents for the majority follow and admire Taylor Swift. Which has given the artist a high influential presence and popularity. Therefore, the music videos by Swift frame the perspectives of her young audience. The media is proven to be biased, they depict stereotypes
…show more content…
The media influence is greater than the social reality. It crosses over boundaries, borders, influences beliefs, actions and perceptions. Women in the media are typically emphasized in sexuality, beauty standards and lifestyle choices (Sharrer, 2012). In You Belong with Me, Swift is influencing women to alter themselves to become desired by men. The message system analysis of the video is appropriating gender roles. The protagonist is not a sexualized teenager but instead a stereotypical “nerd” or “geek”. The female protagonist is portrayed as vulnerable which is a common strategy used by the media (Franiuk & Scherr, 2013). The heteronormative video portrays the teenage male as the pursuing character for the female. Another concept that mass media uses to bring the message as a norm to audience. Swift’s “good girl” image is acting as a young, insecure, and pressured teenager who isn’t desirable due to her exterior. The set of the video is similar to a teenager’s everyday environment. The process of resonance then takes place in the perspective of the viewer (Griffin, Ledbetter &Sparks, 2015). The viewer then relates to the main protagonist because of the similarity of the surroundings. Therefore, the young audience begins to create social constructs which were shaped by the cultivation of the message portrayed in music video (Griffin et al.,
The media influence is greater than the social reality. It crosses over boundaries, borders, influences beliefs, actions and perceptions. Women in the media are typically emphasized in sexuality, beauty standards and lifestyle choices (Sharrer, 2012). In You Belong with Me, Swift is influencing women to alter themselves to become desired by men. The message system analysis of the video is appropriating gender roles. The protagonist is not a sexualized teenager but instead a stereotypical “nerd” or “geek”. The female protagonist is portrayed as vulnerable which is a common strategy used by the media (Franiuk & Scherr, 2013). The heteronormative video portrays the teenage male as the pursuing character for the female. Another concept that mass media uses to bring the message as a norm to audience. Swift’s “good girl” image is acting as a young, insecure, and pressured teenager who isn’t desirable due to her exterior. The set of the video is similar to a teenager’s everyday environment. The process of resonance then takes place in the perspective of the viewer (Griffin, Ledbetter &Sparks, 2015). The viewer then relates to the main protagonist because of the similarity of the surroundings. Therefore, the young audience begins to create social constructs which were shaped by the cultivation of the message portrayed in music video (Griffin et al.,