People all over the world are subjected to mass media everyday but sadly; most fall for the scheme more than they would like to admit. Whether it is a picture of a model telling us she lost 20 pounds in a month after childbirth or commercial oppressing women and men inferring the cheeseburger they are eating will take us to the tropical island they are lying naked on, we end up allowing ourselves to fall into the trap that is mass media. In Where the Girls Are: Growing up Female with the Mass Media, the author, Susan J Douglas, tackles the popular yet controversial topic of women in the media. Although some may think the media is not a serious subject because it is just “entertainment,” Douglas argues that it is important through advertisements
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In the introduction she writes, “along with our parents, the media raised us, socialized us, entertained us, comforted us, deceived us, disciplined us, told us what we could do and told us what we couldn’t” (Douglas 13). Instead of each individual woman shaping into their own with their own mindset, own style, and their own personality; they shaped into who society wanted them to be at any given point in time. Instead of individuality, together, women became an individual. For example: advertisements and television in the media. Advertisements are one of the topics mentioned throughout the book. Advertising is a tactic used when selling a product. The more people see it and hear good things about it, the more people will want to buy it, so why not direct the advertisements towards the proper consumers. Advertising companies use different techniques to give consumers a reason to buy their product. When it comes to women in advertisements, they are used as a sex object and for appeal or shown as a “good housewife.” “Good” mothers on TV or in advertisements were seen as “true princesses” (Douglas 44). They “never complained, smiled a real lot, were constantly good-natured, and never expected anything from anyone” (Douglas 44). In today’s society, the “good” wife works and is still expected to fulfill the duties listed above. Using women in advertisements started early in the 20th century and has …show more content…
Girl groups had songs about girls but when the 1950’s rolled around, “rock ‘n’ roll” was introduced to the world. Rock and Roll was predominately performed by “rebellious and sexually provocative young men” (Douglas 84), for example, Elvis Presley who was the most famous rock star. After the rock explosion, it was rare to find a female artist or groups make a top hit. It was not until the Shirelles released “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” a song about sex, that a female group reached the number one slot. Even more interesting, it was an African American female group in the 1960’s. As a result of rock stars with sex appeal and songs about sex reaching the top of the charts, sex and rebelliousness became every parent’s worst nightmare and every teenager’s voice. Douglas writes, “the most important thing about this music, the reason it spoke to us so powerfully, was that it gave voice to all the warring selves inside us struggling… to forge something resembling a coherent identity” (Douglas 87). Some songs were about sex, others about the need to conform, and yet there were some that were about the “tension between restraint and freedom” (Douglas 87). In today’s music, it is hard to find a song that focuses on important concepts or even tries to give a voice or reason to current
In the introduction she writes, “along with our parents, the media raised us, socialized us, entertained us, comforted us, deceived us, disciplined us, told us what we could do and told us what we couldn’t” (Douglas 13). Instead of each individual woman shaping into their own with their own mindset, own style, and their own personality; they shaped into who society wanted them to be at any given point in time. Instead of individuality, together, women became an individual. For example: advertisements and television in the media. Advertisements are one of the topics mentioned throughout the book. Advertising is a tactic used when selling a product. The more people see it and hear good things about it, the more people will want to buy it, so why not direct the advertisements towards the proper consumers. Advertising companies use different techniques to give consumers a reason to buy their product. When it comes to women in advertisements, they are used as a sex object and for appeal or shown as a “good housewife.” “Good” mothers on TV or in advertisements were seen as “true princesses” (Douglas 44). They “never complained, smiled a real lot, were constantly good-natured, and never expected anything from anyone” (Douglas 44). In today’s society, the “good” wife works and is still expected to fulfill the duties listed above. Using women in advertisements started early in the 20th century and has …show more content…
Girl groups had songs about girls but when the 1950’s rolled around, “rock ‘n’ roll” was introduced to the world. Rock and Roll was predominately performed by “rebellious and sexually provocative young men” (Douglas 84), for example, Elvis Presley who was the most famous rock star. After the rock explosion, it was rare to find a female artist or groups make a top hit. It was not until the Shirelles released “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” a song about sex, that a female group reached the number one slot. Even more interesting, it was an African American female group in the 1960’s. As a result of rock stars with sex appeal and songs about sex reaching the top of the charts, sex and rebelliousness became every parent’s worst nightmare and every teenager’s voice. Douglas writes, “the most important thing about this music, the reason it spoke to us so powerfully, was that it gave voice to all the warring selves inside us struggling… to forge something resembling a coherent identity” (Douglas 87). Some songs were about sex, others about the need to conform, and yet there were some that were about the “tension between restraint and freedom” (Douglas 87). In today’s music, it is hard to find a song that focuses on important concepts or even tries to give a voice or reason to current