A Rhetorical Analysis on Media’s Influence on the Ideal Body Image Everywhere we look media seems to be portraying body images that lack what used to be known as “sexy curves” and possess more bone than anything else. Whether it be an advertisement in magazines or reality shows such as America’s Next Top Model on television, word has traveled that the thinner you are the better. The roles that obese characters play in movies or on television are negative more often than not. They are viewed as unsuccessful, lacking friends, family, and love. The slender, “beautiful” women are regarded as influential, successful, and erotic.
Advertisements that are shown on television and in magazines of tall, sickly skinny models gives girls the idea that it is okay to be very lean when, in reality, it is not. When young females see celebrities or their role models on commercials with really nice bodies, they think they have to be just like them. The author implies that it is not a good message to send out when females become to unnatural and skinny. Model agencies advertise extremely thin models because they just want their money. Nanci Hellmich explains that “Psychologist and eating disorder experts are worried about the same thing.
For instance, on “America’s Next Top Model” young viewers wish to be thin, tall, and overall a model, but go about it in the wrong ways. Shows like theses gives young viewers the impression of being tall and thin is how most people are suppose to look, and if you do not look like that then something has to be wrong with them. Many reality shows make narcissism seems normal; therefore, making young viewers have a mind set of it acceptable to do outrageous things to their bodies to look a certain way and be accepted by society. Not only have narcissistic people affected the younger generation’s perception on appearance, but it has also affected their behavior. Twenge says, “reality TV is very popular, and it is supposed to how ‘real life’ and real behavior without the façade of fictionalized dialogue and story lines.
Females between the ages of 16 and 26 make up approximately 24 million women as of today (Population clock). This “chick” age bracket represent the group of people that popular media outlets market to that often feature women with bodies that are unattainable for the average woman. These media outlets also focus on what women can do to acquire and please men. The self-esteem of these young girls are also eroding due to the various forms of marketing and advertising tactics they employ because sexy sells. The many celebrities like Miley Cyrus and magazines who all try to portray their idea of a woman, alter and distort their perception of womanhood.
After that she will go call her sister and tell her that I’m ignoring her and not even paying attention to her then they’ll start to talk to talk about everything that she was telling, although that is true because she always comes up with shoes, mall, online shopping or her best friend bought this new dress while I’m not interested on all that. Basically we think so differently and rarely discuss about the same topic. In “His Talk, Her Talk”, Joyce Maynard writes “it can be risky these days to suggest that
Women feel better about themselves because many guys try to seek their attention. This feeling can become an addiction in which they feel they can toy and control the guy. The hookup culture is the key to the modern-day women’s success, which leads to that sense of empowerment over males. (THESIS bolded.. addd more to it) In today’s American society women in the stage of their college years do not yearn for a boyfriend, many young women today feel having a
The freedom women had during this time was apparent. Women seemed comfortable on the outside but felt that they had to look perfect. Before the 1920s, women had to look pure while women in the 1920s had to look sexually appealing and had to wear the right makeup and clothes. This movement was supposed to make women feel comfortable with their sexuality, but it ended up with women seeing themselves and being seen by men as sexual objects[29]. The fierce competition of getting a man’s attention emerged in this decade and women were
Recently I watched a show called America's Top Model and was horrified at the bodies of those young women. You could literally see the bones jutting out all over. This show glamorizes women, that really isn't the problem, but the fact that it only uses women who are poster children for pro-ana is a big problem. The media needs to be accountable for its impact on our youth, as it is already aware of the body issues it produces. The media is targeting boys more these days as well.
This has lead to many mentally and physically exhausted people who struggle to reach those hopeless expectations. In the movie Little Miss Sunshine written by Michael Arndt, the movie demonstrates aspects of American culture and dilemmas. While beauty seems to be an important factor of life in the US, this emphasis on beauty is a bad influence because it can affects a person’s health, confidence and success. Maintaining or to become beautiful is a challenge a lot of people do for a living, especially women. Although these people have a lot more challenges in their daily life, they always seem to make beauty the most important one.
The Media Influence On Dieting As technology advances and media choices increase, people are becoming more and more influenced by social ideals through these broadcast agencies. In today’s media, much attention has been given to the use of stereotyping for its influence on the importance of thinness and attractiveness, especially for young women. The fact that the media are constantly portraying thin women as desirable and successful (e.g. supermodels and actresses) has manipulated an immense number of people, especially women, into the “I must be thin” obsession. Ultimately, the media send out a cultural message that losing weight and being thin is a feminine thing to do these days.