Persuasion In The Media

When you get home at night from a long day of school or work, you sit down and turn on the television and you cycle through the stations trying to find ÐŽ§THE SHOWЎЁ to watch. As you cycle through you witness something that you may not realize effect millions of people around the world. The problem isnÐŽ¦t having trouble finding something suited to your liking and the mood you are inÐŽKbut the problem that I am going to describe effects guys and girls all over the world. ItÐŽ¦s not watching MTVÐŽ¦s Real World or GreyÐŽ¦s Anatomy, but itÐŽ¦s the image that their characters portray.

How does the media portray the characters of your favorite television show? When you take a closer look at how the media portrays the famous you start to see a definite trend.

In this paper I will walk through five different articles that will open your eyes to the truth about how the mass media has a controlling effect and a lasting impression in the minds of many. Along with the misconception that thin or having the perfect body is to be expected because of the mass media.

Article #1

The influence of the media on eating disorders

When I think about how the media effect the way we perceive ourselves I think about how things were when my parents were just young kids. Who influenced the way people thought about themselves? The first woman that comes to my mind along with many others would be Marilyn Monroe. For her time she was the perfect woman. Beautiful facial features, great healthy bodyÐŽKPerfect! It started then. The mass media has kept a lasting image of a voluptuous beautifully curved woman in our heads until recent times where a thinner ÐŽ§waif-likeЎЁ look of Kate Moss in the late 80ÐŽ¦s (Blackwell science).

Times have changed from then. When you were to look at the perfect body from then compared to the perception of the perfect body now it is drastically different. Taller, thinner, and more of an unnatural figure that doesnÐŽ¦t reflect the majority of the population. What does this new type of person make you think about yourself?

The physiologic norm is far from the ideal media image. Supermodels are a breed all their own. They are born with the bodies they have now without the extreme dietary methods that so many use to achieve the perfect body. But looking at this in the eyes of so many women donÐŽ¦t set out to be anorexic, they begin this train of thought from the mass media telling them that their efforts to be perfect are right (Blackwell science).

The causes of extreme to light eating disorders have multiple factors. One such factor is the family influence. The family has influences on almost every aspect of a young personÐŽ¦s development and growth and if there is pressure at home at that crucial period, which could cause a serious self esteem issue that could lead to eating disorders to say the least.

The next factor is the influence of peers. Peers shape the way individuals think because they spend so much time together and they have similar interest outlooks.

Lastly the influence of the media on how we perceive ourselves. Described from earlier the media is watched by millions and the body images of the most widely looked at celebrities are nearly impossible to achieve naturally without being born ÐŽ§that certain way.ЎЁ Everywhere we go the media is telling us that the extreme efforts that we are taking to become perfect is the right one.

The products that make the beautifulÐŽKbeautiful is not the reason why they are attractive, but that is the idea in present times and I believe that is directly linked to the mass media and how they display personal image to whoever is watching. Purchasing such products is thought to being steps to reaching the perfect body. These products are mostly directed at young girls trying to impose the idea if they use this expensive products they will become this perfect model and life will be perfect. Being at such a young age it makes them vulnerable to the influences of the media (Blackwell science). ItÐŽ¦s not just being an adolescent girl that is affected by the Medias perception. It can be your brother or sister that thinks she isnÐŽ¦t pretty enough, is too fat, or starts to think that they are ashamed of themselves because of the way they look, and the primary reason is the media.

In conclusion, the article describes how young America is obsessed with the perfect personal image and many will do whatever it takes to get to that point, plastic surgery, extreme dieting, or falling into a eating disorder that is hard to come out of. If the media would just show the ÐŽ§normЎЁ more often and promote being healthier there would be less eating disorders caused from watching main stream television and the self ÐŽVesteem of the viewers would rise.

Article #2

Eating Disorders in Adolescent Girls: What Educators Should Know

ÐŽ§Eating disorders in adolescent girlsЎЁ is an incite that shows the symptoms of eating disorders and talks about prevention strategies that educators, friends, and family can adopt when working around or with adolescents to prevent or help someone in time of need.

Around the world there are many social issues that are brought up regarding the social rights of males vs. females. Money and being looked over for a highly ranked position in place of a man, domestic violence and sexual harassment at work. But one gender issue that is not frequently discussed is valuing the importance of a womanÐŽ¦s physical appearance (winter 2005). Mass media is showing that sexy stereotypes of how a female should look to succeed is resulting in serious identity confusion and laying enormous psychological pressure that is hard to overcome without the right guidance or foundation for change.

The marketing personal image of the female body and the ever-changing cultural pressures to be thin often are held responsible for more women showing symptoms of depression and anxiety, social withdrawals, distorted personal image, and eventually the development of sever eating pathologies (winter 2005).

Adolescence is a period in all of our lives which our physical and psychological development is at the highest and makes puberty turn into maturity. There is an issue that says that adolescence is a conflict between identity and role confusion. As the child starts to become more and more independent they start to show signs of individual identities with are not focused on the family but now by the peers and the media.

With all the pressures of being young and growing up and