Identity Problems in the Nowadays Media - Essay Example

PROBLEMATIZING IDENTITY ESSAY by Submitted Problematizing Identity Essay Over years, the mass media hasbeen so ingrained into people’s lives, which makes it undeniably part and parcel of people’s lives. Media may refer to the significant cultural influence that acts as a “storyteller”. Sometimes, its content helps in shaping people’s attitudes, beliefs and expectations of users. Stretching from television, movies, advertisements, to newspapers; the mass media have penetrated and spilled its influence on the lives of many individuals. For example, a media text that has made a significant negative impression on me is the movie titled, Confessions of a Shopaholic. It has aggrandized my desires for self-gratification through the creation of the epitome beauty and perfection portrayed through Rebecca Bloomwood. The movie indicates that Rebecca lives in New York with her best friend, Suze and works as a journalist and is a shopaholic. Through this shopaholic lady, the media portrays every other woman as addicted consumers that are unlikely to live without shopping fashionable clothes. Women are portrayed as unable to resist shopping for fancy items and through the media film I chose, it offers the viewer an unexpected reminder of what many people have unexpectedly become because of influence of media.In fact, women are depicted in distress and men coming to their rescue. This essay explores how media misrepresent women and justifies how media influence has affected many people’s lifestyles. It does so by describing the types of identity being presented in the media and this representation is problematic. Misrepresentation of Women through the Media To begin, media seems obvious and inevitable and it shows situations and relationships from other people’s perspective. It is a culmination of how others live and how their lives are likely to affects other people’s lives, identity and beliefs. So, before embracing media as a source of entertainment, it is noteworthy to investigate the manner in which the everyday media materials affect people’s lives. Studies have attempted to do this before; nonetheless, without much success. Furthermore, it is important to establish the relative positions of men and women in modern Western democracies (Chaudhuri, 2006; pp. 36). This will help understand if there is battle of sexes, which many writers will agree that identity battles exists everyday on the media. Some of the battles are aimed at portraying women as materialistic and men as the wealthiest and supportive of women. For instance, Confessions of a Shopaholic tell us, by failing so decisively to prove the opposite, that buying stuff is a good idea. It further indicates that being materialistic enabled people to define their identities by making choices. It further affirms that being a shopaholic was a big part of what used to make life fun during the film’s publication. As a critique of this notion, I would indicate that the idea of shopaholic as presented by the media is very inappropriate in the current climate. Portraying women in the media as materialistic is wrong and affects many women’s lives, including me. In short, Confessions of a Shopaholic contain several unwittingly prescient lines. An example is Rebecca’s apparently witless chant: “When I shop, the world gets better.”This is a misrepresentation of what many other women would think about shopping. Secondly, women are portrayed in the media as the lesser sex since they cannot afford all they want on their own. This is why most women are represented as desiring to acquire so much, but without the help of men, they suffer huge debts. Although many women will look for men to help them buy all they need in their closets, many other women are independent. Presently, many women are scared and the decline in consumption threatens to bring the global economy to its knees (Gauntlett, 2008; pp. 12). So, it is becoming clear that women do not necessarily spend as perceived by the media. Another common disparaging theme evident in chick flicks is that in which women are considered as stupid girls who are usually viewed as cultural dupes. Rather than focusing on more pertinent issues in the lives of women, media displays women as materialistic, inane and self-centered (Gauntlett, 2008; pp. 22). In some instances, the media portray women who became popular because of their creative ideas; however, it is not usually supported by the male counterparts. Such women are usually depicted as the main characters in most of the media representations. It is noteworthy that not all women are affected in the same manner by looking at idealized media models. It remains significant for research to identify factors that make some women more vulnerable than others to feeling undesirable about their misrepresentation in such media images (Waddell, 2003; pp. 185). Thirdly, it is evident that ladies concentrate more firmly on their appearance when materialistic qualities are highlighted almost instantly to them through priming (Hickman&Porfilio, 2012; pp. 91). Simultaneously, their familiarity with how their bodies miss the mark regarding the romanticized image is uplifted amid this priming approach, especially for ladies who are already materialistic. This implies that the impact of realism is a further variable that makes ladies more defenseless against negative self-perception in the media. Psychological examination has reliably demonstrated that the ladies feel despondent with their body when they consider the thin, glorified models, which are ordinarily spoken to in the media. Nonetheless, today’s consumer culture and the media encourage the perfect of impeccable excellence, as well as that of the material well-off lifestyle, both of which are normally portrayed together (Hickman &Porfilio, 2012; pp. 82). Media further highlights the gains of magnificence and of owning material merchandise to an individual’s success and fame. Both male and female identity is being idealized through the media because they continue to fight to ensure that they are equal. In terms of equality, women believe they have the right to do the things that men do, and vice versa. Media Stereotyping Critics regret that the substance media depicts is materialistic and shallow. These messages are dreary and just serve to implement certain sexual orientation generalizations in the public arena. The media are the key contributor that strengthens sex generalizations in the public eye today. This is evident by how ads, music industry, and films and television companies constantly fortify the idea of gender stereotypes. Ads and filming industry are the mainstays of gender stereotypes in the public eye today (Gauntlett, 2008; pp. 38). Without a doubt, there is a gigantic stress on consumerism in the global business sector. Anticipating current patterns and style, the media have intensely underscored on sex generalizations, for example, that of image or what constitutes a flawless lady with a specific end goal to induce more shoppers to purchase their items. Females are more prone to be generalized than men. Sexist advertisements standardize sexism and violence against the ladies. These messages are regularly comparable in all promotions, and underline ladies as generalized visual media. Sexist commercials have a tendency to portray ladies clad in attractive outfits and carrying on in suggestive conduct. They deliberately disregard the false thoughts of sex minimization, which they are depicting and rather, always put these ideas in the spotlight. The responsibility rests on the buyers to check and become mindful of what they are, and disregard what media perceives them to be. Likewise, women consumers should evaluate what the media presents to them and make informed decisions. For instance, ads simply interpret people’s yearnings and put them on screen. It is the inborn nature of individuals’ craving and urge for an immaculate or perfect body (Van acker, 1998; pp. 142). They charm women’s activist viewpoint and infuses a dose of certainty into ladies. This is particularly so for shorter ladies who want the stature of taller young ladies. Despite the fact that the media went under examination, there can be no indication of any drop in the benefits associated with womens consumption of particular products from numerous firms. Accordingly, notwithstanding how the media depict such improbable images of women, it has little impact in fortifying generalizations as buyers have the right to pick whatever goods they need. It will be naturally predisposed and nearsighted on the off chance that many people reject how shoppers themselves have picked these patterns for their individual thirst and flawlessness. On the other hand, there is a need to keep in view that the media is still the fundamental offender that changes individuals’ discernments (Thornton, 2007; pp. 139). For instance, while it is typical for young men to associate with male interests, for example, racing cars, physical games, self-perception and action heroes is an undeniably a worrying issue (Kane, 2013; pp. 92). Young men from as youthful as five are beginning to accept that manliness is as indicated by what they see on the media, raising worries that youngsters are progressively complying with self-perception generalizations. Subsequently, without the media’s consistent bombardment of stereotypes, it is arguable that people’s so-called ‘rights’ to pursue their preference is becoming a thing of the past because of media influence of individual decisions. Nonetheless, others disagree and defend media by indicating that the media instead, helps in educating and correcting the mindsets of gender stereotypes. Information obtained from the media keep people aware and educated of gender stereotypes. This in turn, improved the situation of gender stereotypes in society today. It is justifiable to contend that all types of media are unsubstantial as there are proofs of media accomplishing success in teaching people. However, based on this discussion, films and television companies are similarly blameworthy in ingraining sex generalizations into society, thus creating a lot of problems to women (Tom, 2009; pp 2). They depict ladies as the organically weaker sex that needs aid in whatever they do. Confessions of a Shopaholic regularly focus on stereotypical storylines, for example, a lady in distress and a prince coming to her rescue. Ladies are considered as sub-par and weaklings who fail to offer the capacity to do anything (Peters, 2008; pp. 1). Conclusion It is evident that the media, regardless of the different forms, is still the major sources of problematic identity. The media acts as a tool for reinforcing gender stereotypes presently. Undeniably, there have been positive role models in most movies who have helped in ameliorating the situation; still, such positive values are day by day becoming overshadowed by the constant bombardment of extravagant misrepresentation of women in the media. It is noteworthy that there are little likelihoods that the media will stop misrepresenting or exploiting women to portray bad image. Through the media, companies are likely to continue exploiting consumers with such messages to ensure they maximize their profits. Equality is another issue that the media has been very instrumental in ensuring the female identity thrives in performing duties that were rather reserved for their male counterparts. Hence, the media is and will be the key contributor to the perpetuation of problematized identity and stereotyping in society. Reference List Chaudhuri, S., 2006, Feminist Film Theorists: Laura Mulvey, Kaja Silverman, Teresa de Lauretis, Barbara Creed London & New York: Routledge, pp. 31-44. Gauntlett, D., 2008, Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction, (Second Edition) London and New York: Routledge, pp. 1-45. Hickman, H., &Porfilio, B. J. 2012, The New Politics of the Textbook Problematizing the Portrayal of Marginalized Groups in Textbooks, Rotterdam, Sense Publishers. Kane, E., 2013, Rethinking Gender and Sexuality in Childhood, London: Bloomsbury, pp. 87-104. Peters, M., 2008, “Women, Sex and Film: The Objectified Woman and Her Quest For Subjectivity.” Suite101.com: Online Magazine and Writers’ Network. Accessed, November 6, 2014.. Thornton, S., 2007, Women, Feminism and the Media, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp. 113-144. Tom, B., 2009, “Shake It Baby, Shake It”: Media Preferences, Sexual Attitudes and Gender Stereotypes Among Adolescents.” PubMed Central. Springer, 27 Aug. 2009. Accessed, November 6, 2014.. Van acker, E., 1998, Different voices: gender and politics in Australia, South Yarra, Macmillan Education Australia. Waddell, T., 2003, The Great Unwashed of Australian Cinema in French, Lisa (ed) Womenvision: Women and the Moving Image in Australia, Melbourne:Damned Publishing, pp. 183-195. Read More