How Photograph Shapes Perceptions - Essay Example

w How Photograph Shapes Perceptions and Beliefs Human perception is influenced by several things one of which visual images, which is the most exploited concept in influencing human perception and reaction to stimuli. Therefore, images that we encounter in day-to-day lives have a great impact in shaping our thinking and beliefs on certain matters or aspects of life. As a result, artist use images that provokes human perception and stimuli to make them believe in certain things. Such are also seen are also seen in the cover photos of magazines and advertisement, which uses alluring images to influence beliefs and buying decision of the public. No doubt I have always been influenced with magazine cover photos such as the one below. I have always thought that an ideal female should look just like what the cover photos and advert images preach to us, and nothing less. Moreover, these cover photos are always of celebrities and models, and as such, my perception has always been shaped to believe that any other female need to match the celebrity standards. This image not only influences the belief and behavior of individuals, but also defines the culture of today’s society, whereby an ideal human to be acceptable is given standards that must be achieved. Below is a photograph of a celeb in Vogue Magazine, depicting standards for sexy and greatness amongst the female population. The artist statement accompanying this photography is, “Great American Women”. This explicitly reveals how the current culture defines greatness of female women. For example, they have to be fashion superstar, modern women, and all these come with super-slim bodies. This image is very alluring and sends a message both to young girls and grown up women to strive to look like such celebs because those are the culturally acceptable standards in today’s society. In turn, people also choose to view these photographs in one perspective, that is, the influence on body standards such as extremely tiny waist and generally slim bodies. However, there are several negative impacts that the above image inflicts in the society, especially among the female population. For example, young girls grow up to believe that if they do not attain such body sizes than they are not worthy. Therefore, I am going to critique this image in terms of the negative effects that it generates in the society such as preference for cosmetic surgery, objectification of women bodies with reference to sex sells and media exaggeration of celeb glamour and glitz. Cosmetic Surgery The image links women’s beauty to the cult of thinness whereby the current society emphasizes, not on the substance, but on the surface of human being, and thus social and economic success of women, as well as their self image, is widely determined by their looks. This has been further worsened by the advancements in information and technology that has given rise to innovations in the medical field, for instance, cosmetic surgery. This has changed the definition of cultural ideals for beauty as it makes it possible for women and rarely men to change their looks in order to match what is valued and needed by the current trend on beauty. Cosmetic surgery has given rise to rhetoric constructions of beauty for women all over the world especially the contemporary women. This has changed traditional beauty ideals, created new forces of oppression on women bodies and thus prompting them to support cosmetic surgery as the primary means to attain the accepted beauty. A journal article on research carried out in Chinese mainland cosmetic hospitals reveals how the idea has changed the perception of women towards cultural ideals for beauty. The article states, “The new body of the modern Chinese woman immersed in conflating discourses of consumerism and globalization sparks this particular study, as the changed female body itself has become a rich cultural terrain, constituting a microcosm of Chinas consumer culture, which greatly impacts gender ideologies” (Lou 69). As a result, women are seeking cosmetic surgery with the hope of looking like the celebrities featuring in the media. In America, the increasing interest is also seen among the minority groups who mostly have low income to support such luxuries or expensive operations. According to an article in PMC journal, this due to increased emphasis on personal appearance by the media, which leaves female with no choice, but to seek what the society defines as beautiful (Macknight et al 159). Many women have been influenced to accept the current trends in ideals for beauty that calls for cosmetic surgery. Similarly, they have been tricked to believe that cosmetic surgery provides 100% solution to their beauty insecurities or problems. In some cases, this may be true, but the stakeholders fail to emphasize also on the risks and dangers that come with these procedures. Media Exaggeration of Celeb Glamour and glitz The media has always strived to report on the glamour and glitz associated with America’s Hollywood entertainment industry. Hollywood serves as the center for celebrities and movie studios in the country. Hollywood dictates the popular culture present in the society through lifestyles of celebrities and the projection of various attitudes, memes, and images projected in their films (Kitch 44). The people associated with the Hollywood industry become famous and amass wealth through the various jobs that the industry gets to offer. Growing up, I dreamt of becoming a Hollywood actor and live the fabulous lives that I got to learn through the media coverage of the industry. When I turned eighteen years old, I quickly learnt that the industry was not all glitz and glamour. I had only become provided with the single story and only knew the upside of Hollywood life. The media presents the image of A-list Hollywood celebrities as superbly phenomenal. The actors get portrayed as receiving huge sums of salary to do what they like in life; acting. The actors get portrayed as extremely gifted and lucky in pursuing their dream careers. The celebrities become ostensibly wealthy and get to afford most if not all that they desire. They buy the most expensive cars, houses, clothes, and jewelry. They become famous and live as kings and queens. The Hollywood lifestyle appears flawless and without difficulties. It is an easy sailing life without the hardships that trouble the ordinary people leading lives outside Hollywood. The actors can afford expensive surgeries to rectify defects on their bodies such as skin complexion, aging, or body part defects. The actors through the lives that they lead appear to defy the natural order of human life (Kitch 81). They achieve the impossible and seem immortal. This image of the adorable Hollywood life inspired my dreams of becoming a Hollywood actor. Through Hollywood movies, there is the projection of how the Hollywood actors lead their lifestyle in terms of fashion, eating habits, and behavior. Hollywood movies portray the perfect couples, perfect husband and wife, and families. However, as I have gotten older, I have come to learn about the downsides of Hollywood life. It is not all rosy, glamour, and blitz. This is the side that gets neglected and does not become portrayed by the media. I only got to learn of the single story of holly wood life as a child. They say that all that glitters is not gold. The media barely shows the negative side of Hollywood life stories. With fame and glory comes added pressure to live according to societal expectations. Hollywood actors get considered as role models who get looked upon by society members. They are not supposed to err. They get expected to behave in a manner that sets a good example for society members. With this, comes added pressure as the actors cannot lead their own lives but rather put up a picture for the society (Kitch 60). This gets stressful as the society demand and expects too much of them. Stress easily leads to depression for some of these actors. They become withdrawn and disoriented from their lives. Built up stress levels easily leads to some of the actors committing suicide or engaging in drug abuse, and eventually their death. The media does not also tell of the adversities that some of the actors had to overcome to fulfill their dreams. Some of the A-list Hollywood actors underwent terrible and hardship filled childhoods before they achieve their career dreams. The media does not clearly highlight how difficult it is for some of the Hollywood celebrities to do the regular things in life (Kitch 101). As a result of the constant attention they receive, celebrities find it difficult to indulge in regular life activities such as walking their dogs, shopping, or going on a walk. The lack to carry out such regular pleasures of life can get frustrating for the Hollywood life. The celebrities get forced to live in their own secluded and little world making them lonely. Celebrities also find it difficult to have genuine friends. They get befriended by fake friends who want their attention for personal gains. It is nerve wracking for celebrities to find genuine friends who really do care for them. As a result, they sometimes maintain a close circle of few friends. This can get depressing for these Hollywood celebrities. They become lonely and indulge in activities such as drug abuse, which ultimately leads to their pitfall. The media stereotype of the Hollywood and celebrity life gets painted as all glitz and glamour, which is untrue. The Hollywood stardom has its ups, which get commonly shown and preferred over its downs. What a majority do not get to see often is the downside of this life. Individuals can get lonely, disillusioned, and take up substance abuse. This may lead to deaths of these individuals. This shows that the single story of Hollywood life only portrays the good part of the industry. Objectification of Women Bodies and Sex Sells Media plays a vital role in shaping opinions, behaviors and attitudes on social and political issues affecting the society. This is because, how events are reported or communicated in different media influence how people think and believe about certain issues. This image, for instance, provoke people to think that a modern woman should be super slim and sexy. First look at the picture, what strikes one is a sexy mom with a body that every woman is supposes to have. This is an erotic image that is meant to attract attention of the public. Using erotic images have influences that bypass the parts of the brain that is capable of thinking rationally, and thus are likely to influence people’s behavior towards something. In this case, it might influence the behavior do everything possible to achieve such body shape in order to be consider a great woman by standards of the societal culture. How often do we see erotic images publicly displayed? The truth is erotic or sexual images are everywhere in the society, for instance, in magazines, newspapers, billboards, television, businesses, shops and so on. This is because sex has become the object of sale for different products and services. The advertisers use images of eye candy gorgeous men and women who are the ideal faces of persuasion. The images display seductive smiles as they urge their audience to buy and buy, and people buy products because of the sexual appeal. Sex has a sharp influence over human brain, which drives people to buy the products advertised using sex images even if the pretty woman or man used have no connection with the product (Steel 28). The evidence for use of sex imagery to attract attention of potential buyers is everywhere in the society; thus, I agree with the notion that sex sells. Therefore, this image not only appeals to women, but is likely to appeal to men too who will buy the magazine unconsciously. Culture shapes people’s attitudes in making them think in a certain way. For example, culture influences the way in which I interact with other individuals, my opinion on certain issues, the way I define what is morally right and what is morally wrong, as well as how I socialize with the rest of the people in the community. Culture through social norms helps me define my individualism, roles, duties and status in the society. Therefore, my attitudes, opinions and even behavior are shaped by culture and beliefs of the society. The culture of erotic and super-slim figures such as the one featured in this paper defines standards for ideal and worthy female features. Unfortunately, these come with negative influences such as seeking cosmetic surgery that are dangerous, objectifying women bodies and exaggerating glamour and glitz of celeb lifestyles. Works Cited Kitch, Carolyn L. The Girl on the Magazine Cover:The Origins of Visual Stereotypes in American Mass Media. North Carolina: Univ of North Carolina Press, 2009. Print. Lou, Wei. "Selling Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Ideals: The Female Body in the Web Sites of Chinese Hospitals." Womens Studies in Communication (2012): 68-95. Macknight, Aisha, Sunishka Wimalawansa and Jamal M Bullocks. "Socioeconomic Impact of Ethnic Cosmetic Surgery: Trends and Potential Financial Impact the African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Middle Eastern Communities Have on Cosmetic Surgery." PMC (2009): 159-162. Print. Steel, Jon. Truth, Lies, and Advertising. Danver, MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1998. Read More