Blog 4/14/2010

The first article I've chosen describes the effect of sexually explicit images in the media on young children, especially young women. The authors, Sara Bragg and David Buckingham, question the severity of the impact of sex in the media in even the title, asking if these images are now "the facts of life (Buckingham and Bragg 2004). Several anecdotal examples are given throughout the passage which illustrate the widespread invasion of such imagery. This article states "Young people seem to be maturing physically- and showing an interest in sex- at an ever-earlier age," sexualization, the social process of teaching youth about their sexuality, is happening earlier (Buckingham and Bragg, 2004). The article calls this early desexualization ‘stealing the childhoods’ of young people in Britain and the United States. Buckingham and Bragg suggest cutting down on children’s exposure to magazines with sexual themes, television which portrays women in a sexual way and sexually explicit music. The problem with this theory is that sexual images are everywhere, even in advertising, there is no escaping these influences without complete isolation.

The second article explains the tricky situation of describing and measuring the extent and effects of violence displayed in the media. Three flaws can be described. George Gerbner of Temple University using the definition of violence as "the act or threat of injuring or killing another person," from the viewpoint there could be either much less or much more acts of violence in media that don't fall under this category (CITE). The diversity of definitions of acts of violence makes it difficult to compare and contrast studies of media violence, which has a dramatic effect on measuring the severity of it all. Second, the definite outcome of the study cannot be determined either. Some argue a direct correlation and some cite a causal connection between the two. Finally, the exposure children experience can vary by opinion and the individual. Scientists argue a psychological connection to violence can be created and children can respond violently to neutral situations. Several studies have been cited which demonstrate the subtle yet measurable outcomes of media violence. One such example included 24 children watching TV, half viewed a violent cartoon and half of the children viewed a nonviolent cartoon. The observers noted those children who watched the violent cartoon were more prone to break toys and act aggressively toward other children.

These two articles are somewhat useful in highlighting issues related with media violence and sexual imagery.

Works Cited:

Buckingham, David and Bragg, Sara (2004). Young People, Sex and the Media: the facts of life? Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Freedman, Jonathan L. (1994). Media Violence and It's Effect on Aggression. http://www.media- awareness.ca/english/issues/violence/effects_media_violence.cfm.

Group Essay-Tim Wise

The topic of racism is a delicate one in American society. America’s history of slavery and race related conflicts has desensitized us from seeing the subtle effects of racism that have big impacts on people of color. Racism in America is the same as white privilege which is usually defined by skin color (TIME WISE). Racism is the discrimination of others because of the color of their skin, this act is often an unconscious intolerance that has become standard due to a country based on racial separation. The inequality between white people and people of color has become prominent enough to effect the housing market, the job industry and the daily lives of individuals living in America.

Tim Wise, an antiracism activist from the South, explains the motivation behind whites discrimination against others to create a better opportunity for themselves “If people of color are discriminated against in employment, then that’s more employment opportunities for whites” (TIME WISE). This idea fuels the inequality between whites and those of color in the job industry and creates the want for whites to put others down. Tim Wise relates this idea to ‘pressure to perform’ that is placed on both whites and blacks, though intelligence is most often ascribed to race, besides in the case of whites. “We whites are able to be as incompetent or mediocre as we want and never have our mediocrity ascribed to our race” (TIM WISE).

This article helps me realize that there is not only privilege as a white compared to people of color but also as an American compared to the rest of the world. The similarities that whites and Americans have compared to blacks and the rest of the world are very intriguing. Just as whites have privilege to many jobs, Americans have privilege to a lot of food. Furthermore, that Americans might be hesitant to give up their advantage of easy access to food so that the rest of the world can eat. Also since whites have more opportunities for jobs and housing it leads to higher rates of poverty in people of color and this can affect their choices for foods. Being a white middle class student myself, it is hard for me to understand what it means to have to only eat fast food since that only what they can afford. I have always had the privilege of being able to go to a grocery store and get vegetables and fruits without much regard to price.

Overall Tim Wise’s interview was very beneficial to me. Not only did it help me understand the truth behind racisms but the privileges that go along with it. That a job not allowed to a person of color is another available for a white. Also that I need to be aware of my surrounding and constantly watching out for racism and privilege so that I can help society change. As well as the fact that there will always be people who don’t want to give up their advantage and just want to keep things as they are. Also this will greatly help me improve my paper 3, since it has helped me realize that we as Americans have a privilege over the rest of the world. This article has opened my eyes to the impact of racism and has helped me see that silence is not the answer but to spread the word of equality to help society change.