The AXE Effect: The most degrading commercial

Before proceeding on with today's journal, please watch the video from the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syqCMLa1sr0


"The AXE Effect" is probably one of the most stereotypical commercial that advertisers use for men's hygienic product. This commercial features a group of women gathering together from every corner of the world, running towards a man who had sprayed on AXE deodorant. Before reaching the man, the women had to first overcome different obstacles, like running through a forest, a desert, and swim across the ocean before reaching then man. The women were wearing bikinis and it is obvious that they are competing between one another to fight for the spot for getting the man first.

In the text, Having it his way: the construct of masculinity in fast-food TV advertising, Carrie Packwood Freeman and Debra Merskin viewed women as being animalized in fast food commercials directed towards men. In this commercial, women were running through the wild like savages, animals hunting for this one man. This scene is a pretty degrading scene; women are sexualized, wearing bikinis and notice how the camera is focused on female body parts.

Freeman and Merskin also said that the themes found in fast-food ads are "to seek freedom from personal and social constraints," and to "remain loyal to the (heterosexual) male group." This commercial is using the same technique as many other fast-food commercials. Take Burger King's commercial Hootie ad as an example. The commercial took place in a male fantasyland where a guy can get whatever he wants, including "sexually available females." This is exactly what this AXE commercial is trying to show; as long as men use this AXE deodorant, he will be able to attract as much women as he wants. This commercial is also limiting the possibilities, and reinforcing the social norms of men being masculine by being heterosexual.

To me, this was a disturbing commercial. Women are still being portrayed as mindless sex creatures that are made to fulfill men's desires instead of being smart, intellectual, and people with opinions. This also shows how men are suppose to be the one with authority, where women are on the submissive side. It shows that the man who used this deodorant has the power to choose any woman he wants, or women in this instant; leaving the women powerless, and no choice.

The Dark Side of History - Second Essay

The Undervalued Major- First Essay

Here is my first Essay. 

The Inner Feelings of Bissell- Extra Life: Why Video Games Matter

To most Americans, there was nothing more important on November 4th than watching the presidential race and wondering whether there will finally be a non-caucasion president. For Bissell, November 4th was also an important date, but not for the same reason as to why other Americans find that day important. On November 4th, 2008, the day when history was created, Bissell spent his time in front of his television, not watching President Obama's acceptance speech but playing with his newly released game Fallout 3.

Bissell's started off his chapter with a self-mocking anecdote about him playing Fallout 3 during election day. By providing us with his little story, it really provides readers an insight of not only what he thinks about America, but also the world as a whole, and his attitude towards life. Through Bissell's depressing use of words, I feel a bit of helplessness and sadness in him. He also stated that he was once depressed at Oblivion, or video games in general served as "an extra live," and he was "grateful to have it."

Oblivion took place in Rome, and even though there were skeletons and monsters he had to battle off, that was not the main part of the game that he enjoyed. What he found most entertaining was the participation of the Roman's daily lives. "Oblivion is less a game than a world that best rewards full citizenship, and for a while I lived there and claimed it." There is a possibility that the satisfaction that Bissell achieves from playing Oblivion cannot be attained through his daily life. "It also gave me something with which to fill my days other than piranhic self-hatred." He probably does not have a lot of close friends or is not satisfied with his current lifestyle.

Through video games, he extracts himself from the normal life that he has to live and it was like an escape route for him. He was also disgusted by the political situation in the states, or the world as a whole, that's why he was apathetic about the election. "Oblivion is about as satirical as a colonoscopy, and the fighting in the game, while not unviolent, is often weirdly inert."The producer of Oblivion is also the producer of Fallout 3. Fallout 3 was based in the States. He was saying how the video game is like a satire, which is a way of mocking politicians or political issues. Colonoscopy is a medical instrument used to look into a person's intestine. What he is trying to say is the video game Fallout 3, is showing the real image of America, and being violent is normal. He had also said that the video game takes place in a "Large and disinterestedly functioning world," which shows how he dreadful he feels about the world, since Fallout 3 is a futuristic replication of America.

There are many more examples of how Bissell feels about politics, America, and life, but it will be too much to list them all. Bissell is a pretty pessimistic person.

Malcolm Gladwell vs. Dennis Baron: The Role of Social Media

Malcolm Gladwell and Dennis Baron both agreed on how the use of social media can help create history. Baron stated, “It is possible that without Facebook and Twitter, Honsi Mubarak might still be holed up in the Presidential Palace, planning free and fair one-party elections in September.” According to Gladwell, “With Facebook and Twitter and the like, the traditional relationship between political authority and popular will has been upended, making it easier for the powerless to collaborate, coordinate, and give voice to their concerns.” Even though social network may provide a platform for citizens to voice out their opinions and to organize, and to help publicize their upcoming activities, but according to Gladwell and Baron, there are a few drawbacks in using social networks.

From Baron’s perspective, the disadvantage with social media is censorship. Coming from a communist country that was once a British Colony, Hong Kong, and living in Canada, it allows me to understand both sides of the world. In July 2012, there was a rally against the National Education course being taught in grade school in Hong Kong. Parents, students, and a few politicians argued that this course is a merely a tool to help the Chinese government brainwash Hong Kong children in believing that China has the best government and communism is the best form of governing their citizens. An activist group called Scholarism created a Facebook page and organized a strike through it. On July 2012, according to the organizers, more than 90000 protestors participated in the hunger strike. The course program was eventually withdrawn from the curriculum. Had China wanted to pass on this curriculum, this would never had happened; Facebook is blocked in China, all medias are censored, so it will be hard for people to communicate through social network. On the other hand, the government could have been able to use social network to brainwash students and parents on how it is in fact beneficial to take that course. Lets take Tiananmen Square as an example. I have talked to a few friends from China who just came to Canada not long ago. They have never heard of what happened at Tiananmen Square, and they think that Chairman Mao is their hero. This is the dark side of media; if not used properly, it can be used as a source for controlling citizens.

From Gladwell’s point of view, one of the disadvantages of social media is its lack of hierarchy. Everyone who has joined the Facebook page can easily comment or contribute to the event. There is no authority, and no individual who specializes in a particular component. If there were to be conflict within the group, there is no one individual who will be able to step up and make decisions, and this would be a huge problem if they are organizing a more complex event.

The second disadvantage that Gladwell started was people within a Facebook or Twitter group have not physically met each other; they do not know whom they are working with so they have weak bonds between one another. Groups like that are more prone to outside pressure, since they are not personally attached to each other and the only thing holding them together is that single common goal; They are more likely to sell their people out when necessary.

To summarize, social network is useful when trying to create something not complicated and low risk. Organizing a strike for example is fairly simple, all they have to do it to announce the date, time, and place. When developing a plan on the other hand, should be done within organizations that are not formed from just social networks. 

My Dog- Beanie!!

Since my dog is so awesome and adorable, I think she deserves a few credit! lol...bonus mark maybe? Kidding..

Are the Benefits of Television Really Beneficial?

Steven Johnson stated how the quality of modern popular entertainment is improving and how it can actually help improve our cognitive abilities. He said that television shows nowadays are more challenging to understand compared to before because of its "multi-thread" component. Since there are many different plots being acted out, the audience have to be patient, watch carefully, and to think more in order to fully understand the whole story. 

Even though the plots of movies and television series is becoming more complicated, but it does not mean that this is benefiting the audiences; there are still plenty of low-quality productions out there in the market. People who choose to watch these type of complicated productions are probably the people who are already average or above average in their intellectual abilities. Think about this, people would not watch something that they will not understand. If they watch an episode of Sopranos for example, and they do not understand it, they would not bother going on with the series. They would choose to watch something like Keeping Up With The Kardashians. The Kardashians series on the other hand, is more like reality TV, and it provides nothing beneficial whatsoever to their viewers

Television programs are just mere reflections of what people want you to think. They misguide viewers in every aspect of life; they help to create and reinforce social norms that are not necessarily beneficial. For example, every single protagonist in movies or television series are physically well built and unrealistically attractive. When people walk on the streets, they do not see Jessica Alba or Jennifer Lawrence at the corner of every street, yet people all aim to become like them; A lot of teenagers are trying to become like an Oscar winning actress or actor, sometimes at the expense of their health. 

Watching television is highly addictive. The time used for watching television could have been used on something more productive and educational. When a person starts off an episode of a series, they would not be able to stop until they finish it. Meanwhile the time spent on watching it could be used for studying and preparing for exams so that they can earn a higher GPA, which is way more important for their future endeavors. Even though television is getting more and more sophisticated, but these types of knowledge and developing the ability to think, which is one of the main advantages that Johnson has stated, can be achieved through education. All undergraduate students know that what they have learnt in their program cannot really be applied to a real life situation unless they are taking accounting, engineering or some specialized skills. Take economics for example, perfect competition, monopoly, and oligopoly does not really exist in real life. What students are trying to get out of their four years of education is not how to think, intellectual skills, and improving on their cognitive abilities. If television does provide us that education, there is no point for students to spend four years and thousands of dollars on their university education. 

Above are some points that could be used in argument against Johnson. Even though there are some great movies produced like the Life of Pi, which are comparatively challenging to understand, movies and TV series are not as beneficial as how Johnson said it. He was exaggerating the benefits of media.