Do Media Represent Realistic images of Arabs?

The media has the tendency to over exaggerate stereotypes and the views of other cultures. One culture in particular that the media tends to stereotype is the Arab race. In my opinion the media does not even come close to providing a balanced view of Arabs, especially since 9/11.  TV shows, show negative images of Arabs, but also news coverages of Muslims center mainly on events, groups and individuals from the Middle East, in response to crises, war and conflict, making it seem that there is nothing good from these people. In the chapter issue we read that Beckerman argues the point that through blogs many Arabs show that there are good arabs in the world. The only problem with his argument is that blogs have a limited reach compared to the easy access of the evening news or the headlines from online accounts. Also the media always tend to look and focus on the negative issues that are going on in the Middle East.  That is another issue with the media. They are so uninformed about the Middle East that they usually will fail to differentiate and just assume that everyone is the same and is a potential terrorist. Being an American it is already branded into our minds that any one looking like they are from the Middle East is considered a terrorist. For example, we will walk on a plane and see a man wearing a turban we will automatically think that he could be a potential terrorist. It is wrong to do this, but with the media continuing to spew out negative images and headlines about the Middle East it is hard for us to think otherwise because of the trust we put in our news reporters. Hopefully, one day we can see past the media and really see that Arabs are no different then anyone else and that just because they look like the terrorists we see on TV doesn't mean they are one.

Do media cause individuals to develop negative body images?

After reading the section i would have to say that my personal opinion is yes regarding the question, does media cause individuals to develop negative body images. I say this because the media is always pushing image. They use so many advertisements, images, videos, etc that effects ones body image. Both Shari Dworkin and Faye Wachs believe that different types of media, such as magazines, advertisements, commercials, etc are giving consumers a negative idea of themselves and their body because they show how a healthy body should look like. This doesn't reflect the way real americans are.Dworkin and Wachs mentioned that because the “fat body” is a sign of a “lazy, undisciplined, and poor member of the social body,” the ideal body becomes a fit and healthy image that is a sign of success and a good citizen. In contrast, Michael Levine and Sarah Murnen argue that the media does not cause individuals to develop negative body images because other cultural, social, and psychological issues play a much larger role in giving citizens a negative impact on their own body image. Already having strong support for the examples and research brought up by Dworkin and Wachs, I found that in the end Levine and Murnen didn’t really have evidence that showed that the “Media” doesn’t cause individuals to develop negative body images. All Levine and Murnen did through their research was state examples and facts of how things like eating disorders are caused by psychiatric issues, not an issue in the media, or how peers and people in general who have a “thin-ideal” body image influence others to diet in order to fit in with them. Overall, Levine and Murnen basically used other examples such as psychological and social issues as an influence towards the public to want to change their body image, ignoring the fact that the media is just another one of those influences. 

Does Fake News Mislead the Public?

After reading the article with two opposing viewpoints, I believe that Julia Fox has a less valid point. Younger people are not mislead by the fake news. People watch politics on the Daily Show and take it as a joke. Even though the Daily Show is full of humor and laughter, these shows aren't transmitting the full coverage of information; they are simply presenting the information in a funnier way. This brings the attention of the audience to an important issue to listen, even on late night shows. This tends to keep the audiences attention more then the boring news; which makes you fall asleep. The comedy in late night shows informed more younger viewers, and impacted them with more information then if a young viewer was to watch a regular news channel. Even though these shows aren't serious about the topic, it's something to listen to and have fun at the same time. Viewers can not be easily influenced by what the host says. If the host wants to make a candidate look better, he can. If he wants to make someone look bad, he can, but people take it as a joke.

Unit 1: The Mind Managers

From my old blog:

Manipulation of human minds, according to Paulo Freire, "is an instrument of conquest." This is the goal of marketing, This is what shapes why people are always trying to buy the coolest and newest product on the market. If the media portrays that the president as an awful leader, people we form the opinion that he is a bad leader.  It is interesting that manipulation requires a false reality that is continuous denial of its existence. Human nature wants us to change the world around us.The media is also used to provoke social conflict. Are American Values shaped by the Mass Media? James Carey says no, but i disagree. Americans are stupid people and we will believe anything someone says. We are easy to manipulate.

Intro Post