BlueGirl~RedState

Advertising Bias: How real is the problem?

2011-02-27T18:13:00.000-08:00

"Google before you tweet, is the new think before you speak"

This week in class, we have been talking a lot about advertising bias, in terms of gender and also race. There are many many cases in which I believe a bias does exist, and even times when it is harmful. For instance, many beauty and weight loss ads are harmful to girls by giving them an unachievable body type to strive for. However, many of the ads which we discussed in class I do not believe should be classified as offensive or biased.

For instance, we saw a commercial for six flags which featured an asian man with a typical asian accent and we also saw a pepsi commercial which depicted a black woman getting mad at her husband for eating unhealthy. If you were to classify these commercials as promoting stereotypes, angry black women, asians with accents, there is no end to what could be classified as "biased." Any commercial where a girl who happens to be blonde is shown doing something stupid could be considered biased or any ad which shows a latino eating nachos. In these cases, it seems to me that a molehill is being made into a mountain. Correlation does not equal causation. In most circumstances, if you search hard enough some kind of bias can be found. But is this productive to dwell on such obscurities?

There are real problems and real biases in advertising. But it is my opinion that some of the things which our textbook has labeled seem to be making something out of nothing. I do truly appreciate the emphasis on gender bias and body image and also racial stereotypes in entertainment mediums. But I think a commercial can only be defined as such if there is good reason and public opinion that it is offensive. There must be a real argument before it can be brought to the table, otherwise it diminishes the real problem and clouds the truth.

Human Flesh Search

2011-02-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

Leave it to China to come up with such an ingenious creation.

The "Human Flesh Search" or "Human Search Engine" is truly a remarkable idea which I believe would be a great benefit to be integrated into western culture.

There are many great evils in the world, and sadly, many atrocious acts go unpunished because of the lack of legislation opposing them. I am a firm believer in the justice system, but sometimes, people just slip through the cracks. Human flesh search gives society a way to bring these individuals to justice and hold them responsible for moral corruption.

Something that has always truly angered me is the lack of jurisdiction that the courts have over cruelty to animals. It is something that goes overlooked and unpunished on a daily basis. While it is not a crime to kill an animal for sport, it is a barbaric act which most decent people oppose.

I first heard of Human Flesh Search while studying at Azusa Pacific University in California. We had a guest speaker come to the school from Arizona State and she told us some of the stories of people who have been called out by the human search engine.

A woman in China posted a video online of herself killing an innocent kitten by crushing it to death with her high heel. People were sickened and outraged by her act of cruelty and human search engine allowed people to find where this woman lived and worked. She got fired from her job and was publicly disgraced for her heinous act.

Every day, so many people like this go unpunished in our society. I believe that this is a peaceful and brilliant way to utilize the power of social networking and the internet to bring justice where the law cannot reach.

What does Henry the VIII have to do with Snookie?

2011-02-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

This week in class we have been focusing a lot more on stereotypical roles in television shows, movies, and video games. And it got me to thinking, do all "real life" TV dramas follow the same basic outlines with the same stereotypical characters?

A show that I have really become addicted to lately is the historical fiction drama, "The Tudors" on showtime. It chronicles the loves and lusts of King Henry the VIII of England, played by the gorgeous Jonathon Rhys Meyers, and the ever present struggle to balance religion and politics. The King drives the country to the brink of war and has almost every other important character beheaded all because he lacks the ability to think with his head rather than his genitals. After having watching the entire first season and most of season two I began to notice a disturbing similarity between the way that men and women interact in that show and the way that they interact in many modern "reality" shows.

It is true that most of what is seen on reality television is staged and therefore holds no real meaning, however there are some things you just can't fake. For instance, last season on the Jersey Shore when Ronnie cheats on Sammi and she chooses to remain with him anyways then later becomes neurotic, terrified that he will be unfaithful to her again. The other male characters on the show sleep with practically every woman they meet, even finding creative ways to entertain one woman while keeping another one in another part of the house so they won't meet. The men sleep with as many women as they want and only receive praise for it while the girls are shunned and struggle to find an available guy who will agree to be monogamous.

Barbaric? That is my opinion. And it is not just the classy individuals from Jersey that strengthen this stereotype. How about the Bachelor? Or any of those other dating shows where women struggle for a mans affection having to live and tolerate his other mistresses. Flavor/Rock of love? Women are constantly shown fighting over a man each vying for his attention whether or not they even have feelings for him just to gain the recognition and power that comes from dating a celebrity.

Watching "The Tudors" can sometimes be an uncomfortable experience. The barbaric practices used in the 1500's appall and disgust me at times. One man was burned alive for being a protestant and another was boiled alive for attempting to poison a bishop. Five innocent men were tortured and accused of having carnal knowledge of the Queen and sentenced to beheading in front of a jeering crowd. It is truly heinous and makes me ashamed to call myself a human being to think of the atrocities that people inflicted on each other for the sake of power, religion, or wealth.

For the most part, evils like this are not permitted to exist in our free and tolerant modern society. So if we have progressed from beheading someone for treason or adultery then why do these gender role stereotypes still exist: That the easiest way for a woman to become powerful in society is to marry a powerful man? Although this mindset may be in the minority, why has reality TV given it such a platform? One can only guess.

Just....Tooo Much

2011-02-06T18:13:00.000-08:00

This week we were given a reading assignment about gender bias in the video game industry. This is also the topic that we were assigned in my project group.

This topic really is something that bothers me. Not so much that most women don't play video games, but rather the way that female characters are portrayed. It is borderline ridiculous.

HUGE boobs, tiny waists, and gigantic backsides seem to be the norm when it comes to female characters in video games. Some images of women in games cannot be described by any other word other than pornographic. Why has the industry strayed so far from reality?

Also something that is even more unsettling is the violence portrayed against women. In grand theft auto players actually receive points for stabbing a prostitute.

The video game industry is a market designed by males, for males and it shows. But even so, the extremes that are shown in games go too far. Many men play video games as an escape from reality, a way to be someone else doing things that they could never do in real life. So does this mean that every man who plays video games wants their women to be sexual objects and even punching bags? I certainly hope not.

I think that the real blame lies in the industry itself. I don't think having female characters with slightly less exaggerated features and a little bit more clothing would have any effect on the popularity of the game. Tomb Raider has recently picked up on this idea, toning down their lead character to be more realistic and more modestly dressed. I truly believe other games should follow suit.

Everyone needs a voice

2011-01-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

Something that I have never really given much thought to is muslims in the media. This weeks class really brought the issue to my attention. I had no idea about the beauty pageant winner from Michigan who was a muslim and I have never really seen or heard of any muslim public figures in the media.

Every other race and most religions have at least one public figure who is open about their faith and culture. Asians, latinos, blacks, and even pacific islanders have actors, singers, and out spoken celebrities to bring awareness to their culture.

I believe that is one of the main problems which has led to the bias in media and movies towards arabs and muslims. There is no one to hold the entertainment industry accountable. If there was ever any bias toward African Americans, Oprah Winfrey or Will Smith would make a public comment against the bias and there would be a public outcry of sympathy. There is no one to make these sort of statements for muslims and I believe that is why this prejudice has been allowed to continue for so long.

It is my hope that one day there will be a notable muslim celebrity who can give a voice to all people of middle eastern descent. That or hopefully one day this obsession with lumping all muslims together as terrorists and oppressors or women will pass.

A Grain of Truth

2011-01-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have never claimed to be a feminist, nor do I really see any real issues in most arguments presented by feminists in this modern, American society. The idea that women are discriminated against in the United States to me seems so remote and archaic. Women can have any job they desire, marry anyone they choose, vote, and control their own bodies. I have always wondered to myself why feminists spend all of that time and effort into this trivial quest against a mythological "oppressive male dominated society" when they could be helping women in other cultures who really don't have the rights that we so often take for granted.

That being said, I believe that the real solution to overcoming gender bias in society is not by attacking any perceived stereotypes head on but rather by learning to embrace the real differences between men and women.

One of my personal favorite movies, and what most would consider the personification of the "typical female" stereotype is "Bridget Jones' Diary." The ditzy female lead in the movie, played by Renee Zellweger is overly emotional and binges on ice cream and cigarettes to deal with her problems. Many women resent this stereotype; that women are weak, emotional, and incapable. To me, criticizing these aspects of femininity actually fuels the negative stereotype.

While Bridget Jones may be a gross over-exaggeration of the female there is a grain of truth in every stereotype. Women just aren't like men. We are more emotional and yes, dare I say it, weaker. Say what you will but it is just a fact that women much more complications from hormones and in reality physically inferior to men. It is just a fact.

While that may seem harsh to some, to me I simply see it as an opportunity to change the mindset toward these characteristics. Why exactly are having emotions a negative quality for starters. Emotions fuel passion, both good and bad. They spawn creativity which is part of the reason more women are "right brained" than men. The female emotion is the very foundation of our society. If women had the emotional make up of men, maternal instincts and the ability to nurture would not be the same.

The sexes were not created equal, but they do compliment each other. Women may be weak, but sometimes true power lies in the ability to be weak, to be vulnerable. There may not be a single women in the NFL, but no man could ever have the ability to carry a child in their uterus. These "stereotypes" which we have been told time and time again to resist may not be the real enemy here.

Metaphorically, a man is like a rock; strong and solid, the foundation of the earth, but a woman is like the water. Although she is not as stable and at times all over the place, she sustains life and is in many ways even more powerful than the rock. The ability to adapt and change and give life is where her true power lies.

I am not saying that I condone a "Stepford Wives" form of society where women are sub servant but I do believe that the feminist movement in the United States is in many ways misguided. The real enemy here is ourselves, as is many other issues in contemporary society. All we really need is a fresh look.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2010-06-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just some AMAZINGNESS I just happened to stumble upon....

Fight Club Philosophy

2010-06-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is an actual paper that I turned in for my philosophy class last year.

Enjoy.

I chose to analyze the movie “Fight Club” which is the 1996 film adaption of the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. I believe that the plot of fight club shows how extreme behavior and irrational thinking will only lead to ruin. The movie starts out showing a tired, frustrated young man working at a boring job who meets an eccentric soap salesman on a plane, Tyler Durden. The two form a secret society known as “Fight Club” where frustrated average Joes come to beat the pulp out of each other and let out their inner desires for violence.

The club gets out of control when Tyler starts plotting violent crimes and makes plans to blow up several buildings. The narrator must stop Tyler and in the end realizes Tyler is simply his own desires manifested in a human form. The two men are really one person. One is the rational personality and the other, extreme. At the end of the movie, the narrator finds a way to kill Tyler and live a life of balance.

I believe this is a philosophical movie in several ways because it deals with ethics. It is the age-old battle of right and wrong and in the end, Aristotle’s “Golden Mean” prevailed. The narrator did not have to live a mundane life of solitude but he also did not have to live a life of excessive fighting, women, and crime.

A quote from the character Tyler Durden in the movie explains why this alter-ego exists, “All the ways you wish you could be, that's me. I look like you wanna look, I f*** like you wanna f***, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.” The narrator created Tyler as a way to give in to unnatural desires that should not be satisfied and almost ruined his life because of it. But in the end, reason rules over passion.

Origin Assured: Just A Way of Justifying Evil?

2010-05-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

“Origin Assured” guarantees that its fur comes from countries where national or local regulations or standards governing fur production are in force in an attempt to change the negative image of the fur industry.

While visual shock within the pages of Vogue magazine is as common as gum on the pavement, an ad in the September 2008 issue nevertheless left me stunned. The advertisement portrayed an attractive, fur-clad model with the following caption: “When you see the OA™ label you can be certain that, wild or farmed, the fur comes from a country where national or local regulations or standards governing fur production are in force.” A supporter of animal rights, I wondered: is this for real? Or is it simply an attempt to keep pace with a more environmentally conscious society?

The cruelty and overall profligacy of the fur trade has been publicized for years. And as the public becomes more ecologically conscious, fur-wearers are now being classified as extravagant, uncaring, out-of-date individuals. Due to this growing awareness, an increasing number of luxury markets are now letting people know where exactly the product is coming from and how it is obtained. “The ‘Ethical consumerism’ trend is now affecting the luxury sector around the world, including the emerging markets of Russia and China” explains Andreas Lenhart, Chairman, International Fur Trade Federation. Catering to this new “guilt-free” luxury trend, founder Suzy Menkes launched the Origin Assured™ label in Moscow at the IHT luxury conference sporting the slogan, “Fur, The Natural Responsible Choice.”

The deciding factor determining if label is given the OA™ stamp of approval is whether or not the fur comes from a country where state and national regulations on fur production are enforced. So what are these standards governing fur production? Many “regulations” governing fur production do not address the issue of cruelty or humane slaughter; they apply solely to economic issues and trade. Regulation 90-27 of New Brunswick Canada, for example, states, “’Fur industry loan” means a loan advanced by the Board to a farmer engaged in the business of fox or mink fur production for the purpose of meeting operating costs.” Other regulations in other countries deal simply with exporting and importing fur, tariff, taxes, and licensing agreements for fur farms. Are these really the ethical dilemas the “responsible consumer” should be concerned about?

Millions of fur-bearing animals including foxes, raccoons, minks, coyotes, bobcats, lynxes, opossums, nutria, beavers, muskrats, otters, and others are killed each year on fur farms as well as in the wild by use of traps and hunting. Fur regulations fail to address the issue of humane slaughter for these animals. To kill the animals without damaging their fur, trappers usually strangle, beat, or stomp them to death. Animals on fur farms may be gassed, vaginally electrocuted, poisoned with strychnine, or have their necks snapped. These methods are not 100 percent effective and some animals "wake up" while being skinned. These are not however the methods the fur industry is concerned about. They instead would prefer to care more about whether or not a fur shipment is being properly taxed.

The Chairman of IFTF, Andreas Lenhart, said; “Fur is a natural partner for the Supreme Luxury conference; it embodies the very best aspects of luxury today: craftsmanship, heritage and quality. The fur industry has also been responding to the spirit of the times; by answering our consumers’ desire to understand the ‘story’ of their fur. A fur carrying the Origin Assured label provides the consumer with an assurance that the fur they have purchased comes from a country where good welfare standards apply. The label reinforces the fact that we are a responsible industry, committed to transparency.” This transparency does not however include allowing the public to see into the means used by the industry to obtain the fur and slaughter techniques. Reportedly, recent research shows that a fur garment becomes more desirable to consumers by between 12% (in Switzerland) and 30% (in Russia) if it has an OA™ label attached.” These customers who believe they are making an ethically sound decision when buying Origin Assured might be surprised to hear that the regulations and standards OA™ supports do not address animal rights issues whatsoever.

A more ethically sound decision for the modern-day consumer would be to either buy faux fur or purchase from designers such as Stella McCartney, Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein, and many others who have decided to be fur-free. Until the real problems with the fur-industry are addressed and corrected, the idea that fur can be worn with confidence of its origin is a false statement.

Sources

Vogue magazine.
Originassured.co.uk
Furisdead.com
“Animal Rights: A Very Short Introduction.” By David DeGrazia 2003
Press releases:

April 2008

WWDCollections April 2008 -

20th February 2008

Namibian Karakul Granted OA™ Mark

19th February 2008

Independent Monitors Of OA™ Pass 80% Of Furs In First Tranche

7th December 2007

Luxury Brands Agree - Origin Assurance Is In Vogue

December 2007

"Fur the most beautiful fabric"
The Fashion World Celebrates Fur In Moscow

13th December 2006

This is Origin Assured

Furcomission.com
Canlii.org/nb/laws/
Fur Industry Loan Regulation - Agricultural Development Act
Tdctrade.com

The Other Side: Life in Skid Row

2010-04-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

Graffiti in South LA in Skid Row

Photo by: Kirsten Hall

An American Tragedy

by Kirsten Hall

Every social worker in the United States is familiar with the phrase, "from a broken home." It refers to growing up in a household where the parents are divorced or may not be living together in a stable relationship. Children and teens who are defined as "at-risk" may come from homes such as these and others simply do not have a healthy home life. While these are all legitimate concerns, there is another group of people in this country, of all ages, who have no home. They are simply trying to live to see another day.
For the almost 2.5 million homeless persons living in the United States, everyday life is a tremendous struggle. Not knowing whether you will have food, shelter and basic sanitation are a continuous challenge. Not to mention the habitual fear of getting robbed, molested, or physically assaulted. And for the 100,000 homeless children living in the United States, these dangers are even more prominent. The Institute of Medicine estimates that almost half of these children are younger than six years of age.

Common misconceptions about the homeless are that they can rise above their circumstances simply by applying for a job and working hard. That is not the reality of the situation. While many homeless people have fallen into their current state because of addictions to alcohol and drugs or a debilitating mental illness, many are just normal, average, hard-working people that have fallen onto hard times. While videotaping in Skid Row, Los Angeles--a district that claims the highest concentration of homelessness in the country--we interviewed an elderly man named Peter. "I've lived in this area for six years," he told us, "but I've only been homeless for a year because of a robbery." He had worked several jobs before he lived on the streets as a computer specialist.

There are also many stories about people who have been laid off and ended up on the streets as well. With the housing market being what it is people are no longer able to afford to rent even a modest apartment in Los Angeles. Peter has not only been a victim of a crime which left him financially crippled, he suffers from severe arthritis which forced him to quit his job and left him in a wheelchair. He applied for government disability benefits but his claim was denied. "They could at least give me a supplementary account," he said, "I don't even receive social security, let alone a disability check." For him to receive a supplemental income he has to first apply for disability. Peter is in limbo. He cannot apply for a job, but he is not being granted social security or disability from the government. He is in a quagmire. Figuratively and literally. He can simply sit in his wheelchair on 4th St. in Skid Row and pray that one day someone will he able to help him once again become financially secure, an almost hopeless situation.

Even if Peter could receive medical benefits and get back on his feet so to speak, going from the streets to maintaining a job is not an easy process. Most employers will not hire someone who does not have a permanent address or phone number. Even if they can secure a job, the number of hours a week it would take to get enough money to pay rent would be impossible when these people are spending all of their time trying to simply find food and water. "I am crippled," Peter explained to us, "I am crippled because of my situation. I am depressed, any human being would be."

The real tragedy is the second generation of the homeless. Homeless children face challenges that other children will never encounter. Many cannot attend grade school because of the paperwork that is required. Parents who cannot provide an address and phone number are unable to register their children in the public school system. The California State legislature has referred to education as "a way out" for these children, but it can only be as effective as the system itself.

Angie Taylor, an elementary school teacher at Irwin Avenue Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina is part of a tutoring program designed especially for homeless children. "The fact of never knowing where they're gonna be next really affects these kids," she explained, "Some become withdrawn and others become aggressive." She told us that a huge problem in the shelters is the separation of families. There are several homeless shelters for women and children but when the boys turn thirteen the shelters will not let them live with their mothers anymore and they have to go to the men's shelter. Rather than being subjected to this, many families end up living on the streets so they will not be separated.

Many of the children who come to Angie are neglected and malnourished. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, by the time homeless children are eight years old, one in three has a major mental disorder.

There is hope though. Angie has seen many of the student's in her program graduate high school and some have even gone on to earn a college degree. "In my tutorial program I've seen some of them come through because they found that one teach that they trusted," she said, "All it takes is one person to make the difference that will change their lives." In Los Angeles, many schools have adopted programs similar to Angie's. In skid row, many of the temporary housing facilities have tutoring programs run by volunteers which help kids on an individual level. In East Los Angeles, the Hollenbeck school has programs for homeless children and also those who are at risk to become involved in gang violence and other issues. To find out more information and also how to help the homeless population of Los Angeles you can make donations or volunteer to tutor homeless children at these websites:

http://www.schoolonwheels.org/

http://losangelesmission.org/Home.asphttp://www.nctsnet.org/nctsn_assets/pdfs/promising_practices/Facts_on_Trauma_and_Homeless_Children.pdf

http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Hea-Irr/Homelessness.html

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL30442.pdf

Below is a documentary we made of a trip to Skid Row.

by Kirsten Hall

Proof that Human Cruelty Knows No Bounds...Or Reason

2010-04-02T01:32:00.001-07:00

Today I watched a horrifying documentary about dolphin fishing in Japan. It received an academy award for best documentary and if you haven't seen it yet I would highly suggest you watch it. I was able to find it online at http://milledrive.com/videos/32340/The_Cove.html

I have never been so disgusted and horrified in my life. How can money and industry drive human beings to do such cruel things to animals? I have been a vegetarian for years because I found out how appalling animals are treated in factory farms in an effort to save money. But chickens and cows are one thing. Dolphins are intelligent creatures who I believe we can truly learn so much from. I don't see how someone can honestly think that a dolphin deserves to be slaughtered in such a heinous way just for their meat, which is contaminated with mercury and not suitable for human consumption.

In the documentary, OPS gave the fisherman an offer. They said keep your boats in the harbor and we will pay you the amount of money you would make today killing dolphins to not slaughter today. They turned it down saying it was not about the money, the government is encouraging these slaughters and deeming them as "pest control."

With each and every day I feel I lose more and more faith with human decency. Ignorance, greed, and cruelty run rampant, not just in our society, but all over the world. People do not care about this earth. They care about their wallets and filling their stomachs. God help me if I ever turned a blind eye to this cruelty.

Some argue that we have a god-given right to dominion over animals. That we are superior beings. I will not argue as to the validity of that statement but I do know that this sort of cruelty could never be "a God-given right." The Japanese fisherman claim that it is in their culture, their "right" to dominion over the seas. When in reality, most Japanese are completely unaware of this practice of hunting dolphins and find it atrocious.

People cannot all be this monstrous. It is my hope that if enough people become aware of this, action can be taken. I am currently in the process of setting up a fund raiser at my university to support the OPS's cause to stop the dolphin hunts and hopefully will one day be able to travel to Japan and write and publish a story about this. If you would like any more information about this cause and how to help you can email me at khall08@apu.edu or make a donation and get involved at http://www.takepart.com/thecove