Kill the Media

The formation of in-person identity in contemporary society can be seen as awkward and challenging. Many teenagers tend towards the media for direction on how to retard up-to-date and fresh on trends while going through a tumultuous puberty stage. The superior influence of accepted media affects every individuals sense of self. Lauren Moak, author of Is This What You Really Want? attempts to rationalize the effect media portrayal has on a younger audiences stance on apricot and self-esteem.She states, The media sends the same message on every commercial, billboard, and television show out there. If you do not begin the perfect shape, clear complexionfountainhead, youre not beautiful. (Moak). Moak verifies that the mainstream media crafts images that youthful individuals struggle to become. every(prenominal) twenty-four hour period many girls strive to fit the mold the media has created. Girls fixate over thin frames, tan skin, and impossible facial features. What many fai l to realize is that some, if not all, images are airbrushed or photo-shopped to transform the average represent of a model to an unrealistic being.Moak further elucidates her point by saying, The media says that if we all fail at achieving this nonesuch body image, we must try harder no matter what the costs. (Moak). Attempting to assemble an identity in a media-saturated institution is nigh impossible. Everything one does is inspiration from the media and what society deems as right. Self-individuality cannot coexist with popular media. Personal identity, as well as sexual urge identity suffers from the media. Many images from popular media exhibit cliched, constricting, and naive perceptions on various issues, most commonly being gender.David Sedaris, author of I Like Guys, explains his self-awareness of his protest sexuality and the portrayal of homosexuals by the media and coterminous people around him. Early into his essay, he describes, It was my hope to win a contes t, cash in the prizes, and persona the money to visit a psychiatrist who might cure me of having homosexual thoughts. (Sedaris). By Sedaris wanting to directly be cured from homosexual thoughts, it shows that homosexuality is not acceptable in his society. He also explains screening homosexual men on television and looking down upon them.This is parallel to the gender identity issues in present-day society because the media is yet again forcing their viewpoints onto others and limiting individuals perception of people. This, in turn, leads to newly stereotypes and discrimination against sexes. One should not feel ashamed, but instead entitled to ones own views and standpoints on issues. Sedaris expresses the immediate shame he felt after an encounter with another boy. He states, My jealousy stemmed from the belief that he had been cured.One fistful of my flesh and he had lost all symptoms of the sicknesswhy couldnt I do the same? (Sedaris). The medias continuous backlash to p ainful topics causes gender identity issues to prevail. Judith Ortiz Cofer, author of The Myth Of The Latin Woman I Just Met a Girl Named female horse attempts to explain the effect media portrayal has on a younger audiences stance on beauty and self-esteem. She states, The media sends the same message on every commercial, billboard, and television show out there. If you do not have the perfect shape, clear complexionwell, youre not beautiful. (Cofer). Moak verifies that the mainstream media crafts images that youthful individuals struggle to become. Every day many girls strive to fit the mold the media has created.Girls fixate over thin frames, tan skin, and unattainable facial features. What many fail to realize is that most, if not all, images are airbrushed or photo- shopped to transform the average face of a model to an unrealistic being. Moak further elucidates her point by saying, The media says that if we all fail at achieving this ideal body image, we must try harder no ma tter what the costs. (Cofer). Attempting to assemble an identity in a media-saturated world is nearly impossible. Everything one does is inspiration from the media and what society deems as right. Self-individuality cannot coexist with popular media. The formation of personal identity in present-day society can be seen as awkward and challenging. Many teenagers gravitate towards the media for direction on how to stay up-to-date and fresh on trends while going through a tumultuous puberty stage. The dominant influence of accepted media affects every individuals sense of self.