Air-brushed and Ultra Thin Models

In reaction to the article about models being air-brushed to look ultra thin (found at: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/fallbeauty/image-of-ultra-thin-ralph-lauren-model-sparks-outrage-521480/) I can really agree with both viewpoints.

The first viewpoint, that air-brushing models to such unrealistic extremes has a negative impact on young women, does have some valid points. I myself can even attest that I have looked at an ad in a magazine and have thought, "If only I could look like her..." We all become victim of that game. We see what is projected to be the pinnacle of beauty and what one should look like and then we think of all the reasons why we don't measure up. "My hips are too big, my nose is too round, my hair is too flat..." All of that inner dialogue that we create based on our longing to look like an advertisers depiction of beauty is detrimental to our self esteem.

But I also agree with the other viewpoint that it's just the fashion industry and, well, that's just what they do. Most aware adults and teenagers are alert to the fact that most of the skinny models we see in advertisements are most likely coiffed, tweaked, blow-dried, done-up and air-brushed to the most extreme levels. I know this, and even though despite that I sometimes wish my hair was a little thicker, or bouncier, it doesn't cause severe detrimental effects to me. I don't wallow in my room because my eyelashes aren't as long as the girl in the Marc Jacobs ad. I don't seek help for depression because my hair isn't as full and bouncy as the woman in the Gucci ad. Sure, it'd be nice to have that kind of hair, but I have what I have and, well, I can't do much about it. My point is that though there might be some sort of internal, self-depricating dialogue that occurs within me due to such ads, it is not done on an extreme level.

Meaning

The whole chapter on meaning was very interesting to me, certainly because I had never seen the term "meaning" broken down so minutely. I will agree that meaning is based on a variety of different factors: cultural codes, who sends the message, the receiver's personal experiences, etc. The book states, "The codes of meaning that make up our common culture produce the very reality they represent" (p. 160). I find this interesting because it is very true. How we interpret meaning ends up becoming our reality. If we understand the meaning of X to be that yellow shirts are out of style, then that is our reality, when really there is no meaning of style embedded in the color yellow.

This chapter was definitely something that made you think about how you (individually) understand meaning. It's eye opening because now when I view a message produced by the mass media, I am more focused on what meaning I am getting from it and what factors have caused me to understand such messages to be that way.

Ideology

Ideology means a variety of different things to many people. The term itself refers to the set of values a group holds. It is a way of deciding what is normal, what is acceptable, or what is the right way to do things in a particular community. The ideals that a group holds is usually developed and enforced by the power holders in a community. For example, in a clique of high school girls, usually the most popular girl in the group decides what clothes the clique should wear, how they should wear their hair, what sort of attitude the group should have, and what other people are acceptable to talk to. If a member of the clique strays from one of these values, the power-holder, which in this case is the most popular girl, can remove the member for not upholding the ideology of the group.

Often, ideologies are not based on facts. They simply are ways that a group prefers to act and think. That being said, it is common to see the different ideologies between two groups clash, resulting in conflict.

Ideology can be confusing for some because often there is the urge to question why a group favors a certain value. Why is this important to us? Why do I have to be/think like this if I don't really agree with that or like that? Why does this particular person get to decide why we all act/think this way? Many other questions may arise, making the topic of ideology a somewhat fuzzy one.

The Two Models of Communication

The Transmission Model

The transmission model relates communication to the idea of transportation in that it is straightforward and is sent from a sender, through a medium, to a receiver.

Source ---> Message ---> Receiver

The challenge with this communication model, is to have the message that is transposed by the sender to be understood by the receiver in the same exact way. In this model, it is assumed that the effect of the message is relatively direct between the source and the receiver.

The Cultural Model

In the cultural model, communication is described as a shared space of meaning. Specifically, our ability to communicate with one another is not linear, but based on the fact that we have a shared culture or common reality and that is was enables us to both send and receive messages.