Why does everything have to be about sex??

Sex in everything from exercise to Hannah Montana - Editorial

While sitting here contemplating whether or not I should do reading/research or go to bed (story of my life- hahaha), I couldn't help but wonder "why does everything have to be about sex"/ "why is the world we live in so obsessed with sex?" I came across an article entitled Sex in everything from exercise to Hannah Montana that I found to be interesting and worthy of sharing on this blog.

     In a nutshell, this editorial discusses various aspects of sex appeal that the world sends to us. These subjects include sports, exercise, advertisements, and the fact that there are certain characters on the Disney Channel who are overtly sexualized. The first subject covered: sports- apparently there are some people who requested that POLE DANCING be added to the genre of sports in the olympics. "Well, that's just silly; WHY would anyone in their right minds want this?!", one might be asking. The reasoning for this is because pole dancing is full of grace, fluidty, and strength- it reminds some people of gymnastics. Okay, seriously- when I think of gymnastics, the LAST thing on my mind is pole dancing! 

     On to advertisement; let's just face it- SEX SELLS. This editorial talks about how gorgeous women are used to sell things like beer, cars, and furniture; but an interesting fact that it brings up is that of Mr. Clean: according to this source, "...he may be bald and a cartoon, but he is muscular and he helps clean the floor". 

     The final point I'd like to bring up about this editorial in particular is that regarding some popular characters on the Disney channel and how they are overtly sexualized. Hannah Montana is a big one- many young girls idolize over her, watch her television show, and sing along to the cute little song she sings. At the same time however, the media is truly over sexualizing her. Granted she is getting older and some might think she needs to be a little bit more "mature" for the media, but seriously- what example is this setting for the younger girls who love Hannah and are too young to be exposing themselves to all that. 

Humm... okay, perhaps I am just a ranting, raving, conservative- lol; but I just figured I'd share what's been on my mind in regard to the media. Ciao for now! ;-)

If the world's a stage....

     Whatever one's walk of life may be, we are all spectators in one way or another. One might be walking down the street and be the witness of a car accident,  robbery, or some other unfortunate event. People have tendencies to stare at others all the time- especially at the bus stop, on buses, or any public place in general. For the sake of media, however, we are truly spectators in many ways. Film is a very important spectator's sport. Individuals go to the movies everyday. One person could see the same film that myself or a friend viewed, but have a different interpretation  (theories) of it. 

    

      A particular theory that I have recently learned about in Media Criticism class is a psychoanalytic one that has to do with film and cinema narratives. This theory revolves around the idea that there is much visual pleasure involved with the film media and the reasonings behind this claim. One main reason that is given to support the claim or idea that visual pleasure abound is that of the image of the castrated woman/ her absence of a penis. According to the studies of Freud and more recent studies from Lacan, there is a type of fetishism involved with the human psyche and this fetishism strongly suggests that society constructs the male structure and that it is a result of what's "missing" from the female anatomy (that they are "incomplete" by not having male genitalia).

      

    In all honesty, I was a little freaked out when I first heard about this theory, but after reading about it in Laura Mulvey's  article entitled Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema, and taking a look at various examples from well known films (such as Hitchcock's Vertigo, and Rear Window), my perspectives have been broadened a bit. For example, if one were to look at the movie Rear Window, one would see the trend of a the main character (Jeffries) being a spectator, a "peeping Tom", if you will. He had an interesting relationship with his girlfriend Lisa in the sense where when he was looking out of his apartment window and into her's, there is an aspect of eroticism, yet when the barrier is broken (when she enters his apartment), he sees what has really been going on in her living quarters; a dangerous man had been threatening her. He then saves his girlfriend from a harmful intruder. I found this to be interesting. 

ZOMBIES in area...RUN!

While surfing the internet last week, I came across a shocking article on MSNBC.com entitled,  Pranks with electronic road signs stir worry. 

According to MSNBC.com:

Collinsville- Illinos- Pranksters in at least three states are messing with electronic road signs meant to warn motorists of possible traffic problems by putting on notice about Nazi zombies and raptors. And Highway safety officials aren't amused. 

The latest breach came Tuesday during the morning rush hour near Collinsville, Ill., where hackers changed a sign along southbound Interstate 255 to read, "DAILY LANE CLOSURES DUE TO ZOMBIES."

A day earlier in Indiana's Hamilton County, the electronic message on a board in Carmel's construction zone warned drivers of "RAPTORS AHEAD- CAUTION."  (courtesy of http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29017293/)

     This article goes on to inform is that not only did this disturbing prank occur in Illinois, but also in Texas and that those who tamper with the traffic announcement boards are subject to a hefty fine ($250 and in some states up to $5,000). These hoaxes that were broadcasted on the electronic boards are not a laughing matter... an individual who is suffering from a mental disorder could have gone into hysteria, thinking that there are literally zombies/ aliens in the area. This incident reminds me of the War of the Worlds, when Wells broadcasted a program on the radio that informed the public that there is some sort of invasion of aliens in the area. This occurrence caused a great uproar; many listeners actually believed him and were in a huge state of PANIC. This shows that not only does the media have a very strong hold on us, but that one must be careful what they jest and poke fun at. What might be a joke to one person might be a horrific, life or death issue to another.