Video courtesy abcnews.com.
It's obvious that we are all influenced to dress a certain way and look a certain way. The more fashion evolves, the more fashion companies advertise their input to the fashion world. And the more they put up glamorous posters and play eye-catching videos, the more we feel we need their products. No matter what the company is selling, we usually think we need their product for one thing: to look skinnier, sexier, prettier, and happier. As shoppers, we don't even realize that this pressure from the fashion industry is effecting us greatly. They are setting our goals for us, and telling us that the only way to reach them is to buy what they have to offer.
With the media telling us what looks good comes the rest of us, the normal people, who won't live up to their standards. In this case, a 7-year-old didn't look the way classmates and adults viewed as right or good. She was bullied by her classmates for the size and build of her ears, shown in the video. When I saw the picture of the young girl pre-surgery, I thought her ears were normal, and lots of times children have "abnormal" features that they grow into over the years. Unfortunately, the younger years of our lives can be times of bullying. Maybe if parents learn themselves how much the media and fashion industry is effecting our lives and views on everyday people, they could pass those morals along to their children and maybe bullying could be reduced. I think that the fashion industry definitely has a huge part in this unfortunate part of society, but can be resolved if we just understood how unimportant everything the fashion industry tells us really is.
Works Cited
"Bullied Child Gets Plastic Surgery Video - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. ABC News. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/video/bullied-child-gets-plastic-surgery-13373152>.
Dear Writer,
ReplyDeleteThe title of your blog this week was pretty shocking to see! I can't believe a seven year of actually would get plastic surgery in the first place, but it also makes me think about where are her parents?!
"And the more they put up glamorous posters and play eye-catching videos, the more we feel we need their products." When you said this in your blog, I agreed with it 100%. If people these days see something advertised and the commercial or add tells you to buy it, and that it would look great on you, they would most likely go out and buy the item. When we do buy these things, it makes us happy, and feel more complete and happy about ourselves. It's like we get some kind of high from buying new things and changing ourselves to become prettier, among other things.
"a 7-year-old didn't look the way classmates and adults viewed as right or good." This made my heart hurt when I heard this! I can see how little kids think that she may not look normal, just because they are young and naive, but parents being skeptical about her "different" looks makes me sick. So what if you ears are slightly different sizes or disproportionate, everyone is different in their own way, and shouldn't be criticized at such a young age, or at any age for that matter. You shouldn't change how God made you, is my opinion on the situation, and you should accept everyone for who they are and what they look like.
Thank you for writing about this really interesting topic! It made me think about what effects the fashion industry has on us. I look forward to coming back to see what you have for your next blog. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Goldfinch
Dear Molly,
ReplyDeleteThis is by far the most shocking blog that I have read thus far in the semester. I was in disbelief when I saw that on the video, a girl with what some, like me, would not even call a problem, got plastic surgery. This really shows what America has come to in the media.
“Maybe if parents learn themselves how much the media and fashion industry is effecting our lives and views on everyday people, they could pass those morals along to their children and maybe bullying could be reduced.” This quote stuck out to me because it is the first thing that I thought of whenever I saw the video. I was thinking that I could not believe that the parents even let the girl get plastic surgery because now they are thinking that she is not perfect.
“When I saw the picture of the young girl pre-surgery, I thought her ears were normal, and lots of times children have "abnormal" features that they grow into over the years.” I absolutely agree with what you are saying here. I also did not see anything wrong with the girl in the picture. Also I know plenty of people who have grown into certain parts of their body. It is just crazy to think that such a small flaw would even be considered to have plastic surgery done.
I am very glad that you wrote about this in your blog. It is good to know that someone is paying attention to the negative affects that the media is having on America. I will continue to read your blogs for their interesting insight.
Sincerely,
Bluebird
Dear The Shop Around The Corner,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog post very fun to read because I can relate to this topic. I often feel the pressure to dress and look a certain way. I know many other girls who also fall into the pressure that industries and society put out. It is a very real situation that happens daily. I liked when you said, " They are setting our goals for us, and telling us that the only way to reach them is to buy what they have to offer". Corporations show us products that they are selling and through advertisements makes us believe we need them to be satified with our appearance. We probably would have never felt the need for these products that are meant to better our appearance had the corporation not made us believe we do. In most cases, we make what we want and "need" exactly what corporations rub in our face. I also found the statement about the 7-year old girl very interesting. You stated, " In this case, a 7-year-old didn't look the way classmates and adults viewed as right or good". A 7-year old should never feel bad about how they look. I am in utter disbelief that such a young girl had plastic surgury all because she was bullied. The fact that the parents of the child even let this happen is outrageous. It makes me sad to think that children are affected by this non-stop pressure that corporations cause. I hope that we can begin to see the fine line between what we "need" and do not need. Thanks for writing! I will come back soon if you write about topics that blow me away.
Britney Crawley