Orbach Essay

As a young girl myself, I have found that the increasing focus of the media and advertisements on the "real" woman is uplifting. 

I have grown up in a time where a size two is still too large, and am really disgusted with that fact. I wish I could say that this phenomenon has had no effect on me, but of course it has. I find myself some days being extremely self-critical instead of loving my body and appreciating what makes me stand out. We as women see these advertisements with sickly skinny models and punish ourselves because we don't look that way. The mindset and self-image of women today has been drastically changed by the increase in technology and its speedy effect. Today's woman "is not being compelled to bind her feet, she does it willingly.” Since we have more freedoms as women now than the women of the foot binding age did, we may choose what to wear and how to look. But, we choose wrong by basing our choices on what is portrayed by the media as what we “should” look like.

“Women have had enough of not finding themselves in the ads they look at.” I am so pleased to find all kinds of beauty being appreciated and recognized now. In Mainstream. This gives me great hope for our future. Maybe we will become less self centered and shallow and learn to appreciate the true beauty of a woman.

No Picture Tells the Truth-The Best Do Better Than That

"Pictures seize the microphone, and if they're good, they don't let go." This statement is absolutely true. Words may describe to you what happened, but a picture shows you. It gives you a sliver of insight that your imagination couldn't possibly come up with. A snapshot of history, that is undeniably there, proof of the event or happening in concrete evidence. There is an ongoing battle over whether a picture conveys the truth or not, and I believe this article puts it right in its final sentence, "not the truth, but a stand-in for the truth that will not leave the thoughts of those who saw it." That is the definition of a riveting picture. Something that you obviously weren’t there for, but know happened because of the photo. The picture conveys meaning. On the surface it’s just a blunt, straightforward tangible thing, but behind it is the intangible thoughts and feelings it creates. The article said it correctly, “you don’t need to see them to see them (speaking of enlightening photographs).” Some people argue that cropping, or resizing, or enriching the color changes the meaning of the photograph. “But meaning is determined long before that.” As soon as the shot is taken, the meaning of the picture is there. Even though the picture goes through a process of selection and sizing and judgment, the message always outs. 

A Family Photograph Album

This Article really hit home for me. I remember as a kid I kept what I called my "Memory Box." I had hundreds of family photos in there. I was and am very sentimental, so family photographs were and are important to me. I would sit there for hours and just look and reminisce. I still do this with photo albums when I'm feeling nostalgic. I even had a plan in case of an emergency, like a fire. I had a list of what to grab and where to go, and can you take a guess at what the first thing to grab was? I only wish I knew what happened to my box of memories. 

I now have learned to appreciate all families' photograph albums. I find it extremely interesting to go over to my friends’ houses and get them to whip out their old family pictures and go through it. I love it when the parents get involved, because behind every picture there is a story. A story that you might have forgotten, but once seen, the picture brings it all flooding back. I feel as though all humans are essentially sentimental. The feeling of belonging and familiarity that comes with having a history recorded through pictures is very special. I think that's why I love going to see my grandparents, because by gosh I will learn something new about my family every time. They always seem to be the hub for family history and information, and they are the ones with the photos. I love the way they said in the article " these are the most coveted of all family treasures.” These family collections of photographs, these snapshots of history can teach us so much. Every family has its own unique story and that story can be found through photographs. So, never hesitate to smile for a photo. After it is taken, you have become a part of history.

Hail to the V!

http://youtu.be/MxW_ZCd64tg

I recall the first time I watched this video. I remember thinking, "What in the world can this be about, probably a clever car commercial." Oh was I wrong! My mouth hit the floor when the final lines came about and I connected what was meant behind the statements made. "What has the world come to?" I screamed. I yelled for my mom and quickly rewound the commercial to the beginning. I paused it just before the reveal and said, "I bet you can't guess what this commercial is about." No one can, unless you have seen it before. The shock quickly subsided, but my mind was still racing. I couldn't and still can't believe that this is on live television being shown around the world. Who knew the world had become so open, so blatantly open. Since when was it okay to talk about vaginas on television, and not just talk about the simple anatomy, but in such a way that is empowering, yet demeaning to women? Well it is now...This commercial lures the viewer in by a sequence of questions and pretty scenes looking as if pulled straight from a major blockbuster hit. The questions never give away the true meaning or subject so it makes you think... and you definitely don't come up with the correct answer. The scenes span logically over time, looking like familiar stories of history. Then, when the end comes it is modern times and you find out just what they meant by all those stories. They meant that lust controls men, and women have the key lust point. Thus, controlling the universe. They use logos so very cleverly, by showing us stories we know to be true, simple history, although extremely ironic in a vagina commercial. It gets a laugh, but upon further thinking, those examples actually or probably did happen. So, ladies do want to get these cloths and wash so that they do become or wield "the most powerful thing in the world." But, it is also giving off the vibe that women are good for only one thing... It's also making men of history and modern times look like sex craved fiends fighting and dying for "the cradle of life." So, is it an ad to empower women and womanly parts? Helping us women appreciate the beautiful vagina and the power it has by proving what it has done in the past? Or, is it hindering woman's progress in this world by putting us back into the subservient sexual object slot? I am inclined to think that this commercial is all too true. That woman does hold a power over man, and I enjoyed the historical montage. This commercial may take it a bit too far, but does revert back to the basic human instincts. I think the recognition of this primitive knowledge of female/male attraction is what makes us uneasy about seeing something like that out in the open today. It scares us with the blunt truth, all while selling clean vaginas to women! How sly.

Jobs vs. jobs

http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/pccartoons/archives/bagley.asp?Action=GetImage

The key issue this cartoon is addressing would have to be the skewed focus of the American populations' sources of information. In this cartoon, an ironic play on words is taking place. Wall St. signifies what the media is actually focusing on, and Main St. shows what is actually happening in the real world. It is ironically convenient that the man getting Wall St.'s attention, Steve Jobs has that last name. Although, Jobs leaving the company will affect the stock market, the issue, according to my interpretation of the cartoon, that Wall St. should be focusing on, but isn't, is the fact that there is a massive loss in jobs for the American population. Main St. looks dark and dank compared to Wall St., which probably signifies that the real world is in shambles and Wall St. chooses not to recognize it and instead focuses on trivial things. This cartoon is portrayed in an ironically comical way, but is purposefully so. That way the reader laughs at the irony, but recognizes that it is ironic, thus catching attention and helping the serious message to penetrate deeper than the surface. 

Visual Rhetoric on campus

So, it is the first week of college, a bright new beginning for each freshman incoming (myself). Adjusting to the hustle and bustle and mileage of this prototypical experience is a little daunting, but not too overwhelming. I am aware of a smile on my face everyday, so I seem to be managing. I make a walk across Library Bridge at least once everyday. This, I found to be the main conduit between classes, for it almost always is swarming with people. Now, as I meandered through the masses I became aware of many people dressed in very similar attire, albeit different shirts. Using my keen eyesight I couldn't help but notice the Greek letters in bold and some, in exotic animal print on the front of those shirts. I was then forced to deduce that "Rush Week" had begun. Sororities dress this way, all matching within their own societies, and casually wearing "Go Greek" buttons, according to my roommate, because they aren't to speak to anyone else besides their own kind, so wearing those shirts makes it easier to recognize a sister. I believe this rule is not for the purpose of keeping secret plans or whatever they may think, but for the purpose of representing unity. After all, they are looking for recruits...fresh blood to liven things up. They want people to notice them, and want to know what they are about and how great it would be to be a part of something big. How absolutely fabulous it would be to wear one of those shirts and have common ground with fellow students, where you wouldn't before, being new. How excellent it would be to just... belong. The wearing of a simple shirt can convey so much. The sororities are geniuses when it comes to rhetoric, and not just visually. My afore mentioned roommate is "rushing". She came home stressed and complaining about all the things they "suggest" that you do. Like: smelling nice, looking nice, not sweating, speaking politely, and fresh breath, because that is common courtesy to fellow "rushers". Why in the world would they accept someone who wasn't courteous? Then to top it all off you must somehow make an impression, be remembered. All the while you are conforming to their every want and regulation. What they really mean by these "suggestions" is do these things or you won't even be considered. So what do you do? Risk individuality to belong, or be unique and not belong? They are so persuasive, these sororities...