The Documentaries Killing Us Softly 4 Essay - 1252 Words

According to Sociologist Craig Calhoun, socialization is â€Å"the process through which individuals internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a society and learn to function as its members†(Calhoun, 2013). With that in mind, media, particularly the music video and advertisement industry, are essential parts of contemporary socialization, especially involving the perpetuation of gender roles in our culture. At a very young age, children learn, without difficulty, the differences between boys and girls, and what standards they are held to. Women are often objectified, systematically demoralized, and dehumanized in the music video industry and mainstream advertisement. External forces, such as the media, not only guide children to understand the norms of each gender, but these forces also shape children and adolescent’s perception of the self. The documentaries Killing Us Softly 4 directed by Jean Kilbourne and Dream World 3 directed by Sut Jhally explore the distort ed and fallacious ideals of femininity and sexuality expressed in contemporary media. The documentaries Dream World 3 and Killing Us Softly 4 examine the exploitation of women within the media. The media, such as advertisement and the music video industry, relies heavily on the seductive image of female sexuality. Evident in not only every genre of music, but also every form of advertisement, the videos and advertisements expose and, subsequently sexualize the female body. Such sexualization inevitable leads toShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Gender Trouble By Judith Butler1710 Words   |  7 Pageson the values we are taught?†. This paper will break down Butler’s novel and explain how she answers her main question. As well as how she brings performativity, specifically within gender to light. In the second part of this essay, different documentaries as well as films that reflect the idea Butler gets across in her own novel and how it affects our everyday lives. In Gender Trouble, Butler explains the difference between sex and gender. She states that sex is biological, while gender isRead MoreEssay about Women and Advertising2280 Words   |  10 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the year 1999, $120 billion was spent on marketing products to consumers (Killing Us Softly 3). Along with products, the advertising industry sells the intangible: â€Å"Ads sell a great deal more than products. They sell values, images, and concepts of success of worth, love and sexuality, popularity, and normalcy. They tell us who we are and who we should be. Sometimes they sell addictions† (Kilbourne, Beauty and the Beast). When the average person is bombarded by 2,000-3,000 ads a day (KilbourneRead MoreTaking a Look at Magazine Advertisements505 Words   |  2 Pageswhich is to get the consumer to buy their products, is seemingly obvious. Most of the messages that ads are sending are being received to the viewer’s subconscious mind. As Jean Kil bourne touches upon in her documentary Killing Us Softly 4, ads not only tell us what we need to buy, they tell us who we are (Killbourne, 2010). The specific ad I will be analyzing is an ad that was produced by the marketing executives at BMW. The ad can be found in many different magazines and the targeted audience forRead MoreEthics in Advertising Essay1263 Words   |  6 Pagesgreater extent they tell us who we are and who we should be,† (Killing Us Softly 4). Advertisements make women feel pressured to look like the supermodels on the cover of Sport’s Illustrated Swim Suit Edition, or the models on the pages Victoria’s Secret’s magazine. The media illustrates a body and look for a woman that is based on flawlessness, something no one can attain. If a model is not perfect, the computer makes them perfect. According to Kilbourne’s documentary, Oprah Winfrey’s head wasRead MoreKilling Us Softly 4 : The Advertising s Image Of Women983 Wor ds   |  4 Pageswe choose to ignore or even are too obtuse to notice. Women are objectified, materialized, and over-sexualized in order to sell clothes, products, ideas and more. As a woman, I agree with the position Kilbourne presents throughout her documentary Killing Us Softly 4: The Advertising’s Image of Women (2010) and her TEDx Talk The Dangerous Ways Ads See Women (2014.) She demonstrates time and again that these advertisements are dangerous and lead to unrealistic expectations of women. I grew up readingRead MoreReading The Signs In Public Spaces: Ulta Beauty. The Space1073 Words   |  5 Pagesthe objectification of women bodies and Benefit’s brow ad is a scary reminder that advertisements are ruining young girls’ thought and ideas of what they should look like and what is societally appropriate for their age. In Jean Kilbourne’s Killing Us Softly 4, she talks about how unrealistic these ideals that photoshop creates really are, displaying a perfectly flawless, yet photoshopped, blonde haired, blue eyed woman – saying â€Å"she never has any lines or wrinkles. She certainly has no scars or blemishesRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Killing Us Softly 4 `` By Jean Kilbourne918 Words   |  4 Pagesand influential tools of advertising are women. But the unfortunate thing is that women are not just viewed as actresses in these ads but as objects for people to look at, use, abuse, and more. In her fourth installment in a line of documentaries, â₠¬Å"Killing Us Softly 4,† Jean Kilbourne explains the influence of advertising women and popular culture, and its relationship to gender violence, sexism and racism, and eating disorders. For women, advertising exemplifies the ideal female body. AccordingRead MoreGender Roles Of Man And Woman1668 Words   |  7 Pages From the beginning of the human race, gender roles of man and woman appeared to be straightforward with certain characteristics embedded in us. Women, being able to procreate, were sought to as nurturers, while men were to protect and provide for their family. Men were considered to be the dominant sex who lead, are powerful, and masculine, while women are considered to be nurturing, sensitive, and feminine. The stereotypes that individuals must encounter are visible everywhere from social situationsRead MoreThe Italian Clothing Company Diesel Released An Advertising Campaign1509 Words   |  7 Pagesartistic, edgy, and well representing of both men and women, the messages that they’re conveying in the campaign must be examined critically. In the documentary Killing Us Softly 4, Jean Kilbourne points out that, â€Å"ads sell more than products. They sell values, they sell images†¦ To a great extent they tell us who we are and who we should be,† (Killing Us Softly , 2012). This advertisement works to set up several dichotomies: smart/stupid, cowardice/bravery, and boring/interesting. These dichotomies workRead More A Look Inside a Woman’s World Essay example1156 Words   |  5 PagesHumans are undeniably trained and wired to judge others based on race, gender, and appearance. Unfortunately, women are stuck in all categories of judgments. Jean Kilbourne, an award-winning producer on documentaries about images of women in ads, explains that when media and advertisements exploit femininity for personal gain, women are at risk for much harm because it promotes objectification, which eventually will led to violence. An African American feminist, Joan Morgan, expresses her further