Tatum/ McIntosh

Racism is still a factor in our society today. Though it may not be as harsh as it was forty years ago, it still exists as we know it. I don’t feel that myself as a person, I am racist at all. I will not treat you any different depending on your skin color or accent. That kind of behavior is just not in my moral standards. McIntosh did make some great points in her essay about the “White Privilege” that hold some true value. I believe that it is very true that whites can go about their daily life a little less stressed then some blacks, but I also believe that anyone can achieve anything, no matter race, gender, color, size, etc. Despite the wonderful world of everyone being equal, there is still a harsh reality that people are treated different based on their gender, race, etc.
I agree with Tatum that being racist and realizing the difference in people starts around the preschool years. That is a time when you are first exposed to other people besides your family and are able to learn for yourself about other children your age. Although a preschooler may not understand why the other child looks that way, if they are taught to treat them differently than that is what they will do. However, if they are taught to respect everyone no matter what color skin they have, that may result in a stable, open minded child.

Visual Analysis and Advertisements

The beginning of the reading was rather boring. It just gave, in detail, items to look for in advertisements, ways, to analyze them, etc. The more interesting part for me was the actual advertisements. You can do and portray so many things through an advertisement. The use of text and the style of the picture say a lot. I liked how they compared the “America: Open for Business” ad and the Coach Bag ad American Open for Business uses the American Flag bag to represent being in business where as the Coach ad uses words to persuade people to buy their product without flat out saying, BUY THIS BAG. There are many ways to use advertising and these two ads do a very good job of getting their point across.
The Iron Maiden is a very true article. Today, all girls want to do is look like the women in the magazines. Being yourself just isn’t enough anymore, though it seems. I, like many other girls my age have looked in the mirror and hated what I saw. I’ve said countless times that I wish I looked like that girl or had as bright of a smile as that girl. But the truth of the matter is I am perfectly fine just the way I am. I hate when ads try and tell you how beautiful women look and that if you dress or talk or do these things you’ll be beautiful. I don’t think that many of these magazine companies understand how many young girls are starving themselves or criticizing themselves just because they don’t look just like the models. I understand that fashion designers want their clothes to look the best so they think they must find the tallest, skinniest model out there, when really, their clothes would look just as great on someone who is an average 150 pound woman!