Tough Guise Video

Since we didn't really get to discuss the 'Tough Guise' Video, I felt I needed to get some things off my chest concerning it. It was very strange to see these opinions but at the same time I wasn't surprised by the conclusions that were drawn. Perhaps it is our day and age that has changed the ways boys and men act and consider themselves successful/attractive. It surely does explain the growing violent crimes and domestic violence in the home, but Jackson Kats is right when he says this will be harder than we think to fix.
It is also a problem for our world that we can't just allow people to be themselves, and so we make fun of them in order make them 'fit inside this tiny box' of what we 'expect them to be'. So does this mean all men are supposed to act like Bruce Willis in Die Hard (or any other of his blockbuster hits...)? Are Bruce Willis or Liam Neeson the only real men out there?
Of course not, but I believe (as I think I have said too much in my previous blog posts) that the movies make people think too much about what they do and say. Men believe, perhaps, that in order to 'get the girl in the end' or 'get the most respect from people' that they have to be tough, violent, and strong.
I'm not saying that movies are the only reason...
Mr. Kats brings up girls roles in how men see themselves, and yes, too many girls validate this 'tough guy image'. We need to learn and change our ways also, and try to look deeper than the muscles and brooding. We also need to remember that more often than not, when we go after those 'tough guys' we are almost always disappointed with how much they don't respect us.
So this truly is an issue in our world - and as we can see via crime reports, it is only getting worse (for men and women). This video was very inspirational and even though I had moved past 'falling for the bad boys' years ago ... I will remember this video for the future and for my girlfriends that could find themselves in the same predicament.

Women's Portrayal in Advertising

Jean Kilgore's movie was very inspirational and informational. It really communicated the idea that women are being taken advantage of and objectified into a very clear and concise manner. It was clear even to the men in the room that there was an issue for the women, I think when the men noticed it really struck a cord with me.
When I consider that I am going into the business of advertising, I wonder how being a woman will affect what I do and how others work with me? And I also wonder when something is created or an idea is put out there, that really degrades women and puts them down - will I be able to stand up against the person's idea?
In a fast paced world like advertising, it seems like you either run with it or you get left behind. Maybe that is why so much of the advertising is the way it is now... it has been done so quickly and with a smaller group that no one was around to say, "this is kind of sexist". Still, there are some beautiful parts to advertising and those parts drove me to want to get involved in it... hopefully I will find myself in the midst of that firm / that movement.
What is sad to me mostly about the video we saw in class... is the fact that, most likely this kind of advertising and sex-driven work isn't going anywhere. At least not anytime soon, so are we just supposed to adapt and bear it? Most people are, and I personally can see the changes in the younger generations. The reliance on technology and make-up .. the idea that not having a girlfriend at the age of 7 is the end of the world.
I wasn't anything like the kids are nowadays... and I don't know how much worse it is going to get. It is scary to even contemplate it.

Rap Videos and Hip-Hop Histories

I was very very engaged by the music videos we saw in class, and completely in awe of the histories of all of the artists and rappers of the past. It is interesting to me that many of the past artists had some many negative relations between their producers and signers.
I liked the input from you, about being really careful with who you trust in any job offers you take. Many people aren't careful enough, and can be taken advantage of financially or worse. It was interesting to see the differences in the videos over time and in different areas of the country.
Like I said in class, the video we first saw about 'self destruction' was done in a very New York manner... the surroundings and PSA-type execution. And the video called "We are all in the same gang", was made in a very Los Angeles manner... the way the video was shot looked almost like a movie or a more current video (from today).
Also, those videos were very inspirational.