Josh Odishoo Adam Padgett ENGL 1102 April 2nd, 2014 Research Paper Hmm, social media !

hen "e hear the "ords social media "e #s#all$ thin% o& things li%e the internet and the hand&#l o& sites associated "ith it s#ch as 'ace(oo%, )"itter, *nstagram, +ine, ,o#)#(e, etc- .#t, "hat most people &orget a(o#t are ad/ertisements- Ad/ertisements are a pers#asi/e tool #sed e/er$"here, not 0#st on the internet, (#t in tele/ision, maga1ines, and on (ill(oards all o/er the "orld- Ad/ertisers #se a /ariet$ o& techni2#es to pers#ade their target a#dience especiall$ thro#gh the #se o& .EA3),- )he idea o& #sing good4loo%ing, thin, se5$ models to pers#ade /ie"ers has (ecome a s#ccess&#l $et o(sessi/e techni2#e thro#gho#t ad/ertising- )eenagers and adolescents are e5tremel$ /#lnera(le to (eing ta#ght the idea that the "orld is rarel$ #gl$ or o/er"eight (eca#se o& "hat the$ see in posted ads all o/er social media)he constant appearance o& 6ideal7 images thro#gho#t ad/ertisements ca#se man$ insec#rities "ith the teenage pop#lation toda$- 8ail$ cons#mption o& ad/ertisements thro#gh social media ca#ses (od$ dissatis&action &or man$ teenage girls, leading to se/eral emotional health conse2#ences that res#lt in eating disorders and (odil$ harmOn a/erage, teenagers spend 10 ho#rs and 49 min#tes o& media cons#mption per da$ :/ideo;- *& $o# do the math, that<s o/er =>00 ho#rs per $ear- ?edia and technolog$ is deli/ering content that is shaping o#r societ$, (#t most importantl$ the$ are shaping o#r $o#ng generation<s (rains, li/es, and emotions (eca#se o& the amo#nt o& cons#mption- )his is a pro(lem (eca#se %ids are (eing e5posed to all sorts o& #n&iltered media, mean"hile their (rains are not &#ll$ de/eloped-

Restrictions that happened (ac% in the late 1@00<s simpl$ don<t happen toda$ and that<s a pro(lem (eca#se media simpl$ has no &ilterAocial media simpl$ "rec%s &emales emotionall$- At s#ch an earl$ age, girls are gi/en the message that the most important thing is ho" the$ loo%, and that their /al#e and "orth depends on that- )his message is sho"n &rom ad/ertisements, &rom &ilms, tele/ision sho"s, e/er$"here "e loo%- )hat<s to#gh (eca#se girls &eel the press#re to respond ($ attaining the (ea#t$ that media portra$s- )oda$ is all a(o#t the (od$, not a(o#t the (rain and that is "rong- ?odern c#lt#re #n&ort#natel$ sho"s that (eing strong, smart and accomplished isnBt eno#gh, (#t to stri/e &or an #nattaina(le deal o& (ea#t$ and appro/al in the e$es o& men is the main accomplishment*n order to accomplish this #nattaina(le deal o& (ea#t$, man$ teenage girls go thro#gh periods o& depression and lo" sel&4con&idence res#lting in eating disorders or e/en o/ere5ercise- C9D o& "oman and girls ha/e an eating disorder : ;- )a%ing this statistic, "e can concl#de that the main ass#mption to "h$ this is happening is (eca#se o& the portra$al that the media p#ts on "omen as se5 dolls or (od$ props)he media simpl$ "ants $o# to (e something that $o#r not- )he media "ants people to &eel an5io#s and insec#re- 'or men, its all a(o#t stat#s and po"er, at least loo%ing li%e $o# ha/e po"er- 'or "oman, $o#r 0#st ne/er (ea#ti&#l eno#gh- Girls are spending more on (ea#t$ prod#cts and salon ser/ices in order to &it to the needs o& societ$- 3-A "oman spend (et"een E12,0004E19000 on (ea#t$ prod#cts and salon ser/ices per $ear- )his n#m(er is o#trageo#s and co#ld (e #sed to"ards pa$ing o&& t"o $ears o& t#ition &or college- )he American Ps$chological Association has &o#nd that sel&4o(0ecti&ication has (ecome a national epidemic o& "hich conse2#ences consist o& shame, an5iet$, and sel&4disg#st- )he more girls sel&4o(0ecti&$ themsel/es, the more li%el$ the$ are to ha/e eating disorders, (e depressed, and e/en s#&&er

lo"er GPA<s)he media sho"s so m#ch negati/it$ to"ards "oman and their "eight and ho" the$ loo%- )eenage girls &eel tons o& press#re to con&orm to men<s ideals- )heir is a concept o& the 6per&ect7 "omen and &or those "ho donBt loo% the "a$ that the$ sho#ld are scr#tini1ed toda$Girls are at school to learn, (#t instead ha/e the press#re o& p#tting on po#nds o& ma%e#p to loo% good and appeal to the appearance that is represented in societ$- Girls "ho don<t ha/e that per&ect (od$ go thro#gh &aces o& depression res#lting in c#tting and (odil$ harm- .od$ dissatis&action leads to &eelings o& press#re "hich leads to eating disorders- *n the old da$s, (ea#t$ "as achie/ed thro#gh cosmetics and air(r#shing, no" a da$s comp#ters digitall$ alter ho" a person loo%s and %ids are (eing enco#raged to relate to that image at a $o#nger and $o#nger age each time- ,et its an impossi(le standard and teens are #na"are o& "hat ad/ertisers do to l#re in their a#dience'or the most part, teenagers arenBt a"are o& photoshop and ho" comp#ters digatill$ alter images to a near impossi(le (ea#t$- On a/erage it ta%es a h#man (rain (et"een 1>424 $ears to &#ll$ de/elop, so the idea that these teens at s#ch a $o#ng age ha/e the mat#rit$ and %no"ledge to %no" "hat goes on is n#ts- )he$ are a m#ch more /#lnera(le class in societ$- )he media displa$s anore5ic "omen all o/er the media and conditions societ$ to thin%ing that 6this is ho" "e sho#ld loo% li%e7- *ts "rong- .od$ o& a/erage si1e $et the$ are o/er"ieght and tend to go into anore5ia thin%ing the$ need to get thinner and thinner to condone *t ta%es a lot o& lo/e and s#pport to &ind strength a&ter going thro#gh a phase o& eating disorders9=D o& 1= $ear old girls are #nhapp$ "ith their (odies- )hat n#m(er increases to F>D ($ age 1FC9D o& "oman and girls ha/e an eating disorder- 1FD o& teens engage in c#tting or in0#rio#s (eha/ior- Rates o& depression ha/e do#(led (et"een 2000 and toda$- to societ$- )his is a ma0or pro(lem- )hese ad/ertisements com(ined "ith the constant attraction to social media sites on the

internet ca#se man$ insec#rities "ithin the teenage pop#lation toda$- Ad/ertisers do a great 0o( in choosing the most (ea#ti&#l, thin "omen or !hat most people &orget is that these ad/ertisements are displa$ed to attract their /ie"ers- O&ten times $o# "ill notice a thin, (ea#ti&#l girl or an e5tremel$ m#sc#lar man sho"n holding the .#rger Ging 6!hopper7 or drin%ing a Pepsi Hero- Ad/ertisers do this on p#rpose- Ne5t time $o#r sitting on the co#ch "atching some tele/ision or &lipping thro#gh a maga1ine, tr$ and co#nt ho" man$ times $o# come across these t$pe o& models- a tanned, slender &emale or a toned male "ith m#scles popping o#t o& their soc%ets- * can almost (et that $o# "on<t ha/e eno#gh &ingers to %eep co#nt "ith ($ the time $o#r done- People, especiall$ the $o#ng generation, 0#st don<t reali1e that these cele(rities and 6ideals7 that the$ see ha/e gone thro#gh ho#rs o& e5ercise, ma%e4#p and haircare, &ollo"ed #p "ith electronic Photoshop in order to hide an$ &acial imper&ections or stomach cell#lite- )his leads teenagers to thin%ing that "hat the$ see is "hat the$ sho#ld (e, and in man$ cases this can lead to se/eral emotional and ph$sical conse2#encesAtatistics &rom a 2012 s#r/e$ sho" that @9D o& teenagers s#r& the internet and o& those, >1D #se social media sites: ;- Aocial media is e5tremel$ rele/ant and teenage #sers are constantl$ chec%ing on others photos or #ploading ne" photos o& their o"n- *mages o& cele(rities or 6ideal7 models are posted e/er$"here, "hether on 'ace(oo%, *nstagram, or e/en t"itter)hese images alter the "a$ teenagers loo% at themsel/es and ca#ses a sense o& (od$ dissatis&action (eca#se the$ &eel that the$ don<t meet that ideal- Re&erring to tele/ision, on a/erage a teenager spends more time in &ront o& the tele/ision than an$ other acti/it$ other than sleeping, cons#ming o/er =90,000 commercials ($ age 1>)he %e$ strateg$ to an$ appealing ad/ertisement comes &rom something %no"n as Photoshop- Photoshop is the altering o& a digital image #sing image4editing so&t"are especiall$

in a "a$ that distorts realit$ :?erriam4!e(ster;- Altho#gh this tool "or%s in con/incing its /ie"ers &rom a mar%eter<s standpoint, this techni2#e is e5tremel$ detrimental to o#r $o#ng generation toda$ (eca#se it completel$ alters "hat 6normal7 reall$ is- 6E5pos#re to #nrealistic media images and messages has (een identi&ied as a ris% &actor &or (od$ dissatis&action, eating dist#r(ances, and mental health concerns7 :Je&&ers;- )eenagers o&ten times str#ggle determining 6tr#th &rom realit$7 and social media does it<s 0o( in ma%ing this pro(lem contin#e- )eenagers constantl$ glance o/er h#ndreds o& ad/ertisements e/er$da$ to the point that a clear /is#al o& "hat the 6ideal7 (od$ sho#ld loo% li%e is stored a"a$ in their minds- )his can lead to depressi/e s$mptoms and (od$ dissatis&action &or those indi/id#als "ho &eel that the$ don<t meet that 6ideal7 ph$sical appearance that societ$ is loo%ing &or)hin4ideal &or "omen and m#sc#larit$ &or men has led teenagers to &eel the press#res &rom the media- .eing e5posed e/er$da$ to a certain appearance ca#ses con&#sion in teenage /ie"ers- )eenagers, ha/ing to li/e ($ the 6norm7, &eel the need to alter themsel/es ph$sicall$ to "hat the social media &la#nts as an 6ideal7 (od$- )his 6ideal7 (od$ that is (eing &la#nted is either meas#ra(l$ thinner or toned than an a/erage h#man (eing sho#ld normall$ (e- )eenagers don<t %no" that- )he$ &eel that

People learn more &rom media than an$ other so#rce o& in&ormation- ?edia and technolog$ is deli/ering content that is shaping o#r societ$, (#t most importantl$ the$ are shaping o#r $o#ng generation<s (rains, li/es, and emotions- Gids toda$ li/e on &ace(oo% and sel& phones- Restrictions that happened (ac% in the late 1@oo<s simpl$ don<t happen toda$- ?edia sho"s e/er$thing- Girls get the message at s#ch a $o#ng age that the most important thing is ho" the$ loo%, that their /al#e and their "orth depends on that- !e get it &rom ad/ertisement, &rom

&ilms, teli/ision sho"s, e/er$"here "e loo%- )oda$ is all a(o#t the (od$, not a(o#t the (rain?odern c#lt#re #n&ort#natl$ sho"s that (eing strong, smart and accomplished isnBt eno#gh, (#t to stri/e &or an #nattaina(le deal o& (ea#t$ and appro/al in the e$es o& men- *n order to accomplish this #nattaina(le deal o& (ea#t$, man$ teenage girls go thro#gh eating disorders that ta%e #p $ears and $ears o& their li/es- *t ta%es a lot o& lo/e and s#pport to &ind strength a&ter going thro#gh a phase o& eating disorders- 9=D o& 1= $ear old girls are #nhapp$ "ith their (odies- )hat n#m(er increases to F>D ($ age 1F- C9D o& "oman and girls ha/e an eating disorder- 1FD o& teens engage in c#tting or in0#rio#s (eha/ior- Rates o& depression ha/e do#(led (et"een 2000 and toda$- )he media sho"s so m#ch negati/it$ to"ards "oman and their "eight and ho" the$ loo%- )eenage girls &eel tons o& press#re to con&orm to mens ideals- )heir is a concept o& the 6per&ect7 "omen and &or those "ho donBt loo% that "a$ are scr#tini1ed toda$Girls are at school to learn, (#t instead ha/e the press#re o& p#tting on po#nds o& ma%e#p to loo% good and appeal to the appearance that is represented in societ$- Girls "ho don<t ha/e that per&ect (od$ go thro#gh &aces o& depression res#lting in c#tting and (odil$ harm- .od$ dissatis&action leads to &eelings o& press#re "hich leads to eating disorders- *n the old da$s, (ea#t$ "as achie/ed thro#gh cosmetics and air(r#shing, no" a da$s comp#ters digatall$ alter ho" a person loo%s and %ids are (eing enco#raged to relate to that image at a $o#nger and $o#nger age each time- ,et its and impossi(le standard- 'or the most part, teenagers arent a"are o& photoshop and ho" comp#ters digatill$ alter images to a near impossi(le (ea#t$- On a/erage it ta%es a h#man (rain (et"een 1>424 $ears to &#ll$ de/elop, so the idea that these teens at s#ch a $o#ng age ha/e the mat#rit$ and %no"ledge to %no" "hat goes on is n#ts- )he$ are a m#ch more /#lnera(le class in societ$- )he media displa$s anore5ic "omen all o/er the media and conditions societ$ to thin%ing that 6this is ho" "e sho#ld loo% li%e7- *ts "rong- .od$ o& a/erage si1e $et the$ are

o/er"ieght and tend to go into anore5ia thin%ing the$ need to get thinner and thinner to condone to societ$-

,et, little do the$ %no" that it<s comp#ters that digitall$ alter the "a$ "omen loo% not cosmetics and air(r#shing E5amples s#ch as doritos commercials, the media "ants $o# to (e something that $o#r not- )he media "ants people to &eel an5io#s and insec#re- 'or men, its all a(o#t stat#s and po"er, atleast loo%ing li%e $o# ha/e po"er- 'or "oman, $o#r 0#st ne/er (ea#ti&#l eno#gh- Girls are spending more on (ea#t$ prod#cts that are mostl$ m$ths- 3-A "oman spend E12,000419000 on (ea#t$ prod#cts and salon ser/ices per $ear.et"een 1@@F and 200F the amo#nt o& cosmetic s#rgical proced#res tripled- )he a/erage &aceli&t is ro#ghl$ 12,000 "hich can almost pa$ &or t"o $ears o& t#ition &or state #ni/ersit$- )he American Ac$cological Association has &o#nd that sel&4o(0ecti&ication has (ecome a national epidemic o& "hich conse2#ences consist o& shame, an5iet$, and sel&4disc#st- )he more girls sel&4 o(0ecti&$ themsel/es, the more li%el$ the$ are to ha/e eating disorders, (e depressed, lo"er con&idence, and e/en lo"er GPAs!oman are loo%ed at as se5 o(0ects in m#sic /ideos, mo/ies, etc- "oman are 0#st (od$ props there to aro#se $o#ng male /ie"ers- *n G rated mo/ies, &emale characters are 0#st as li%e to (e "earing se5 related clothing as in R rated mo/ies- ?ore than 20D o& girls ha/e se5 (e&ore age 14-

)hro#gho#t m$ paper and thro#gh m$ research and personal e5periences, Atatistics &rom a 2012 s#r/e$ sho" that @9D o& teenagers in the 3nited Atates #se the internet and o& those, >1D #se social media sites-