Food Inc.

I really enjoyed the food Inc. video. I was very interested, and it really opened my eyes to what I thought I already knew, but it turns out I had no idea how bad things really were. What really upsets me the most is feeling like I am not able to make decisions about what I eat for myself. I know if I went to extremes i probably could, but that just not realistic most of the time. I expect certain foods, like fast food, to be bad for me, and I realize the process it goes through before it gets to me is pretty awful, yet there are certain times I overlook that and give in to nasty junk food. But that's my decision. I don't want to think that when I'm actually trying to eat healthy, that my food is actually still bad for me because of all the chemicals and processes big companies are choosing to put our food through. It's kind of scary. We don't have much control over what we are putting into our bodies because that is all thats being presented to us. This needs to change.

Masculinity

     People’s opinion on masculinity and what makes a true man have been pretty much the same for a long time. Strong and tough, not showing emotion, being powerful and aggressive, dominating women. And I definitely still see that all over the place. However, I feel like there have also been many examples of men in the media lately that do not stick to those stereotypes.
     There are new examples of men being shown on t.v. and in movies that aren’t confined by those rules of masculinity. Guys are shown as being able to show emotion, be vulnerable, care about how they look. And I definitely think it’s making an impact on the public too. Most people don’t give a second thought to a guy who doesn’t fit those masculine stereotypes. It’s perfectly acceptable to most people. Not that most people don’t still abide by and support rules of gender code, but it’s ok for a guy to have more of a balance between "masculine" and “feminine” behaviors. It’s discouraged for a guy to be too stoic or aggressive for the most part.

Gender vs. Sex

In class we’ve talked a lot about gender and the pressure and expectations put on people based on their sex. Gender is something man-made, sex is what a person is naturally born as. I don’t agree with gender codes, I am all for the lines of gender being blurred. Sex on the other hand, I believe, is something much more concrete, and I don’t think those lines should be blurred. I think sometimes the lines between gender and sex get mixed up. A male shouldn’t feel like he has to abide by certain rules in order to be considered a “real man”, and a woman shouldn’t feel pressure to do certain things to make her a “real woman”. However, one is a man, and one is a woman, and there are differences that should remain and lines that shouldn’t be crossed. When the lines of sex begin to be blurred is when I see a problem. When people begin to blur the lines between male and female, it’s no longer a big deal to have separate bathrooms or locker rooms, people no longer have a sense of privacy or see a difference towards the opposite sex, I think that is inappropriate. So, I support loosening the reigns of gender code, but definitely in a conservative way.

Boys and the Superhero Culture vs. Disney

        In class we talked about superheroes and and the influence it has on young boys, similar to the princess culture and how it affects young girls. I feel like the overall themes that are seen in superheroes are positive, saving the day, stepping up to do what's right for mankind. But one potential problem is that the hero is usually not good enough as his normal self. It’s once something miraculous happens, or after tons of training to improve and change himself, that he is good enough to save the day or reach his dreams. Superheroes are also shown to be super tough, strong, and manly…

       Growing up, I was never a superhero boy, I was much more into the male Disney characters, like Aladdin and Hercules. (Regardless of how some may feel towards the princesses) I feel like the guys in Disney movies are a very good example for young boys. Aladdin for example is just a “street rat”, and at first he thinks that he has to become something he’s not, but it’s only when he returns to his true self that everything works out and he reaches his dreams. And Hercules, he’a a super human, but that doesn’t get him anywhere, its when he loses his powers that through love and self sacrifice that he is triumphant. I think these are great examples for young boys. It’s a different message then they are going to get in the majority of media surrounding them.

Junior High

A while back in class, when we were discussing Facebook and it’s tendency to “feed on fiction” and consist of not “real” friendships, one thing that was hit on that interested me was how Facebook is like choosing to go back to Junior High. I have never thought of it like that, but now that I do, it is so true! Everytime I get on Facebook I see posts by friends that are trying to sound like they aren't bragging, yet it's obvius that they are, and the way so many people will add almost anyone, just to get more "friends". People try to make their image look so cool and profiles are so focused on peoples appearance, rather being used as the communication tool that it is. Facebook really is like Junior High in online digital form. To try and avoid so much of the fake side of Facebook, and all the junk that can be found all over the place, I have limited my friends to just people that I actually know. If I wouldn't call them a friend in real life, than I don't add or accept them. I still have about 300 friends, but I actually know all of them, they are all people I have had some sort of real friendship or relationship with. because of this, I don't put up a fake front, because these people know me, and if i was being fake, I would be called out for it. They know my life, I don't make up a life different from what I am actually living. I think that woulod help a lot of people. Limit who you accept, it's not about trying to have the most friends, or having to accept everyone who requests to be your friend.