How The Media Influences Public Perceptions Media Essay

How The Media Influences Public Perceptions Media Essay3.1 Introduction to the mediaThe mass media is one of the most influential sources of providing news to members of the public. It in any causal agency has a powerful impact on public perceptions of specific issues, for example sex offenders (Brayford Deering, 2012). In order for a story to enter any ground level of the mass media, it needs to meet certain newsworthy criteria to help media companies entice greater audiences, thus increasing over wholly profit (Galtung Ruge, 1965). Female sexual offend fulfils key aspects of newsworthy criteria. The flakes covered tend to include elements of solemnness and negativity, which appeals to audiences (Greer, 2003). Child sexual offenders have long received much interdict coverage by the mass media, causing a topic for public debate (Kitzinger, 2004).This chapter foc pulmonary tuberculosiss on how the media re inserts FCSOs, with particular reference to the genus Vanessa George case, and examines how it keister influence public perception of FCSOs. It is valuable to none that most academic research involving child sexual offenders, and also the media, focus on sexual offenders in general rather than specifically FCSOs. consequently this chapter bases its conclusions on the limited research available. Anformer(a) important issue to consider is that the media nominates conflicting representations of women as offenders, in particular FCSOs. On the one hand, female person offenders, wish well Myra Hindley, who receive large amounts of media attention, ar demonised, just now on the other hand, many other FCSOs go unnoticed in the media payable to the traditional concepts of femininity (Giguere Bumby, 2007). These contradictions are often mirrored in public reactions, creating complications. The challenges in understanding representations of FCSOs are explored during the course of the chapter.How the media influences public perceptions of FCSOsThe hypo dermic syringe model is a speculation which describes the media identical a drug, injecting doctrines directly into the minds of readers (Kitzinger, 2004). This is one management of understanding the effect of the media on public perceptions of FCSOs. It place produce a powerful effect, as the emotion produced by these offences could be why the media choose to hatch on them. Reports whitethorn cause outbursts of street anger and violence, stemming from moral panic, creating hysteria among the public (Thomas, 2005 Cohen, 1972). This is evident in the case of nursery worker Vanessa George (BBC, 2009) who shoutd children in her care. The media coverage of this case may have made the public start to look at women, curiously those working with children, in a different light, with the same suspicion as men. However, evidence suggests that this has only been provoked by the rare number of FCSO cases actually inform on, as most of the time society has a blind spot regarding female- perpetrated sexual abuse (Tsopelas et al., 2012). This is overdue to the care-giving roles which females are expected to hold towards children (Finkelhor et al., 1988), which are habitually represented in assorted forms of the media films, news reports, TV, etc. It could be argued that, depending on which particular ideology the media decides to report on with regards to FCSOs, their portrayal will have a significant impact on how society views them. This illustrates the complications created by the media, providing contradictory perceptions of FSCOs, causing confusion as to how the public should perceive them.The media uses tactics such as affective language and imagery to influence how the public view certain criminals. One example is the use of the iconic image of Myra Hindley within media reports. The picture showed her as passionless and cold, making her seem masculine (see appendix 1). Being such a powerful and well- cognize case, it also shaped how society imagines FCSO s to look (Kitzinger, 2004). Even though this was proved to be a co-offending case, it showed how society views any female involved in such crimes as going against the traditional gender model of women. This relates to the theory utilise by many feminists who argue that such women are regarded as double deviant, and receive harsher treatment by society, as they not only respite the law, but also break feminine norms (Heidensohn, 1987). Applying this theory, FCSOs may be regarded as the worst form of criminals, due to the seriousness of their offences. This could explain why they receive such negative portrayals within the media. However, a counter-argument is that females involved in child sexual offending may be viewed by the public as harmless, and their involvement is not perceived as a form of abuse. If the media do not themselves believe that female-perpetrated sexual abuse is a problem within society, they can hardly provide such negative representation with impunity. This i s fight backed by Denov (2003), who states that the public perceive FCSOs as exciteting less serious offences than male sexual offenders, due to the common persuasion that women cannot be capable of committing such crimes. Thus, it appears that the media is likely to hold similar views in order to serve the interests of the public, and focuses attention primarily on issues involving male sexual offenders. at that place is strong evidence to suggest that FCSOs are treated as double deviant, although few theorists would refute this, with the rationale that they are perceived as less serious criminals than their male counterparts. However, when considering examples such as Myra Hindley, that would appear to be a false supposition.Media representations of FCSOsHistorically, FCSOs have rarely been reported on by the media. This may be due to the myth that abuse by a female is seen as a confused form of love (Gannon Cortoni, 2010 13), and suggests that even if women do sexually abus e children, it is in a less aggressive manner than male sexual offenders, and may not necessarily inflict damage on a child. The media is unlikely to report on these cases, as they do not fit newsworthy criteria discussed earlier. This could be why the public generally has a lack of knowledge concerning issues surrounding female child sexual offending. As Strickland (2008) argues, men are traditionally viewed as having more aggressive personalities, and are more likely to commit criminal offences. Consequently, it can be argued that these stereotypes make it easy for the media to report on issues and cases linked to them. Moreover, the lack of reports on FCSOs could explain the reason for the lack of disclosure by their victims (Denov, 2003). This is discussed in Chapter 5. As indicated in Chapter 1, any abuse committed by females is usually referred to in the media as a relationship or affair (Tsopelas et al., 2012 306) compared with when the perpetrator is a man, in which case the reporters often refer to them as abusers, again resulting in lack of reports on cases perpetrated by females. This encourages academics to ask the question of whether female-perpetrated child sexual abuse is under-reported, due to the above reasons, or if it is so uncommon that there are not enough cases for the media to actually report on.Nowadays increasing knowledge and awareness just about issues of female child sexual offending has roused strong societal reactions, resulting in increased coverage in the media. Newspapers frequently portray FCSOs as evil monsters (Gakhal Brown, 2011). This shows a dramatic change from when they were largely ignored in the media, or seen to be coerced into abuse by a male, and has given society a new view on the problem. One of the most dramatic cases with wide media coverage was that of Vanessa George. A mother of devil, she worked at a nursery in Plymouth. In declination 2009 she was convicted of sexual assault, and the making of and bein g in possession of/distributing indecent images of children, and was given an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum requirement of seven years. In November 2010, a serious case polish was conducted (PSCB, 2010), and it was discovered that the nursery provided an ideal environment for the abuse to be carried out. It found that certain gaps within the system allowed George to commit these offences, such as the nurserys phone line being out of order, allowing workers to bring their own mobile phones in for emergencies. This presented George with an opportunity to take indecent images of children on her mobile. unless the media reports paid little attention to these mistakes, focusing primarily on her abusive behaviour. It was also discovered during the investigation that she was an active part of a co-offending group, initiated by a male perpetrator, Colin Blanchard, and yet interestingly, the media attention focused primarily on George. In the serious case review, it was note d that she had no previous convictions, the abuse only starting when she came into contact with Blanchard over the internet. George was manipulated into committing abuse and sharing images with him. These facts were, however, expressed in a completely different manner through with(predicate)out the media reporting on the case. This warrants further examination, by analysing reports from various media sources.Analysis of the media reports on the Vanessa George caseChapter 1 indicated that there is substantial evidence to suggest that many FCSOs are regarded as harmless because they may only target adolescent victims (Mathews et al., 1989). However, this is not applicable in the case of Vanessa George (BBC News, 2010). The media coverage generally concerning this case highlighted the serious issues surrounding female-perpetrated sexual abuse in the UK, different media types reporting in diverse ways. In order to understand how the media represents FCSOs, a comparison needs to be mad e between the various media types, using a slender conference analysis. There are many definitions of critical discourse analysis, but, within this dissertation it is referred to as the analysis of language used in speech and writing within media reports as a form of social practice, where specific ideologies are reproduced through the language in the texts (Wodak Meyer, 2009). This method is abstract here, enabling analysis of the language used by the media when reporting on FCSOs, and uncovering the hidden ideologies in the text which are used to change the readers opinion on the issue of female sexual offending. It is also important to look at the discursive construction of FCSOs, which refers to the way in which the women are defined through the language used in media reports, and how these construct FCSOs as a concept.Almost every article written about FCSOs can be analysed using critical discourse analysis, reporters being required to make certain decisions as to how the y want to represent particular ideologies in their article, e.g. the terms they use to describe an FCSO, or which quotes to use from members of the public. These can add to the way the ideology in the text is portrayed overall, and thus how it affects society as a whole (Richardson, 2007). The three main articles analysed were pull from different news outlets which hold conflicting ideologic stances. Firstly, Public enemy number one was taken from The Sun (Coles, 2011), a newspaper which represents right-wing principles. Secondly, Vanessa George jailed for child sex abuse was extracted from The Guardian (Morris, 2009) which expresses mostly liberal interests. Finally, Little Teds was ideal place for Vanessa George abuse was traced from BBC News (2010b), which is commonly known to represent a centrism approach to reporting.The Sun, known for its exaggeration of the truth in order to attract the attention of more readers, reported on the case of George as one that caused so much outr age and shock that the police needed to step in to stop the abuse aimed at her by the public. The way the article presented these dramatic views is interesting for critical discourse analysis. It was outwardly biased, presenting only the feelings expressed by parents of possible victims, rather than facts of the case. Therefore the analysis made could support the theory that the facts of the case are spun to present a particular viewpoint here, that FCSOs are extremely disturbing to society and uses particular language aimed to influence readers into place the same opinions. This is evident in the following quotes Public enemy number one, Sick b****, The van taking Vanessa George to prison is attacked (see appendix 2 for more examples). The above quotes use emotive language to express the disgust and anger felt by the public. These quotes are used to align the public express to that of the reporters, obscuring the ideological underpinnings of the article. This supports Gakhal B rowns (2011 3) argument that the media provides conventional portrayals of sex offenders in general, using words linked with monsters and evil perverts. Moreover, this prime(prenominal) of language helped provide a negative perception of FCSOs. The fact that the reporter purposely used a collective noun in the article title Public enemy number one- suggests that the paper was implying that George was hated by all members of the public, and that readers should share these feelings. The fact that the article concentrated on quotes and opinions of parents involved in the case shows how the reporter wanted to present only one ideological viewpoint. Furthermore, it can be argued that this negative portrayal of George, an FCSO, by the media reinforces the argument previously put forward regarding female offenders as displaying double deviance (Heidensohn, 1987).On the other hand, the article in The Guardian expressed a more balanced stance, presenting the audience with facts of the cas e. The image of George used by the reporter shows her as a smiling, hearty character. This could be aiming to send out a message that, unlike the stereotypical image of most sexual offenders, an FCSO can be any ordinary woman. Perhaps, because such cases are so uncommon, there is so far no stereotype of an FCSO. Thus, it appears that the media can play on the fear of the public, to make them wary of whom they trust for childcare. Furthermore, its choice of image shows how George was part of a co-offending group (see appendix 3), and although she solely committed the abuse in Little Teds nursery, she was in fact in contact with two others, one of whom (Blanchard), was coercing her to commit the offences. The article reported that George was besotted with him. This both presents FCSOs in a negative light, and provides a more nuanced understanding of the case, constructing her as submissive, under the interpret of Blanchard. It also covers other issues faced by society, for example t he influence male sexual offenders can have on females, forcing them to also commit sexual offences. However, when analysing this article, it can be argued that the reporter was somewhat biased, using post-modified terms such as paedophile, which disguises the fact that the choice to commit these crimes is not just down to sexual preference, but is a way in which an offender exploits and holds power over children (Kelly, 1998). It also links to the same ideology presented in The Sun, by describing George in a negative light Cold and calculating. These quotes, however, came from the judge in charge of the case, possibly a more reliable source to reproduce the ideologies through language than that used by The Sun.The way in which The Guardian presented a balanced stance is arguably similar to how the BBC reported on the case of George. They provided the facts of the case and referred to the serious case review (discussed earlier), as well as other reliable sources, such as the council lor for Plymouths Efford and Lipson ward, in order to fulfil their reputation of being a near source. When analysing this article, it is clear that the ideology behind it is to provide the public with the facts, whilst preventing moral panic, by reporting on the positive responses of professionals towards the case. The reporter used passive verbs, such as reassured (see appendix 4 for more examples), and quotations from Ofsted Ofsted has already implemented a number of changes, to show the public that society can learn from the mistakes made in this case, and to prevent future similar cases. However, the BBC also used a disturbing criminal style image of George within this article, which imitated the reporting techniques used in the Myra Hindley case, reinforcing the stereotypical image of how an FCSO may appear (Kitzinger, 2004). Therefore, it could be argued that no matter what type of media outlet, there is always some form of bias in the way reporters present their ideology thr ough the language and images they choose to use. Another observation made when analysing this article, is the sub-heading entitled Explicit culture, which went on to report on the co-offending details of the case. The fact that the reporter used a sub-heading, together with the chosen language, shows an attempt to make readers aware of the increasingly serious problem of co-offending child sexual offenders within society.This critical discourse analysis has identified the right wing (The Sun) constructions of FCSOs as aggressive, sick and evil, which relates to the theory of female offenders being double deviant. However, competing constructions with a different ideological base sustain from other media outlets such as The Guardian, constructing female sexual offending as a male-coerced crime. It is clear that different media types report in different ways some use stereotyping FCSOs as a powerful influential tool, others are more objective in presenting the facts of the case. It s hould be recognised, however, that all have had an impact in rise awareness of new issues faced by society with regards to female sexual offending. Much work still needs to be done within all areas of the mass media, in order to educate reporters. When they provide representations of FCSOs, they should appreciate the gravity of the issues raised, and the traumatic results that articles can have on victims and members of the public (Tsopelas et al., 2012). However, the primary aim of media companies is to deceive more papers, so unfortunately they will continue to sensationalise articles to increase profits, using cases of female-perpetrated sexual offences to do so.

Media Portrayal of Gender Roles in the Household

Media Portrayal of Gender Roles in the HouseholdThe Right Man for the JobShe suddenly snaps. Her infant accidentally bursts bold her bottle and floods the car with milk, she jams on her brakes and parks her car in the middle of the bridge, blocking traffic. The police try to convince her to move her car, to no avail. The pa quality reports An overworked and to a lower placeappreciated housewife has parked on the bridge, refusing to budge. A crowd has gathered to observe the scene, some ex slope their sympathies Sweetheart, whats the matter? and Not getting enough of the good hurl? Finally, her husband arrives and convinces her to get out of the car, and she is promptly ar serenityed by the police. Theres a debate between the Mayor and the police chief on if the city should press charges or not. The Mayor, concerned about the optics of the situation, flatly states I can kiss the chick vote good-bye and if I go down, youre breaking my fallThis is the opening for homer Alone, an ep isode of the Simpsons in which Marge, the quintessential housewife suffers a nervous breakdown and takes some time away from the chaos of family life, leaving homing pigeon in the role of c artaker for the house and their infant daughter. In their investigation into the topic of masculinity in the media, Ronald Jackson and Jamie Moshin find that shows like The Simpsons can function as witty satires regarding American myths of normalcy and desirability in the public and private spheres. (184)The medias portrayal of the masculine role in the household has evolved over the decades, much of the time keeping whole step with the general social trends. The post war show Father Knows Best, described by TV Guide as a normal, intelligent businessman imperative his family sensibly, compensate wisely and as a classic example of American Pop Culture at its best an likinglized nuclear family with the patriarch providing for his continue at home wife, teaching their children to play catch, scarcely if a situation required emotions, it was go talk to your mother. These tropes in the gave way to much multicultural families such(prenominal)(prenominal) as The Cosby show as the Reagan course of instructions approached. In the 90s, we had Roseanne a glance into the lower middle class, blue collar duel income familys struggles. These TV fathers roles became little of the father-knows-best sort and more involved roles as c atomic number 18givers, taking active roles in their childrens lives and being equal partners in the decisions of the household. Despite this progress the media has made in showing custody to be at least capable of sharing childcare burdens, work jam pictured in the media are showing to be essentially domestically-illiterate. The every daylight activities, such as cooking, washing, cleaning, shopping for own household, caring for the elderly, the sick, and the disabled are still shown to be primarily womens work.The US Department of Labor, Womens Bu reau reports that since 1940, the percent of women participating in the travail force the make upd from just 24.3 percent 47 percent of the total U.S. labor movement force, and are projected to account for 51 percent of the increase in total labor force growth by 2018. Similarly, the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that In 1967, 49 percent of mothers were provincial mothers. That proportion steadily dropped through the decades until 1999, when notwithstanding 23 percent of moms stayed at home. The fight for Womens equality in political, economic, and social spheres has made great progress, however the role of household labor remains virtually unchanged. Domestic work and childcare are still seen as primary responsibilities of the women. After their shifts at work are completed, women are expected to complete chores and childcare. This double-burden was dubbed the second shift by American sociologist and academic Arlie Russell Hochschild in her book The Second Shift, written in 1989.Hochschild found that on the job(p) women averaged three hours a day on housework while men averaged 15 minutes (259) Though nearly 20 years has passed since the publication, there has been petite change in the balance of housework between male and female households. Theodore Greenstines 2005 study found that In general, regardless of income, education, ideology, or extent of paid employment, women tend to do far more domestic labor than their male partners (1039).Medias portrayal of the workings mother has seldom been accurate, as Hotchschild describes an advertisement she presented to working mothers during interviewsShe is not the akin women in each magazine advertisement, but she is the same idea. She has that working mother look as she strides forward, briefcase in one hand, smiling child in the other. literally and figuratively, she is moving ahead. Her hair, if long, tosses behind her if it is short, it sweeps back at the sides, suggesti ng mobility and progress. There is nothing shy or passive about her. She is confident, active, liberated. She wears a dark tailored suit, but with a sick bow or colorful frill that says, Im really feminine underneath. She has made it in a mans world without sacrificing her femininity. And she has done this on her own. (258)Its not entirely advertisements that sell the idea of a Super-mom, but the stories of Celebrity Moms that dominate tabloid magazines, television, movies, and now social media that not only delegitimize the labor involved in housework, but also reinforce both the sexual urgeed stereotypes of who is responsible for the work, and the ease in which the work is completed.Women as consumers is not a new idea. PG productions, producers of the soap opera As the beingness Turns, spanned for 72 years and over 10,000 episodes, chiefly marketed towards women. PG productions is a subsidiary of Procter Gamble, an American multinational consumer goods company and makers of S wiffer, Tide and Bounce, who spend nearly $10 billion per year advertizing budget. Product placement in womens media isnt just a happy coincidence, PQ Media, a media research company found that Product placements were worth $6.01 billion, up 12.8% from the former year, the fifth straight year of growth. PQ Media projects that product placement revenue will endeavor $11.44 billion in 2019. Globally, women account for $20 trillion in yearbook consumer spending. nearly of the income growth in the U.S. during the past 15 to 20 years is attributed to women, per the television consumer specialist firm Nielsen.The media doesnt only focus on the perceived stereotypical womens role as housekeeper, but often puts its female characters into traditionally feminine roles. In TV Guides list of best TV shows for the past year, the trend continues. The walkway Dead shows us that even in the zombie post apocalypse, women are the ones performing the childcare, nursing, preparation of food and f orming community ties. Additionally, theres Penny in The Big be intimate Theory. Penny, a waitress (typical female job) is shown to be living in a one bedroom apartment in LA, near a prestigious college. Most of her role in the series to function as a catalyst for the lead characters lack of social lives. As the show progressed, the other characters girlfriends are seen in having successful, professional careers, but are still expected to fill the emotive role in the relationship.An egregious example of this is Carrie Bradshaw of Sex the City. A struggling diarist is seen living an extravagant life, living in the upper east side of New York City. These women shown living above their means perpetuate what is considered an ideal life, contributing to the feminisation of poverty. This phenomenon is described in United Nation reports revealing that there are 1.5 billion people living on 1 dollar a day or less, the majority of which are women. In addition, the ranch between women and men caught in the cycle of poverty has continued to widen in the past decade. firearm women earn on average seventy-seven cents for every dollar earned by men, they are disproportionately concentrated in the lowest-paying fields. Furthermore, or so the pay gap between men and women actually comes from differences within occupations, not between them and this gap widens in the highest-paying occupations such as business, law, and medicine (S. Pressman, The Shriver Report)One might think that such a significant economic impact would lead to more progressive representations in the media, however this does not seem to be the case. Advertisements, both televised and otherwise, very rarely show housewives or mothers outside of their stereotypical gender roles. The pick them back up add, produced by our friends at PG productions, was heavily broadcast during the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games. genus Mya Frazier observes that Men are unmentioned, even if their breadwinner shape is impli cit What working mother could devote herself solely to the making of an Olympian without substantial financial support? (Frazier).The head teacher of where is dad? can be answered by considering other media. A meta-analysis shows that the odds of women being depicted at home (vs. at work) are approximately 3.5 measure higher than for men (qtd. in Jrg et. al). These gender stereotypes are nearly ubiquitous across not only American media, but society in general. Webster dictionary defines our idea of gender as the role or behavior learned by a person as appropriate to their gender are determined by the prevailing cultural norms. The perceived femininity or masculinity of a task is equally as culturally subjective. The hegemonic frame tends to produce a good father as the responsible breadwinner/provider and protector gender identity for men has traditionally been associated with the competitive rationality of work preferably than the intimate emotionality of family. (J. Gentry and R. Harrison, 77). This hegemony is reinforced by our real-life experiences, mass media exposure, and the ever-present social media feeds. Traditionally feminine tasks such as cooking, laundry, and cleaning are overwhelmingly performed by women traditionally masculine tasks such as yard work and auto maintenance tend to be done by men (T. Greenstein, 1039). With the Simpsons family, the taint of the self-destructive pragmatic Family First idea that sends Marge over the edge. The husband and forever needy kids who will neer appreciate her were hardly subtle ideas, even in a comedic or satirical format.In media, when the gender roles are reversed, how often is it successful? We often see the TV dad portrayed as inept, typically uninvolved or uncaring, unless the situation calls for a sardonic wit, then TV dad is your man. Among the worst offenders, we have Al Bundy of Married with Children, a blue-collar-everyman who both by laziness or ineptitude is completely absent from any dome stic labor or parenting duties, unless they call for violence or a punchline. firearm satirical, the presentation of the masculine role in the family is to provide the paycheck, grumble, and be the butt of the joke.The inability or failure when gender roles are reversed is also a common trope. The Tim Taylors (Home Improvement) and to a lesser extent Phil Dunphy (Modern Family) all reflect the masculine breadwinner who may find themselves in an occasional feminized role, only to learn that they woefully under equipped to deal with the task at hand. While Marge Simpson was relaxing in a resort after her nervous breakdown, Homer struggled with even the most basic of household chores, inevitably getting drunk with his bar-fly best buddy Barnie and losing Maggie in the process. (Homer Alone)Even in the TV homes where there was a closer illusion to equality when it came to social, political or economic issues, we would rarely any flexibility or male housewifization (househusbandization ?). Dan Conner (Roseanne) was shown in a more active role in the parenting of his children -but the shows namesake was the primary housekeeper, child raiser, and do-it-all blue-collar mom a much better representation of the second shift idea. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show) and his wife Clair were equals, but the gender roles were never questioned. Despite the forward progression and increased airtime of a less oafish and more, helpful father, research has consistently indicated that husbands are not doing much more housework than they ever did (although they are on a relative basis, as wives are doing much less (qtd. Robinson and Godbey, 1997)Typically, its only representations of single fathers like Danny Tanner (Full House) that are not only shown in the house husband role, but are not failing at it. Only by not having a wife or mother in the house to fall back on, would the male take on the traditionally feminine tasks. In James Gentry and Robert Harrisons study of gender portr ayals in the media, they found that single fathers needed to redefine their masculinity as they become involved parents. Traditionally (or at least in the 20th century), only one form of masculinity was conceived this masculinity is non-feminine (or anti-feminine), independent, heterosexual (or anti-homosexual), tough, and takes risks (qtd, 79).The persistence of gendered labor discrimination within the home is caused in part by the reluctance of men to participate in the lesser-valued roles that women perform and to avoid being emasculated by performing womens work. For example, in The Second Shift, Hochschild describes the division of household labor between Nancy and Evan, unite parents of one child who both worked full-time. Evan repudiated to share the housework equally with his wife, feeling that this was not his responsibility as a man and that he was entitled to refuse to participate in tasks that he saw as his wifes (261).This suggests that at their core, men are psychol ogically predisposed to reject housework due to its apparent femininity, an idea that mass media has all but reflected and marketed back to consumers. The difference being that in the media examples, there is rarely a cost to only one parent working the second shift. When it comes to duel income families, Rebecca J. Rosen of The Atlantic writes The statistics on this are a bit of a mess, as moms and dads report different household divisions of labor, both when it comes to chores and parenting. Dads are more likely to see the division as equal, and it can be tricky business to sort out whos right.While its unlikely that there is a swart cabal of men and fathers looking to shrug off their housework to their presumably exhausted wives by influencing mass media outlets, the perception of inequality at home is a tricky subject. Greenstein explores this ideaJust as differences in gender ideology (at the individual level) have been found to lead women to different choices of comparative r eferents and consequently to reach different conclusions about the fairness of the division of household labor, national context provides a comparative referent for married women from which they might form their perceptions of justice relevant to the division of household labor. I propose that women not only examine themselves to other individuals when making determinations of fairness or justice but that they also compare themselves to the more generalized conception of the level of support for gender righteousness in their nation. That is, women who perceive a high level of support for gender equity in their generalized comparative referent- for example, their perception of the beliefs of the people in their nation or society-are more likely to perceive microlevel inequalities as inequities (1040).If ideals of fairness or inequality are founded in the perception of what is happening in others lives, then what we see in the media must be included in that. If there were more Rosan nes and less Peg Bundys, would women feel more shortchanged by the division of household labor. If the they (the media, or shadowy cabal of lazy men) could show men performing reproductive labor without appearing emasculated, would that change things? Its not as if the advertising and entertainment is completely bereft of positive household-male examples. After the Pick Them Back Up ad ran during the Sochi Olympic, they produced a similar ad directed towards males. Unfortunately, it was a social media non-starter. Consider the forgettable 2013 Power of Dads Oral-B spot. It offers a succession of heartwarming clips of dads joyfully engaged with their children, but didnt on the nose burn up the viral charts. An ad about a stay-at-home dad doing laundry for Tide? A measly 60,000 views on YouTube. (M. Frazier)We can evidently see that it was ingratitude and an unequal share of work that led to Marge Simpson breaking down on a bridge, going ballistic was a beef for help that could res onate with anybody whos work has been chronically underappreciated, even the police woman taking Marges mug shot gives her the sisterly empathy, Off the record, maam. All the girls on the force knew just how you felt (Homer Alone). If the lesson was to show how we underappreciate the women in our lives, the return to normalcy at the end of sitcoms is the undoing of any lesson or basis for comparative basis. Ronald Jackson and Jamie Moshin citation In these spaces, however, the critiques of dominant norms fall short when the characters return to their traditional roles at the conclusion of the episodes. (qtd. 184). Without the continuity of lessons learned, there is no real impact. In the next episode, Homer and the kids are right back to their scheming, lazy, and unappreciative selves. Marges breakdown, subsequent catharsis has meant nothing.Its not all hopeless, the gap in the division of household labor is slowly closing. The status quo has protected male privilege, but its not p ermeant. The ultra-masculine western cowboy is now seen as nothing more than a cultural relic (J. Gentry and R. Harrison, 98). Fathers depicted in Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 80s was killing entire private militias in the movie Commando then in the 90s he was performing literal reproductive labor in Junior. Our views of what emotional value labor holds and if our ideas about masculine and feminine work can change. If Homer Simpson can, even for a short while, perhaps the rest of us can too.Works CitedHochschild, Arlie Russell, and Anne Machung. The Second Shift. New York, Penguin Books, 2003. Web.Frazier, Mya. Honor Your Mother Dont Watch That Patronizing Viral Ad. New Republic, 8 May 2014, newrepublic.com/article/117693/mothers-advertising-regressive-stereotypes-dominate-pg-and-others.Greenstein, Theodore N. theme Context, Family Satisfaction, and Fairness in the Division of Household Labor. Journal of Marriage and Family 71.4 (2009) 1039-051. Web.Lafayette, Jon . Product Placemen t Revenue Climbing 13.2% This category. Product Placement Revenue Climbing 13.2% This Year Broadcasting Cable. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.Paek, Hye-Jin, Michelle R. Nelson, and Alexandra M. Vilela. Examination of Gender-role Portrayals in television set Advertising across Seven Countries. Sex Roles 64.3-4 (2010) 192-207. Web. 1 Feb. 2017.Pressman, Sonja. Top 18 Issues Challenging Women Today. The Shriver Report. N.p., 21 May 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.Gentry, J., and R. Harrison. Is advertising a barrier to male movement toward gender change? Marketing Theory 10.1 (2010) 74-96. Web. 2 Feb. 2017.Rosen, Rebecca J. Money-Rich and Time-Poor Life in Two-Income Households. The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.Matthes, Jrg, Michael Prieler, and Karoline Adam. Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across the Globe. Sex Roles 75.7-8 (2016) 314-27. Web. 1 Feb. 2017.Jackson, Ronald L., and Jamie E. Moshin. Communicating marginalized masculinities identity p olitics in TV, film, and new media. New York Routledge, 2013. Print.Homer Alone. The Simpsons. Fox, 6 Feb. 1992

Symbols and Symbolism in A Raisin in the Sun †Dream Symbolism :: Raisin Sun essays

A Raisin in the Sun Dream Symbolism   A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, portrays the life of a black family living in a bad section of Chicago. There are many problems in this family, but mostly it revolves around the character of Mama and how she longs to give her family a cleanse life through the money she receives when her husband dies. Also, the family deals with the racism in Chicago in the 1950s complicating the realization of Mamas dreams for the family as well as other family conflicts that come up when money is entered into the equation.   A Raisin in the Sun is basic anyy about dreams, as the main characters struggle to deal with the oppressive circumstances that rule their lives. The Youngers struggle to unwrap these dreams throughout the play, and much of their happiness and depression is directly related to their attainment of, or failure to attain, these dreams. By the end of the play, they learn that the dream of a stick out is the mo st important dream because it unites the family.   Oh--So now its life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life--now its money. I guess the world actually do change. Mama is Walter and Beneathas sensitive and loving mother and the head of the Younger household. She demands that members of her family respect themselves and take pride in their dreams. Mama demands that the apartment in which they all live always be neat and clean. She stands up for her beliefs and provides perspective from an older generation. She believes in striving to succeed while maintaining her moral boundaries. Money is only a means to an end for Mama dreams are more important to her than material things, and her dream is to own a house with a garden and yard where Travis nookie play. The following quotation occurs in Act I, scene ii when Mama asks Walter why he always talks about money. Walter then replies money is life, explaining to her that that he believes that success is all about how much money you have. This conversation takes place early in the play and reveals Mamas and Walters money struggles, and it goes to show the difference in their generations.

Siddhartha and Narcissus and Goldmund Comparative Essay -- essays rese

Siddhartha and Narcissus and GoldmundComparative EssayHermann Hesse was a man that lived from 1877 and 1962 and faced a life of struggle as he coped with the effects of war. During this period of while the theme of finding yourself was quite popular and experiences affect his works. Hesse wrote both Narcissus And Goldmund and Siddhartha, two books that atomic number 18 about men who are searching for who they are. The novels themselves have various ideas in common, even small details, but are two different pieces of work.The protagonists in both these books are out on a quest to find themselves, who they are and what they are doing. Both Siddhartha and Goldmund start off strictly bound to their fate but drift to other ideas, like Siddhartha going from Brahmin status to that of an stern and Goldmund from being in cloister life to a wayfarer. Although the two were both in respectable positions in their own societies, an internal conflict drove them in another direction. Goldmund ha d been forced to work and become a holy man but not because he willed it, it was because of his father pressuring him. The same thing with Siddhartha and he likewise went against his fathers wishes to become an ascetic. Both were now on the road less the great unwashed would rather not travel, but the were on a mission to resolve this conflict. They would go from place to place as they pleased.There is both pain and sorrow in the two journeys of these wanderers, as both of them seem to keep leaving the people they get clos...

My Antonia :: essays research papers

1. Discuss the significant of each of the following citations. Provide several examples that support each quote.     A. "The country girls were considered a venture to the social order. Their beauty shone out too boldly against a conventional background. But anxious mothers need have felt no harm. They mistook the mettle of their sons. The keep an eye on for respectability was stronger than any desire in Black Hawk Youth."          The above quotation is telling about how the elderly people of Black Hawk did not trust the younger girls. This brought about when the young girls Antonia, Tiny, Lena, etc. and Jim would constantly go to the parties held in Black Hawk. Jims grandmother especially did not approve of Jim red to parties. Although, Jim go on to go, but eventually felt that he should obey his grandmother. Antonia, whom was working for the Harlings, was forced to choose between going to parties or continue working for them. She chose to continue going to parties, but then started to work for the Cutters.     B. "This was the road over which Antonia and I came on that night when we got off the train at Black Hawk...For Antonia and for me, this had been the road of Destiny had taken us to those early accidents of fortune which predetermined for us all that we can ever be. Now I understood that the same road was to bring us together again. Whatever we had missed, we possessed together the precious, and incommunicable past."          The above quotation is showing the importance of Jimmy and Antonias friendship. The road brought them together since they shared a significant nub of memories at the road. Jimmy remembers those special times he had with Antonia when he approaches the road. It is also a symbol for friendship, and the possibility of it being rekindled and/or never forgotten. 2. How is the following and holy depiction of Antonia? How are the enumerated traits revealed throughout the story?"More than any other person remembered, this girl seemed to mean to us the country, the conditions, the whole adventure of our childhood." (Jimmy)     This is an accurate interpretation of Antonia because she lived in many conditions where she had to quickly adapt. When she moved to Nebraska, she was not used to living in her poor surroundings. Most of the time she had a fairly good side about this, following her fathers footsteps, although her mother did not have a very good attitude.

Should You Buy a Harley Davidson? :: Harley Davidson

I have conversed with many another(prenominal) motorbike risers about what motorcycle is the best.Many riders had wanted, legitimate or already purchased a Harley. Reasons I hear from other riders and potentially interested persons as to w herefore they have to have a HarleyIt is the only echt American do motorcycle. A Harley is the best motorcycle on the road. Harley Davidson is the oldest motorcycle company. A Harley Davidson is a estimable investment. American riders do not want to ride Jap Junk. Riders do not want to start on something small and have to trade up. situation Harley Davidson is not the only American made motorcycle. on that point is a myth that Harley is the only American made motorcycle. To believe that, you would need to overlook the Honda of America charmings in Marysville, Ohio and the Kawasaki Plant in Nebraska. Both be manufacturing plants, not assembly plants. That means that Honda does not ship in boxes of parts and put them together here as part of some evil conspiracy. aboveboard fact, it makes good business sense to manufacture their motorcycles in the USA. Manufacturers will be the first to tell you that the work force here is skilled, the U.S. suppliers and vendors produce excellent pieces. draw a good look at the contemporary Harley Davidson it has quite a collection of foreign made parts. I do not have a problem with this lets just keep it in perspective. Finally, manufacturers cannot just claim something is Made in the USA. The Federal tack Commission has specific criteria for what percentage of the parts mustiness be made and sourced in the USA. There have been years where a larger percentage of a Honda Goldwing was USA made and sourced than a Harley Davidson. Everyone wants to think their motorcycle is the best. I have owned several different brands of motorcycles. I would not call any of my fountain motorcycles the best. Yes, maybe they were the best sport bikes in a given year, or tou ring model, or trail bike at the moment. Each and every motorcycle I have owned had room for improvement. What would make a Harley Davidson the best? Best should be defined as a motorcycle that suits you and your primary use for it.Should You Buy a Harley Davidson? Harley DavidsonI have conversed with many other motorcycle riders about what motorcycle is the best.Many riders had wanted, ordered or already purchased a Harley. Reasons I hear from other riders and potentially interested persons as to why they have to have a HarleyIt is the only real American made motorcycle. A Harley is the best motorcycle on the road. Harley Davidson is the oldest motorcycle company. A Harley Davidson is a good investment. American riders do not want to ride Jap Junk. Riders do not want to start on something small and have to trade up. Fact Harley Davidson is not the only American made motorcycle. There is a myth that Harley is the only American made motorcycle. To believe that, you woul d need to overlook the Honda of America plant in Marysville, Ohio and the Kawasaki Plant in Nebraska. Both are manufacturing plants, not assembly plants. That means that Honda does not ship in boxes of parts and put them together here as part of some evil conspiracy. Simple fact, it makes good business sense to manufacture their motorcycles in the USA. Manufacturers will be the first to tell you that the work force here is skilled, the U.S. suppliers and vendors produce excellent pieces. Take a good look at the contemporary Harley Davidson it has quite a collection of foreign made parts. I do not have a problem with this lets just keep it in perspective. Finally, manufacturers cannot just claim something is Made in the USA. The Federal Trade Commission has specific criteria for what percentage of the parts must be made and sourced in the USA. There have been years where a larger percentage of a Honda Goldwing was USA made and sourced than a Harley Davidson. Everyone wants t o think their motorcycle is the best. I have owned several different brands of motorcycles. I would not call any of my former motorcycles the best. Yes, maybe they were the best sport bikes in a given year, or touring model, or trail bike at the moment. Each and every motorcycle I have owned had room for improvement. What would make a Harley Davidson the best? Best should be defined as a motorcycle that suits you and your primary use for it.

Destiny :: essays research papers

Pre-Destination vs. Self-DeterminationPeople like to believe that they have the freedom to aim to be or do whatever it is that they demand to be or do it is, however, quite the opposite. This sense of freedom is called self-determination. At the other end of the spectrum, when no matter what we do seems to make any divergency or when events bonny seem to happen and we think about them as being out of our control or roundhow planned by some force unknown to us (such as a God), that is called pre-destination. Self-determination has its limitations as to what people are allowed to do, but pre-destination has no limits of any kind. Self-determination is, in fact, employ to mask pre-destination, to keep people content in following a pre-set itinerary that life offers. Without pre-destination, how do we know what the weather will be like, or if the sun rises, or if someone will get out at a red light? Without these paths where would our lives be going? People do these every dayti me things that are simply there to keep them going down the path that they have always been on. When people get off that path, such as when they stop doing drugs, then their lives are on a new track. But the new track doesnt necessarily have anything unique about it, its just a new path and already pre-determined. And once on a path, it is very difficult to veer away from the pre-determined, pre-disposed activities that a particular lifestyle requires. metalworker 2Pre-destination, not our life choices, guides our lives. There is no other way to explain things such as people who grow up poor until now somehow manage to create a multinational company and become multimillionaires. Although some might say that these people chose to follow a particular path that led them to their fame and fortune. Instead, it should be argued that even if these people were born poor, they were they were destined to create that company. They were given the drive to make that company into what it was. An yone can choose to start a company, but few actually have the ability to make that company a success. Choice does not have anything to do with ability I choose to be a billionaire but I do not have the bank account to be one. Predestination explains almost ninety percent of what happens in the world, from birth to death, and even pure luck.