Less for More

2004

As a young woman, the article 'The More You Subtract,the More You Add'  really captured my attention. In 21. century there are still conflicting demands for women at every age.
Specially, adolescence is the  most confusing process that replaces self-confidence of young girls with self-doubting. When a girl enters adolescence, she loses her voice and her unique entity. Of course this lost leads to important problems that young girls face such as eating disorders, overuse of cigarettes and alcohol, teen pregnancy even harassment and rape that affect girls' psychology inevitable way. The cause underlying these behaviours is to meet the demands of males, peers or families who share the idea of perfect woman that reinforced by ads. Because of the pop culture's imposition, females are expected to be nice, gentle, sweet, thin and in competion with other girls for the attention of males while they are suppose to repress their anger, power and be passive and silent. For instance, the time 'gaining weight' considered as a traditional compliment in Fiji is far away with the coming of TV. Within three years, the number of teenagers who suffer from eating disorders highly increased. It is surely a result of TV and ads' effect. In a Buffalo jeans ad audience can watch a woman screaming and saying that 'I don't have to scream for attention but I do'. Don't rush to say it is a powerful expression until you notice the style of get attention by unbuttoning her blouse. Is the use of nakedness an only way that she explain herself? These kind of mixed messages surround and capture us. When males are affected by these ads filled with perfection, females are in a big controversy to become herself or fiction like advertisement characters. By the pop-culture, it is created a world for women serving the satisfaction of their men. It is a sexist utopia that turn women into machines programming for men's desires such as the movie in Stepford Wives. To become less for gain more is a vicious circle consuming self-esteem of females.

close your eyes, we are blind.

It's been a while since the last time I'd written. There is so much to talk why i wasn't here whereas i just want to tell a video that triggers me write.

Yesterday, we watched the video 'One Hundred of a Second' which i'd already known. It's the story of a photographer and a little girl. It influenced me just it was the first time. During the war, if you were the photographer who saw a girl pointed gun, what would you do? I thought the reason made her too devastated when she was announced for reward of the best photograph. Maybe it's because the moment the girl caught the woman's eyes. Maybe her silent scream for help. If the woman was not captured with her eyes, if she just saw the event behind camera, could it still hurt? I can't imagine myself to take a picture in both situation. Forget the ethics. I find it humanless. It may big words but  how could I sleep if I just sit and watched everything without trying. I would wish to find the great courage to rescue her in same situation. I do not more criticize the action of photographer than she does. Of course it is just a movie but it also reminds me a real story about the photographer Kevin Carter. He won a pulitzer with the photo of an African girl who stopped trying to survive, whereupon a vulture had landed  nearby. He took the photo and chased the vulture away before he left. Then after the conflicts about himself, he commited suicide related to his depression. Noone knows the reason but does it matter even if he accused himself  of leaving girl to death? He had already closed his eyes.

WHY REALITY TV IS GOOD FOR US

The author, James Poniewozik, generally focused on good sides of reality tv unlike the his collagues.  Although I could not agree it is todally good for us, I find the article very informated about different aspects of reality tv. It makes audience live a common experience. When people watch these programs, they can get rid of their daily problems and they mentally relax. Besides, the stories in tv gives them different perspectives about other people's lives and conditions. It a good aspect that can improve the personal relationships. In someways, audience consubstantiate themselves with other characters in Tv. For instance, a well-known program, Survivor, can trigger feelings about being a member of a group. On the other hand, reality tv highly empasizes on fiction rather than the real life. Even the well-made realities are shallow about life.There is also an ethical controversy about enjoying others' suffers or shames. Audience always have a change to judge their approachs about reality tv. In lots of aspects, I consider reality tv as a death of social values.

THE ENORMOUS RADIO

'The Enormous Radio',by John Cheever, is a story about people who desire to find out others' secrets and personal lives. The author reveals that by telling Westcott family's story. Irene and Jim Westcott, the main characters, are a couple which considers themselves as an upper class and they always listen classic music from their old radio. By the day their old radio breaks down, their life seems extremely normal. At first, the new radio is not adopted by Irene. Because its appearance does not fit her elaborate lounge's decoration and it is too noisy. However when Irene finds out that it transmits her friends, neighbours and even stranger's voices to them, she cannot stop herself listening these private conversations. She becomes an addicted day by day, even she starts to neglect anything but other people's secrets and problems. Jim realizes this situation and warns Irene several times. Her addiction triggers lots of trouble about her marriage. At last, Jim decides to return the radio by hoping everything gets back to normal. Neverthless, Irene's obsession about new radio causes a big fight that reveals the hidden problems of them. In my opinion, this story points out the lack of communication. People in the society, are now curious about others' lives and problems instead of focusing their own life. Although people seems close, there are invisible walls between them. It is a great challenge to overcome trouble in society.