Objectification in the Media

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

See the poll. I personally believe that both men and women are objectified to a certain extent, and I couldn't care less.

[Strike For The South]

Women should be teachers nurses and homemakers. Anything else is asking to much /thread

[Adrian II]

Define 'objectified'.

Seriously, I think the term is used far too loosely in a pejorative sense. Probably just more feminist newspeak. I mean, could the media 'subjectify' humans if they would? Or animals? Or SFTS for that matter?

[CountArach]

I believe that women are objectified by the media because the media (in my eyes at least) is a masculine machine - all views are filtered through that.

That said, I also believe that men are held up to a certain standard to which they are judged and as such some men are objectified.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I think it's mostly ok with some questionably instances here and there.


Define 'objectified'.

Seriously, I think the term is used far too loosely in a pejorative sense. Probably just more feminist newspeak. I mean, could the media 'subjectify' humans if they would? Or animals? Or SFTS for that matter?

Some feminists would say that any sexual fantasy involving visualization of a woman is wrong.

[rory_20_uk]

See the poll. I personally believe that both men and women are objectified to a certain extent, and I couldn't care less.

Same here.


I believe that women are objectified by the media because the media (in my eyes at least) is a masculine machine - all views are filtered through that.

That said, I also believe that men are held up to a certain standard to which they are judged and as such some men are objectified.

Read women's mags recently? Famous women are objectified - to be torn to shreds. Any women that fails to be utterly perfect under the glare of a zoom lens is in trouble.

The media produces images that they think will be bought by the target market, be that gay porn, straight porn, women's mags or men's mags. No one is interested in average. Everyone wants to see perfection. This was bourne out in studies that show increased readership if the persons on the front are "photoshop perfect" - so not only good looking with favourable poses, make up and clothes but then digitally enhanced.

We're programmed to want genetically fit partners. Since we've lost the ability to smell genetic flaws we base assumption on appearance.

~:smoking:

[CountArach]

Read women's mags recently? Famous women are objectified - to be torn to shreds. Any women that fails to be utterly perfect under the glare of a zoom lens is in trouble.
I completely concur.

We're programmed to want genetically fit partners. Since we've lost the ability to smell genetic flaws we base assumption on appearance.

~:smoking:
Have you got any evidence it is genetic? I would think it would be societal more than anything.

[Fragony]

Since we've lost the ability to smell genetic flaws we base assumption on appearance.

~:smoking:

que wut?

[Husar]

The press has too much freedom and needs more regulation by the government.
Until then they will both be objectified.

You were hoping I would revoke that here weren't you?

Well, something has to be done to society, not by the government. Even I was indoctrinated into thinking the press must be free, even though that doesn't mean it is neutral, despite that fact that having and almost-neutral press would be nice.
The only way is to change society, the government has to brainwash all obejectifying people into nice persons. Oh wait, not the government, so who is with me? :dizzy2:

[Ironside]

que wut?

There's lot of evidence that the smell of people of the opposite sex that have an immune system that's a lot different from yours (that's sign of good mixing of genes) is the one you'll prefer.

Or put simple, a good partner for children will smell good.



Have you got any evidence it is genetic? I would think it would be societal more than anything.

There's a very strong universal beauty beneath the societal fabric.

The reason why you like hot asians, hispanic, northen european etc.

Consider how different they look, yet you can still easily spot the hotties.
Hot, but not my type ring a bell? Why are they hot?

You can see the golden ratio for example.

[Husar]

Now you're objectifying dating, which completely ruins it for me.
Even if there is a formula behind it i prefer to think "she is haaawwwwt!" instead of "her immune system seems to fit mine very well because I notice my nostrils send a positive signal after identifying her smell".
Completely ruins everything. :sweatdrop:

[rory_20_uk]

There's lot of evidence that the smell of people of the opposite sex that have an immune system that's a lot different from yours (that's sign of good mixing of genes) is the one you'll prefer.

When you're not pregnant. And being on the pill fools the body into acting pregnant.

~:smoking:

[Devastatin Dave]

See the poll. I personally believe that both men and women are objectified to a certain extent, and I couldn't care less.

Possibly the greatest reason to post a thread ever!!!

[Reverend Joe]

When you're not pregnant. And being on the pill fools the body into acting pregnant.

~:smoking:

I see no reason to trust a doctor who chainsmokes.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Some feminists would say that any sexual fantasy involving visualization of a woman is wrong.Hah! My fantasies are all feministally correct. They only involve strong, independent working women. Like nurses and female police officers. Or lesbians.

[InsaneApache]

How on earth do you manage to have a sexual fantasy that doesn't include women, unless, of course, you 'bat for the other side'? :inquisitive:

I must be a male chauvenist pig. :laugh4:

[CountArach]

Or lesbians.
I bet they are stereotypically 'butch' lesbians that the phallocentric media has told you about.

[Meneldil]

There's a very strong universal beauty beneath the societal fabric.

The reason why you like hot asians, hispanic, northen european etc.
[/SPOIL]

Or not. We know beauty standards have evolved throughout history. One century ago, tan and big boobs were widely regarded as vulgar and prole-looking in the so-called western world, while today, they are teh awesome.

Not only that, but different cultures and different individuals still have different standards of beauty nowadays. And you don't even have to look at 'third world' countries: a japanese man will have different tast than an european or american one.
Beauty, just as gender, is a social construction.

As for the topic itself, without being a pinko hippie feminist, yeah, I think women are objectified in the media (and men too, to a certain extent). Things are changing I guess, if you have a look at commercials and advertising from the 70's, but still. Anyway, I don't think it is necessarily bad in itself.

@Louis, I rofl'ed :laugh4:

[Fragony]

There's lot of evidence that the smell of people of the opposite sex that have an immune system that's a lot different from yours (that's sign of good mixing of genes) is the one you'll prefer.

Or put simple, a good partner for children will smell good.



There's a very strong universal beauty beneath the societal fabric.

The reason why you like hot asians, hispanic, northen european etc.

Consider how different they look, yet you can still easily spot the hotties.
Hot, but not my type ring a bell? Why are they hot?

You can see the golden ratio for example.

Proportions indeed.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I've most often seen "objectified" in reference to, say, a car ad that has a bikini model while another ad has a male "doctor of engineering" as a selling point. The feminist perspective would be that this is the media telling women that they are just sex objects who don't know anything about cars. I would say it's the advertising agencies realizing that guys are going to buy a car with the idea of getting laid and that since most car mechanics/engineers are men that a guy will be seen as more trustworthy. He's also probably german, or maybe they'll get the guy who does the voiceover for the Coors commercial to advertise their truck so it seems like a good-ol-boy truck even though it's made by toyota. Advertising reflects society more than society reflects advertising. Advertising is almost always going to be targetted to the mainstream rather than a niche, so until most girls get really into cars they aren't going to advertise them with half naked male models.

The real objectification would take place when you have a female character who should be smart and talented at something (say an FBI agent or lawyer) and her only role on the show is for looks. I don't recall to many examples of this, and in most cases it's just poor quality show with poor quality writing.

[rory_20_uk]

Attractive women make men more likely to take risks - so semi naked women on a Ferrari is more likely to get men to buy it.

~:smoking:

[Ironside]

Now you're objectifying dating, which completely ruins it for me.
Even if there is a formula behind it i prefer to think "she is haaawwwwt!" instead of "her immune system seems to fit mine very well because I notice my nostrils send a positive signal after identifying her smell".
Completely ruins everything. :sweatdrop:

Do you want me to objectify God (or rather faith in divine beings)? :evilgrin:

Personally I do find it interesting how it keeps together, but if you got decent enough instinct (some seems to thrive on chosing lousy partners) then go with the flow. Your subcouncious is then better to treat all the information.


When you're not pregnant. And being on the pill fools the body into acting pregnant.

~:smoking:

True, being pregnant makes you want to be closer to the next of kin.


Or not. We know beauty standards have evolved throughout history. One century ago, tan and big boobs were widely regarded as vulgar and prole-looking in the so-called western world, while today, they are teh awesome.

Not only that, but different cultures and different individuals still have different standards of beauty nowadays. And you don't even have to look at 'third world' countries: a japanese man will have different tast than an european or american one.
Beauty, just as gender, is a social construction.


The question is not what you prefer, it's what you find attractive... True, there's a large cultural factor, but the face in particular are govern by more genetical laws. Just like gender. :logic:

Look at this picture (http://colinsbeautypages.co.uk/a-candlelit-dinner/) and consider who of the ladies you find more attractive.

Personally I found as an easy example, but that's the best one I could find on the net, but then again I knew what was changed before I even saw the pictures.

First, did you see what was changed?
Second, have you ever learned that changed trait, in any sexual way?