Although this video clip is quite extensive, the opening scenes alone should suffice in getting the point across. It is disgusting to see how deeply rooted the effects of objectification lay today. Each generation is more obsessed with appearances than the previous, thus the progression of each generation causes our self-respect to dwindle. Parents have agreed to surgical procedures that alter the physical appearance of children aging as young as 4 years old. The traditional, preconceived notion that childhood is associated with innocence has been destroyed by this forced-maturation. Parents are willing to do whatever it takes to enlist their child as a celebrity. Figuratively, people have "tunnel-vision" and only see the light at the end. Whether we are incapable or unwilling to see the possible side-collisions is another issue; but either way we fail to do so. That's what is wrong with society today - we are obsessed with trivial matters such as having good reputations and being physically appealing. Without these things, we become vulnerable. Furthermore, serious matter have become more burdensome to us. Our priorities have fallen off course and been replaced by insignificant matters, yet we are naive to this. Is there a way to reverse this ill-fated course or are we doomed by this plague?
Tyra actively opposes this crisis rather than serving as a silent bystander. By creating this fake audition and interviewing real parents, we are able to truly get a sense of society today. Although one mother, Tracy, was stubborn and unwilling to admit her wrongdoings, the other parents reached a sense of salvation. Tyra was able to bring them back to reality and show them that their children are beautiful. Because of this, a few families were helped, and it can be assumed that many more families were helped simply by watching the show. It is possible to warn people of the dangerous direction we are headed toward, it simply takes time and effort. We need to move away from this objectification and ensure that this plague does not pass on to our future generations.
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ReplyDeletesorry aimee, thats my blog, and i'm an idiot and have nooooo idea how to add on to mr. guthermans "american zeitgeist."
I think that this post has a lot to do with the theme of the American Dream that we've been talking about in class. Parents always want what is best for their children, and part of the "American Dream" is wanting children to have the best life they can possibly have. The lengths that parents would go through, however, are sickening. The dream of leading the perfect life comes with superficial and fake perceptions that we are told MUST be met.Breast agumentation and other plastic surgery on children as young as 4 years old?This is where the superficiality of the American Dream rears its ugly head.
ReplyDeleteSociety has clearly become pre-occupied with beauty and mere appearance: trivial matters have become important and important matters have become trivial. Soon trivial matters will be intelligence and safety! There are ways to slow down this flip-flop--Tyra is clearly trying! It is great to see someone in the modeling business protect the lives of children whose parents will do anything to secure them a modeling job. These parents must be taught by people like Tyra, or their kids will continue the trend when they have children. There are plenty of activists out there (Tyra, the dove announcements, members of our class), but we can never be certain if their efforts will pay off.
ReplyDeleteThis post was extremely entertaining. I watched the entire episode and was shocked at the extremes some of these parents would go through to make their kids famous.The fact that there is already such a strict view of how stars should look that it effects 4 and 5 year olds is scary. For a mother to think a 7 year old needs a nose job just goes to show how ridiculous our views of beauty are. I was extremely disturbed by some of these parents and the measures they would go to. It seems that the ideal of beauty is influencing us at earlier and earlier ages.
ReplyDeleteI find it truly disgusting that a mother would allow her four year old daughter to have plastic surgery and that she would even consider forcing a diet on her. It really scares me to think that there are people like this in the world. If a kid can't be a kid at 4 years old, when can she be? Childhood is a time of vague unawareness of the influence around you; you know the influence is there but you don't care to pay attention to it. I can still remember the first time I felt self-conscious. To me, that is when childhood really ends. Innocence dies with self-awareness.. and if a four year old girl has to be aware of her less-then-perfect face or her weight, then childhood doesn't exist anymore.
ReplyDeleteThese parents embody our society. Even though they want their children to receive plastic surgery or go on strict diets they are becoming the norm in society. There is an increasing desire to be beautiful and wealthy no matter the cost. If these children were older it would not even be an issue. Lets say they were 16 and 18 then these "tips" would just be accepted. Years ago, we thought that 16 and 18 were too young and now it seems 8 and 11 are too young; but I’m afraid that at the rate our society is transforming then 8 and 11 will be accepted in a few years as normal. we need to look at how quickly our society is changing.
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