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To Ailyn's feedback loop post: I think that you make an excellent point about the feedback loop. It's frustrating that a significant chunk of teens and parents try to reflect the archetypal image of their demographic, which then further perpetuates the stereotypes that media has placed on them. Parents buys things for their kids because media has shifted to tell parents that material things are the most tangible form of affection. Kids expect material things from their parents because they've been told that they need social acceptance in order to survive their youth. I'm glad that you value the thought that your parents put into the gifts that they purchase for you. I think that's something that we as a society have neglected to emphasize. I doubt that the narrative will change anytime soon because corporations benefit from advertising through media/TV and media/TV benefit through their partnerships with corporations. It's up to us to instill an alternative message in those we love, or else we'll all fall into the same trap.To Emma's weird experience with media post: That is absurd! The desperation displayed by companies as they frantically try to sell us their products has increased to a point of ridiculousness. The constant bombardment of media and advertising that we experience daily is immunizing us to traditional advertising/sales techniques. As a result of this over-saturation, ads need to be more frequent, more extreme, and more provocative in order to stimulate us or move us to do anything about what we've seen. At some point, there has to be no way forward. I wonder what will happen when there is simply no other space upon which ads can be displayed or value systems can be forced on us.

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"Loyalty beyond reason is where the profits lie." (Post 3)

Many of the ideas presented in The Persuaders , a documentary on the advertising industry by Frontline PBS, both shocked me and rang alarmingly true. The line that struck me most was, "Loyalty beyond reason is where the profits lie." As sickening as this concept is, I think we can all accept that there's truth to it. Humans feel the need to be accepted, and when they're not receiving the validation they want from the people around them, they turn to something with which they can affiliate. This is where advertising is successful. Cults require social sacrifice and the worship of an immediately visible leader. Brands are simply more convenient. They require monetary sacrifice of a certain, specified amount, and you don't ever have to see the faces of the people whose pockets you're lining. And all the while, your affiliation with that brand gets you the social acceptance you have always longed for. When an individual becomes affiliated with a brand to t...

An Ode to Barbara (Post 8)

One of the people interviewed in the PBS Frontline episode "Merchants of Cool" was 13-year-old Barbara, who epitomized the impact of media on youths and youth culture. Barbara, who had grown up watching Brittany Spears and the other over-sexualized Midriffs of the world, was intent on becoming a model and looking like the women she had seen on TV. And it broke my heart. It was horrifying that a child, a 13-year-old girl, was so moved by the image of femininity forced on her by advertising that she flew to the International Model and Talent Association's annual convention and walked on a stage to be judged by adults who wanted to use her in advertising campaigns that would further perpetuate the stereotypes she fell prey to and line their pockets with money. She beamed when she was told that she could pass for a 16 or 17-year-old, and she was told that she was a "good girl," when she said that her main goal was "success." She wore skimpy, sexualiz...

Why? (Post 5)

Social media baffles me. I, being the grandmotherly woman that I am, have tried to steer as far away from it as possible. However, it seems like a majority of the youth population has willingly embraced it as part of their lives. I do not understand why. Some of my friends, particularly those from ostracized groups, tend to use it as a way to connect with their communities. My queer friends who feel isolated at school use it to connect with others who share the same experiences in the hopes of feeling less alone. My Jewish friends use it to keep tabs on the people we've met at summer camp. Others use it as a convenient communication platform in the cases where iMessage doesn't suffice. But when I talk to most of the people my age about why they use social media, they say that they aren't totally sure. I've been told that it's just a part of culture. But I don't seem to grasp why is has to continue to be a part of the way we interact. What about the correl...

Unsolicited Commentary From the Youth Perspective

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