Final Draft

December 9, 2012

Dear 13-year-old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and understand the objective of media and advertising. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture-the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seductive or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage.

In my experience in high school, the teenage years were all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have harmful effects on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”aacap As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. aacap This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.  

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls on a popular girls website about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model. Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” discovery girls

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits but this would hinder the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens and younger girls who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on TV and print can diminish self image unknowingly.

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and short metal skirts. One of the gladiators sees the king drink a Pepsi through the cage she is being held in. A sudden realization of inequality overcomes her when the king starts to drink the Pepsi.  As the gladiators come out to the arena, they throw their weapons down and use their talents of singing to entertain the crowd. The king feels powerless because the women are not doing what he wants them to do which is fight. This demonstrates the switch of power from the man to the women which is not often the case in cultural context. It shows that women can be powerful by being sexy and still maintain a positive image. It is very liberating to use seductive power but young women are getting the wrong idea because they will try to emulate the looks and acts of their idols at times when they are not appropriate. It is not effective or desirable to censor sexual power in women but when is it appropriate to draw the line? This is a very murky question because we don't want to condemn women's sexuality. In advertisements and pop culture there are many instances of misogyny but we can only censor when violence is clearly being used in the images. Public protest will have to dissuade advertisers against using misogynistic images.

Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give subtle and not so subtle messages of how girls are supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt" shows a woman getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which portrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young woman advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish # 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the scent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of being submissive against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive. Since censoring advertisements is not a realistic option, educating young people of the hazards of advertisements seems like the only defense. 

The hardest part of not succumbing to medias ideal looks and behaviors is the ability to understand the motives behind marketing. From an excerpt from Common Culture: Reading and Writing about American Popular Culture, “an advertisement communicates by making use of a specially selected image (of a Supine female, say, or a curly-haired child, or a celebrity) which is designed to stimulate ‘subrational impulses and desires.’" cyberpat Marketing uses subliminal messages to capture the consumers attention even if the consumer doesn’t think he or she is being influenced.  Supposedly, people are not supposed to act like or look like what they see in advertisements. They are supposed to keep their thoughts to themselves and not act out their subconscious. Marketing uses this type of appeal because it is very effective for their sales. Unfortunately, people don’t understand the true intentions of marketing which hurts society as a whole.

In conclusion, the constant exposure of media undoubtedly plays a huge role in shaping the lives of maturing teenagers. The pressure that media exerts is a difficult force to fight against. It is so pervasive in our lives.  Advertisers for tobacco aren’t allowed to target teens, unfortunately,   perfume marketers and other advertisers who depict women in ways that contribute to health problems like anorexia and violence will not be legislated against in the same way. It is more about recognizing that media and popular culture can be dangerous to oneself just like smoking can be dangerous. There are many music videos were women use their sexuality outrageously and powerfully like Lady Gaga and Beyonce. They are trying to sell their music creativity using their sexuality unlike the perfume marketers mentioned above who represent women as powerless. It must be understood that popular culture and the media are trying to sell their product, service, or entertainment to consumers. Teenagers need to imbibe popular culture at their own risk.

Sincerely,

Jacob Imsland

Bibliography

Fowles, Jib. "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals." Jfowles.html. N.p.,  1998. Web. 18 Nov.  2012. <http://www.cyberpat.com/shirlsite/education/essay2/jfowles.html>.

 This article by Jib Fowles will be useful for my research paper because it has a detailed list of the top 15 appeals used in advertising. Jib wrote about how the marketers appeal to peoples "subrational impulses and desires" which I can use to support my claim. This article would target people interested in knowing what advertisers do to attract consumers. It does a good job explaining the different types of appeals used in advertising and explains that too many appeals might harm the effect of advertising. This article will be good to use in my paper to cover general information about advertising. 

Kilbourne, Jean. "'Two Ways a Women Can Get Hurt'"; Advertising and Violence"Rereading America. 8th ed.  Boston: Bedford/St.           Martin's, 2010. 575-601. Print.

"Teenagers With Eating Disorders." American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. N.p., May 2008. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. < http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with +Eating+Disorders§ion=Facts+for+Families>.

rough draft

Dear 13 year old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and interpret what the media is selling. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture; the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seductive or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage.

From personal experience, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will automatically unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have a harmful effect on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with+Eating+Disorders&section=Facts+for+Families

As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_teen_brain_behavior_problem_solving_and_decision_making This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.  

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model and Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” http://discoverygirls.com/speak-out/discussions/do-you-think-britney-spears-good-role-model

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits but this would hinder the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on tv and print can diminish self image unknowingly.

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and short metal skirts. One of the gladiators sees the king drink the Pepsi through the cage she is being held in. A sudden realization of inequality overcomes her when the king starts to drink the Pepsi.  As the gladiators come out to the arena, they throw their weapons down and use their talents of singing to entertain the crowd. The king feels powerless because the women are not doing what he wants them to do which is fight. This demonstrates the switch of power from the man to the women which is not often the case in cultural context. It shows that women can be powerful by being sexy and still maintain a positive image. It is very liberating to use seductive power but young women are getting the wrong idea because they will try to emulate the looks and acts of their idols when the times are not appropriate.  It doesn't do any good to judge or censor sexual power but when is it appropriate to draw the line?

In addition to the powerful effect media has on young teens self image, advertising also plays a crucial role on women's behaviors. Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give subtle and not so subtle messages of how girls or supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt," a woman is getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which betrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young women advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish # 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the sent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of being submissive against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if the women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive.

The hardest part of not succumbing to medias ideal looks and behaviors is the ability to understand the motives behind marketing. From an excerpt from Common Culture: Reading and Writing about American Popular Culture, “an advertisement communicates by making use of a specially selected image (of a Supine female, say, or a curly-haired child, or a celebrity) which is designed to stimulate ‘subrational impulses and desires.’" http://www.cyberpat.com/shirlsite/education/essay2/jfowles.html

Marketing uses subliminal messages to capture the consumers attention even if the consumer doesn’t think he or she is being influenced.  Supposedly, people are not supposed to act like or look like what they see in advertisements. They are supposed to keep their thoughts to themselves and not act out their subconscious. Marketing uses this type of appeal because it is very effective for their sales. Unfortunately, people don’t understand the true intentions of marketing which hurts society as a whole.

In conclusion, the constant exposure of media undoubtedly plays a huge role in shaping the lives of maturing teenagers. The pressure that media exerts is a difficult force to fight against. It is so pervasive in our lives.  Advertisers for tobacco aren’t allowed to target teens, unfortunately,   perfume marketers and other advertisers who depict women in ways that contribute to health problems like anorexia and violence will not be legislated against in the same way. It is more about recognizing that media and popular culture can be dangerous to oneself just like smoking can be dangerous. There are many music videos were women use their sexuality outrageously and in powerful ways like Lady Gaga and Beyonce. They are trying to sell their music creativity using their sexuality unlike the perfume marketers mentioned above who represent women as powerless. It must be understood that popular culture and the media are trying to sell their product, service, or entertainment to consumers, so teenagers need to imbibe popular culture at their own risk.

Sincerely,

Jacob Imsland

Rough Draft

Dear 13 year old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and interpret what the media is selling. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture; the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seducti

Dear 13 year old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and interpret what the media is selling. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture; the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seductive or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage. 

From personal experience, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will automatically unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have a harmful effect on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with+Eating+Disorders&section=Facts+for+Families

As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_teen_brain_behavior_problem_solving_and_decision_making This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.   

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model and Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” http://discoverygirls.com/speak-out/discussions/do-you-think-britney-spears-good-role-model

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits which hinders the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on tv and print can diminish self image unknowingly. 

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and short metal skirts. One of the gladiators see's the king drink the Pepsi through the cage she is being held in. A sudden realization of inequality overcomes her when the king starts to drink the Pepsi.  As the gladiators come out to the arena, they throw their weapons down and use their talents of singing to entertain the crowd. The king feels powerless because the women are not doing what he wants them to do which is fight. This demonstrates the switch of power from the man to the women which is not often the case in cultural context. It shows that women can be powerful by being sexy and still maintain a positive image. It is very liberating to use seductive power but young women are getting the wrong idea because they will try to emulate the looks and acts of their idols when the times are not appropriate.  It doesn't do any good to censor sexual power but when is it appropriate to draw the line?

In addition to the powerful effect media has on young teens self image, advertising also plays a crucial role on women’s behaviors. 

Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give suddle and not so suddle messages of how girls or supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt," a woman is getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which betrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young women advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish number$ 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the sent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of submission against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if the women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive. ve or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage. 

From personal experience, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will automatically unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have a harmful effect on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with+Eating+Disorders&section=Facts+for+Families

As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_teen_brain_behavior_problem_solving_and_decision_making This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.   

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model and Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” http://discoverygirls.com/speak-out/discussions/do-you-think-britney-spears-good-role-model

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits which hinders the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on tv and print can diminish self image unknowingly. 

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and short metal skirts. One of the gladiators see's the king drink the Pepsi through the cage she is being held in. A sudden realization of inequality overcomes her when the king starts to drink the Pepsi.  As the gladiators come out to the arena, they throw their weapons down and use their talents of singing to entertain the crowd. The king feels powerless because the women are not doing what he wants them to do which is fight. This demonstrates the switch of power from the man to the women which is not often the case in cultural context. It shows that women can be powerful by being sexy and still maintain a positive image. It is very liberating to use seductive power but young women are getting the wrong idea because they will try to emulate the looks and acts of their idols when the times are not appropriate.  It doesn't do any good to judge or censor sexual power but when is it appropriate to draw the line?

In addition to the powerful effect media has on young teens self image, advertising also plays a crucial role on women’s behaviors. 

Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give suddle and not so suddle messages of how girls or supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt," a woman is getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which betrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young women advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish number$ 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the sent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of submission against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if the women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive. 

The hardest part of not succumbing to medias ideal looks and behaviors is the ability to understand the motives behind the marketing. From an excerpt from Common Culture: Reading and Writing About American Popular Culture, "marketers 

rough draft

Dear 13 year old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and interpret what the media is selling. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture; the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seductive or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage. 

From personal experience, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will automatically unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have a harmful effect on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with+Eating+Disorders&section=Facts+for+Families

As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_teen_brain_behavior_problem_solving_and_decision_making This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.   

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model and Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” http://discoverygirls.com/speak-out/discussions/do-you-think-britney-spears-good-role-model

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits which hinders the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on tv and print can diminish self image unknowingly. 

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and short metal skirts. One of the gladiators see's the king drink the Pepsi through the cage she is being held in. A sudden realization of inequality overcomes her when the king starts to drink the Pepsi.  As the gladiators come out to the arena, they throw their weapons down and use their talents of singing to entertain the crowd. The king feels powerless because the women are not doing what he wants them to do which is fight. This demonstrates the switch of power from the man to the women which is not often the case in cultural context. It shows that women can be powerful by being sexy and still maintain a positive image. It is very liberating to use seductive power but young women are getting the wrong idea because they will try to emulate the looks and acts of their idols when the times are not appropriate.  It doesn't do any good to judge or censor sexual power but when is it appropriate to draw the line?

In addition to the powerful effect media has on young teens self image, advertising also plays a crucial role on women’s behaviors. 

Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give suddle and not so suddle messages of how girls or supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt," a woman is getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which betrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young women advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish number$ 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the sent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of submission against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if the women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive. 

Rough draft

Dear 13 year old girl,

Popular culture is out to get you. The messages from advertisements and pop music have a direct and indirect effect on the choices girls make. Girls are being bombarded with images of skinny, computer edited, so called sexy models that are impossible to look like. In order to survive the assault of the media, one must learn how to see through and interpret what the media is selling. If girls can distinguish between the positive and negative aspects of popular culture; the desire to be skinny, provocative, and seductive or the desire to be creative, powerful, and ambitious, girls can use their female traits to their advantage. 

From personal experience, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Any chance available to try something new (like wearing hip new clothes or listening to the new singer sensation) will automatically unite kids together by the common interests they share. Once teenagers find where they fit in, they often stay with the same group of kids through out high school. It is in these years where teen girls are most vulnerable to media and popular culture because the propensity to emulate trends is so strong.

In these teenage years, media can have a harmful effect on girls outlook of self image. Mainly because they see their movie idols, music ideals and almost all women in advertising having a specific body type. As stated in the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “In the United States, as many as 10 in 100 young women suffer from an eating disorder.”http://aacap.org/page.ww?name=Teenagers+with+Eating+Disorders&section=Facts+for+Families

As a result, the pressures from media lead young girls to make body altering changes to look more like the what they see as acceptable. The ability to scrutinize and be skeptical of what popular culture is emitting in the form of selfhood is a hard idea to grasp. However, research shows that the brains of teens are continuing to mature and that decision making and reasoning are not fully developed. http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/the_teen_brain_behavior_problem_solving_and_decision_making This demonstrates that some teenagers lack the ability to restrain their fantasies of looking like their heros. This leads to the question of whether their role models are to blame for their self consciousness.   

For example, Britney Spears was a popular singer when I was a young teenager who was infamous for wearing small shirts and short skirts. A question was asked to a group of young girls about if they thought Britney Spears was a good role model and Nicole, age 10, said “Yes and no. She's a good singer and a good dancer, and I'm pretty sure she's a good person, too. On the other hand, she should realize that there are a lot of young girls who want to copy her by wearing what she wears. I have even seen five- and six-year-olds wearing short skirts and clothes that are really tight with their bellies hanging out. I also think you shouldn't be judged on what you wear, but the reality is that people do judge you on that. So maybe Britney shouldn't dress in such sexy outfits.” http://discoverygirls.com/speak-out/discussions/do-you-think-britney-spears-good-role-model

Nicole understands that girls want to be like their idols even if that means crossing inappropriate  barriers. Nicole also said that Britney Spears shouldn’t dress in sexy outfits which hinders the whole act Britney plays for. It is the parents of teens who should guide their children and give them skills of good decision making. For many girls who fall victim of buying into the fads of popular culture, their outcome of self identity is often distorted.   The truth of the matter is that your sense of self  is your greatest asset. The constant barrage of images on tv and print can diminish self image unknowingly. 

In hindsight, there is a positive aspect of the way women use their sexual appeal. In a Pepsi commercial, Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Pink use their sexuality to show their powerfulness and strength. They are depicted as gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, wearing metal bras and   

In addition to the powerful effect media has on young teens self image, advertising also plays a crucial role on women’s behaviors. 

Not only do women and girls have to guard against negative imagery, many of the advertisements give suddle and not so suddle messages of how girls or supposed to act. A photo in an essay by kilbourne called "Two ways a women can get hurt," a woman is getting caressed by a man with one big word on top of the photo, "No"(579). It is hard to tell if the woman is laughing or screaming which betrays the woman as powerless and passive(Kilbourne). Another advertisement in Kilbourne's essay is one of a young women advertising perfume. The bottom of the ad states, "Fetish number$ 16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the sent as you shake your head 'no'"(581). Both girls and women are receiving messages from advertisements that justify the act of submission against male dominance. The ad makes it okay for men to take advantage of women even if the women are saying "no". Women are being taught to act a certain way that inhibits their ability to stand up for themselves against unacceptable behavior. Specifically, young women who are still maturing and figuring their lives out are being taught through advertising that it is acceptable to be passive and seductive. 

rough draft #2

Dear seductive women,

Women have the opportunity to make a living however they choose. The ability to make a living selling their sexuality to music videos or advertisements or the ability to make a living working as a politician, doctor, or lawyer is a personal decision. The industry is competitive about choosing potential employees because it is them who represent their companies. In the eyes of men, women who show too much skin or wear provocative clothing don’t belong in the professional work place because they can’t be taken seriously. If women change their behaviors away from promoting their sexuality, men can focus on the talents women have to offer instead of their sexual appeal.

In some cases, men look at women and determine just by their looks if they are making money by selling themselves or by working a job that doesn’t matter the sex. If a woman is attractive, she will come off as a woman who would sell her appeal to advertisers and if a woman is not attractive, she will come off as a woman who works hard for a living. Models for example just have to look good and display their clothing in a sexual way. Women in music videos just have to wear swim suits and dance around the rapper and look sexy. Men have this mindset that women who are smart are not attractive and women who are attractive are dumb.  Men think women who make money from their looks get off easy because they aren’t working hard for their money. This translates to the work force where as a woman applying for a high position job will most likely not get hired because of her sexual identity. Women who sell their sexuality have made an image for all women that implies a bad work ethic and a bad working environment.

Men are biologically driven by sexual appeal of women and when men see women who are attractive, all they can think of is sex. Men don’t take attractive women seriously in the work force because of their sexual desires. Kilbourne states that men think of “sex as more important than anything else” (578).  This turns away job opportunities for women because having a women who is attractive can get in the way of the professional aspect of working together and in some cases can hinder work ethic.

Men like feeling powerful in the work force and in their personal lives. Men are masculine and dominate in nature and don’t share their femininity because it makes them look weak. In an advertisement in an essay by Kilbourne, a man is forcibly hovering over a woman who is laughing and there is a big “No” on top of the advertisement (579). This demonstrates that women secretly want to be forced around or if they don’t want to be forced around, they don’t have a voice to say “no” to the man. Men are demanding to get their way and women have no power to say otherwise. Men forget that women are human too and fail to treat them with any respect.

Women on the other hand want to be heard and listened to but fail to stand up to their male counterpart.  Women are shown in advertisements obeying orders given by the male. The way an advertisement portrays a young women in an elevator with words saying “push my buttons” (582), implies that she wants to be pushed around and taken advantage of. With this sort of submissive behavior, women are letting men run all over them without even a fight. This sort of behavior translates into the workforce where women are bossed around and told what to do. Women need to not show their submissive behavior when taken advantage of from other men and retaliate. If women want to be taken seriously, they need to stand up and let their voice be heard and if they don’t, men will continue to degrade and dehumanize them.

Women have the ability to stand up against male dominance but it is up to them to do it. Men can’t tell women to stand up for themselves, women have to take the initiative to say no and let their oppressor know their true feelings. Women are by nature submissive, carrying and kind but that doesn’t entail that they can be forced upon and bossed around. Women need to set boundaries for men so when men go too far with their powerful and dominating behavior, they know and stop. Otherwise, if no boundaries are set, women become powerless and therefore can get hurt and abused.   

The women who are assertive and ambitious will prove to men that they do have a position in the job force and the political world. It is those women who fight and stand up for equality that will bring a new era of woman power to our world. In an essay by Reihan Salam called The Death of Macho, men are to blame for the economic downturn our county faced starting in 2008. The economic collapse proved costly for both men and women. However, not only is there less work for men because many jobs are being outsourced, fewer men are qualified with a college degree by one third (630). This gives women a chance to change the playing field and try something new for our country. Society cannot take another financial crisis that mostly men caused based on risky loan selling and buying. Salam sums up that “as more people realize that the aggressive, risk-seeking behavior that has enabled men to entrench their power-the cult of macho- has now proven destructive and unsustainable in a globalized world”(630-1). This evidence of how men used their natured and nurtured behaviors to make unsafe financial decisions will persuade the people of America to accept that there needs to be an equal number of men and women working together to find safe and balanced decisions for our society.

A woman saved an economy from a financial collapse. Iceland experienced a financial collapse which was caused by its transformation from “an economy fueled by fishermen to a center for wealthy financiers.”  Men drove this country into the ground by their risky loan selling and horrible financial decisions. The government threw out all the male elite and brought in a new woman as their prime minister (Salam 630). The interests of the male elite were not of the people of Iceland but of themselves and their rich business partners. Now that a woman is in power, Iceland can trust that the future financial decisions will be made thoughtfully and wisely. From this example, women can be trusted to make big financial decisions because they naturally want to do good for others. Different than men, they see that risky behavior is dangerous and that it should be avoided at all costs. They are not driven to be powerful and controlling, but are driven to do best for a society.

Women have shown that they have what it takes to run a society and make intelligent decisions. Do they have the responsibility and reliance that is needed to maintain control of a society? Will they be strong enough to make critical decisions and follow through when the time is most crucial? In the smaller picture, do women have the courage to stand up against men and tell them no and set their boundaries? If women show that they can stand up and be strong, humans must realize that they are capable of working in high powered positions and that they are able to do a job just as good as or better than men.

www.washingtonpost.com

Annotated Bibliography

Fowles, Jib. "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals." Jfowles.html. N.p., 1998. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cyberpat.com/shirlsite/education/essay2/jfowles.html>.

This article by Jib Fowles will be useful for my research paper because it has a detailed list of the top 15 appeals used in advertising. Jib wrote about how the marketers appeal to peoples "subrational impulses and desires" which I can use to support my claim. This article would target people interested in knowing what advertisers do to attract consumers. It does a good job explaining the different types of appeals used in advertising and explains that too many appeals might harm the effect of advertising. This article will be good to use in my paper to cover general information about advertising. 

Salam, Reihan. "The Death of Macho." Rereading America. 8th ed. 

Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. 629-36. Print.

This article by Reihan Salam was about how male macho behavior is destroying societies financially because of risky behavior men take. I will use this article to suggest that women do have value in high, powerful positions because they can be level headed and make good decisions. I can say if women stop advertising their bodies they can be beneficial to society and have a more respectful role. This article does a good job on using real life situations of how men have destroyed societies and how women have saved them. This article is targeted towards men and women who are curious about how macho behavior influences the success of societies. This essay will help me show how valuable women can be in society if they stop their sexual behavior.   

proposal for paper 2

Title: The Weaker Half

Author: Jacob Imsland

Date: 11/11/12

Topic: How the way society treats women differently than the way society treats men. The expectations that men and women have to live up to to fit into the norms of American society. 

Analysis of argument

Exigence: The unequal treatment women receive in the job force, the political world, and the sports world.

Intended audience: Powerful men in American Society that have the ability to change male dominated industries.

Purpose: To educate the public of our male dominated culture and to make people change the views that women aren’t just objects but valuable assets to our culture.

Claims:  Women are powerless until men accept them as equal parts of society. If women change their behaviors away from promoting their sexuality, men can focus on the talents women have to offer instead of their sex appeal.

What men think of women; men view “sex as more important than anything else” (578). This shows that all men really think of when they are around their girlfriend or wife is sex. How will their views towards women change enough to allow women to fully participate in political decisions and other big decisions? Salam states that men need to embrace women as equal parts of society and that “a new model of manhood may be emerging” to begin the transitioning process (633). Women have showed that they can do a job just as good or even better than their male counterpart. More women are graduating with a college degree than men are now a days. Pretty soon we will see a switch from male domination to equal power between men and women. Women have already demonstrated that they are capable of achieving mass approval which was evident from a  society like Iceland (630). 

If we look at advertisements and look at the way the advertisers are persuading their product to an audience, we can see that much of the advertising is advertised through sex appeal. Marketers do this because they know sex sells. Why does sex appeal entice both men and women to buy the certain products that are advertised? This is a question I will begin to explore in my paper number two. I will be using advertisements to show just how common it is to see sex advertised. I will be using different essays in the book, Rereading America, and other sources to argue the truth behind adverting. I will also look at how the male dominated culture of America has caused the many problems our world has today. With these two ideas combined in my essay, there will be a well rounded message that my readers will take away. 

R.A #3

The essay, The Death of Macho by Reihan Salam takes an in-depth look at the underline characteristics of man. This essay demonstrates just how men make “macho” decisions in life and how these decisions affect society. Reihan Salam has witnessed huge financial decisions that has put America and the rest of the world in a financial crisis.  His first hand experience has made it clear that men are really aggressive risk takers that don’t belong behind the scenes of potential life changing financial decisions.

He wants the public to realize just how dangerous men can be when millions of dollars are at stake.  As America begins to pull out of the recession, the era of male dominance will fade away. 

Salam states that the recession is called the “he-cession”(630) because it has affected mostly men. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “more than 80 percent of job losses in the United States since November have fallen on men”(630). Not only is there less work for men because many jobs are being outsourced, less men are qualified with a college degree by one third(630). Pretty soon there will be a gear shift of power from male to female in the near future. Society can not take another financial crisis that mostly men caused based on risky loan selling and buying. Salam sums up that “as more people realize that the aggressive, risk-seeking behavior that has enabled men to entrench their power-the cult of macho- has now proven destructive and unsustainable in a globalized world”(630-1). This evidence of how men use their natured and nurtured behaviors to make unsafe financial decisions in our society will persuade the people of America to accept that there needs to be an equal number of men and women working together to find safe and balanced decisions for our society. 

Consequently, the outcomes of male macho behavior has caused a huge financial crisis in America. Salam uses the strategy of cause and effect to demonstrate how men drove America into the ground. The housing bubble was one example of how men used their risky behavior to generate money that was never even existent. All the jobs that stemmed from making and selling houses was a huge money maker and if any political figure wanted to get to the bottom of the housing bubble’s inflation, it would “have been political suicide”(632). How long could people continue to make money from the housing market before it would collapsed? Greed and ignorance caused the bubble to finally burst which was a huge contribution to the financial crisis we experienced. 

Salam logically used an abundance or facts and real life situations to bring his opinions to life. He used success stories from other counties such as Iceland that threw out the male-elite and elected the first openly lesbian women as their prime minister(630). As a reader, I know the potential women have to change struggling economies into well balanced working systems. He also used failure examples of how macho ruling men can neglect and unfairly treat women in countries like Russia and China. I can image these countries with high poverty rates and high crime rates because of the lack of education women receive. Women are oppressed and don’t have any power to change their powerful, male dominated rulers. With the many examples explained in the text, it becomes clear that the male macho behavior fails to equally distribute wealth and equality to all people. I agree with his opinions because of his well detailed examples and how he shows two sides of what works and what doesn’t. 

R.A #2

Title: From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hoes

Author: Joan Morgan

Date: 1995

Topic: This essay is about the connection of rap music to the treatment of women.

Exigence: Her passion for rap music and the influence it has on the African American culture; specifically the treatment of African American women by African American men.

Intended Audience: rappers, black women, feminists, and listeners of rap music.

Purpose: to expose the negative lyrics rappers rap towards women and to change the behaviors of both men and women to stop the name calling of women such as bitches and hoes.

Claim:  The hurtful words used in rap music are affecting the ways black communities peacefully coexist together.

Main Evidence: In Joan Morgan’s essay, she states that the leading causes of death of young black men is homicide which is usually committed by the same race. This entitles that this issue of violence is not done by a different race but of the same race. Rap music for African Americans is a way to express the feelings they  go through. Morgan writes that “the seemingly impenetrable wall of sexism in rap music is really the complex mask African Americans often wear both to hide and express the pain”(603). It is evident in the rap music of Snoop Dog and B.I.G. in which the lyrics victimize women because they are saying that women are only good for sex and no other positive qualities that they have to offer. Women can change the bad words that rappers use against them by not participating in the dehumanizing behaviors they act out in music videos.

Writer’s Strategy 1: Joan Morgan uses the appeal of pathos to tell her side of view. She reveals one of her family friend’s death to the visible pattern of murders committed by black males. Another personal experience she writes about is that of her friend’s husband leaving their newborn baby with the mother to take care of.

Reader Effect 1: The reader feels sympathy for the writer because of the personal experience she writes about. The reader might have an experience or know someone with an experience similar to one of her friends who had the father of the newborn baby leave and withdraw all responsibilities of the baby. The mother has to figure out how to raise the child all by herself which is a really hard job to do.

Writer’s Strategy 2: A second appeal Morgan uses in her essay is logos. She uses facts about homicides against black males and the number of black to black relationships in America.

Reader’s Effect 2: These facts give evidence to what she is arguing which makes her arguments stronger and more credible.

Writer’s Strategy 3: The third appeal Morgan uses is ethos. She is credible because she has passion for rap music and isn’t biased about who the rappers are. She is a musician, a feminist, and a writer.

Reader’s Effect 3: She is truthful and forthcoming about her opinions which make the reader agree or disagree with her opinions.  

My Response: I agree with the stance she takes against rappers and their usage of bad words towards women. Rappers do this to express their feelings of hard times growing up or their current struggles of drugs and alcohol.  They might not see their word calling towards women offensive because they are surrounded by that kind of atmosphere all the time. I agree that women can stop their behavior that allow men to dehumanize them and call them names. If both men and women can change their behaviors, they can peaceful coexist together.

RR #2 Kilbourne

      The essay “Two Ways a Women Can Get Hurt”: Advertising and Violence by Jean Kilbourne puts in perspective the misconceptions society has about girls and women. The way advertising is used to sell a product or service to consumers can influence a society’s image of the way women are suppose to be. Women sell their bodies by posing naked for watch companies, perfume bottles, and other products just so consumers will buy them. The way media and advertising portray women to be sex objects has caused many women to turn themselves into what ever media wants  women to look like and act like. Women are dehumanized and evaluated by the advertising we are used to seeing on television and billboards. 

Women, compared to men, are thought of to be more weak and less powerful because of their kindness and nurturing characteristics. This makes women more subjected to violence. According to Kilbourne, “battery is the single greatest cause of injury to women in America, more common than automobile accidents, muggings, and stranger rapes combined, and more than one-third of women slain in this country die at the hands of husbands or boyfriends”(584-5). Women are vulnerable to violence because of the way men think of them as objects. If both men and women were equal, there would be no thought of men dominating women. As an extreme example, the way  how dogs have no power over their master, women don’t have any power over abusive men. From examples from Kilbourne, advertising is promoting violence by  using dead looking female bodies, rape situations, and other violent acts to sell something. Women don’t want to be looked down upon and treated like objects. However, advertising continues to degrade the value that women have to offer by making them powerless and vulnerable.

Men also are supposed to act and be a certain way. Advertising portrays men as masculine and powerful and to never take no for an answer from women. Mentioned in the texts by Kilbourne, the coolest men are those who have complete control over their girlfriend and if they are not in control, they are “pussy-whipped”(578).  If a man doesn’t have control of his wife of girlfriend, he might appear to be weak because women are viewed as more weak then men.  Women look up to men who show their power because women feel safe when they have a bodyguard like figure around. Men usually call all the decisions in a relationship because women don’t have as much authority as men do. Compared to women, men are not pressured as much by the media and advertising to look and act a certain way. Moreover, men are competing against their male peers to act more masculine or powerful.  

Many couples today don’t let media and advertising affect their relationship. Men and women switch roles that society expects men should do or women should do. For example, the wife might be the one who makes all the money where as the husband stays home and watches the kids. Gender roles have been switching more recently because consumers are becoming more aware of the harmful advertising that businesses are putting out there. However, the younger generation is up to date on current trends the media puts out which puts them highly at risk for looking and acting a particular way. 

updated Prop. 30

The Passage of Proposition 30

California’s educational system is in the worst financial situation to date. State budgets have just about dried up for educational funding leaving public schools and higher education gasping for help. A proposed bill by Governor Jerry Brown, Proposition 30 would generate an estimated $6 billion of revenue to fund education and public safety. This would be done by raising income taxes 1%-3%for 7 years on the wealthiest Californians ($250,000 on individuals, $500,000 for couples) and raising the sales tax 1/4 cents for 4 years. This money would save our schools from a collapse and would gear future generations of students towards a successful life. Before our schools get any worse than they are now, a yes vote for Proposition 30 is needed. 

The repercussions of Proposition 30 not passing would be felt by all state funded  school students and staff. Over half of the California state budget is for funding K-12 and Higher Education. If Proposition 30 doesn’t pass, there would be $5.5 billion resulting cuts for K-12 and $250 million resulting cuts for CSU colleges(www.csusqe.org/chapters). In an article by Carla Rivera in the Los Angeles Times, Chancellor Reed said that if Prop. 30 doesn’t pass, there would be “about 20,000 qualified students turned away, 5,500 class sections slashed, and 1,500 faculty and staff reductions” for CSU colleges. This would put a burden on families who want to send their children to a CSU because of the expensive tuition hike of 5%. Our economy is already in bad condition and making tuition costs for colleges even more expensive results in less college attendees and thus less college graduates. The CSU Finance committee brainstormed some other possible solutions to much needed revenue such as a “per-unit supplement of $372 for seniors who have already accumulated 150 semester units” or “a $200 per-unit fee for any course load of 17 units or more, which is intended to discourage students from enrolling in a number of classes and then dropping some later.” These are some well thought out ideas that help change student behavior. This makes students more conservative while choosing classes and makes students really focus on their current classes. However, these ideas put forth by the CSU Finance Committee will not solve the revenue crisis that colleges face. Cutting faculty and staff, slashing class sections, and turning away students will be the outcome if Proposition 30 fails. If proposition 30 passes, students and staff will not have to suffer any further cut backs. 

My perspective as a current community college student has greatly influenced my support for Proposition 30. Cabrillo Community College has had to cut 400 classes in the last few years and has cut 47 full time positions(www.csusqe.org/chapters). I have felt anxiety over not getting into the classes I need. Because of the difficulty of getting into classes, my goal of achieving my AS degree will be prolonged. Compared to my two older brothers and father who all attended Cabrillo College, my experience has been more diminished and fraught with anxiety. With more proposed budget cuts, myself and many other future students will be overwhelmed with the drastic changes that colleges will be forced to make. 

In order to increase class offerings, increase faculty, and overall improve the quality of education, schools need more money. Proposition 30 is designed to do just that. However, the contents of Proposition 30 states that revenue will be generated for only 7 years. Proposition 30 is not designed to be a long lasting solution for school funding because the tax revenue will eventually run out. However, now is the time that schools really need the money to save programs and teachers and keep tuition from increasing. According to an article from the Los Angels Times, “state law calls for $4.8 billion in automatic ‘trigger cuts’ to public schools.” The passage of Proposition 30 is the only way to avoid these monumental cuts. 

Another Proposition comparable to Proposition 30 is Proposition 38. According to Steven Harmon from the Mercury News, Prop. 38 is similar to Prop. 30 but broadens the income tax hike “on all but those making less than $7,316, with the wealthiest facing the stiffest hike.” The article also stated that if  Proposition 38  passes, Prop. “38 would raise $10 billion a year for 12 years.” Proposition 38 is a longer solution concerning revenue for K-12 schools but fails to include Community Colleges and Universities that Prop. 30 would cover. So in contrast to Prop. 38, Proposition 30 is an all inclusive Proposition that supports all public schools. According to an article in the Los Angels Times, if Prop. 38 does pass, the proposed trigger cuts will still go into effect resulting in nearly $6 billion cut. California’s schools are in desperate need of money and Prop. 30 will stop the trigger cuts and restore the current funding dilemma. 

This coming November, the residents of California will decide on two measures that will help generate revenue for public schools. Proposition 30 has all the components to evenly distribute money gained from tax revenue. Proposition 38 lacks an important area of targeted funding that Proposition 30 would cover.  Californians making over $250,000 a year will have a tax hike but in return, California's educational system will begin to recover. If public schools don't receive any money for the year 2013, the resulting effect will drive public education into the ground.  Proposition 30 will reverse the cutbacks to public education that the budget deficit made necessary. Vote yes for Proposition 30 and restore our schools. 

La Times

La Times
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