More on the Effects of Altered Images

NY TIMES
By Randy Cohen

Many comments on yesterday’s post argue that the problems associated with radically altered images of women should be solved not by their producers but by their consumers, asserting that the latter must take “personal responsibility” (Nos. 4 and 19, for instance) or simply avoid these products and publications (Nos. 39 and 57, among others). Others assert that the only people affected by such images are “stupid” (No. 43), lack “brains” (No. 40) or are not “sane” (No. 20).

I agree that it is incumbent on us all to be informed and skeptical, and not just in response to advertising. But it is futile to rely on the critical thinking of even the most astute and determined consumer.

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The Video Op-Ed is also linked with the article

Should Photos Come With Warning Labels?

NY Times Article By Randy Cohen

A Ralph Lauren ad, featuring a model with hips narrower than her head — so cartoonish, so grotesque, so right for Halloween — has become the latest focus of the already ongoing criticism of digitally altered fashion spreads, even though it ran only in Japan. Foes see such images as harming women by promoting a standard of beauty so false that it can be achieved solely by manipulating a photograph of an already slender model. This image is an extreme example of what happens to many ads, a practice that has become so dubious that some governments are taking action. Should ads using electronically altered images be banned?....

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I obviously have some opinions about this. Easier for me to express them through film/ video.

Blog Action Day: Climate Change

The last few minutes of Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change
http://blogactionday.com/

Here's a link to some good info about climate change and public health:
http://chge.med.harvard.edu/index.html

MTSU

Just got back from a 1st University screening/ lecture with the films. I'm incredibly inspired the the challenging questions that students asked after the screening. Forgot how good your brain can feel being in school.

MTSU Student Paper Write up

"Fat" Ralph Lauren Model Fired, Photoshopped

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

BIG NEWS!!!!

I would say that models are real women, but think this is very interesting.....

German magazine swaps thin models for real women

By MELISSA EDDY

Associated Press Writer

BERLIN — Germany’s most popular women’s magazine announced Monday that it is banning professional models from its pages in favor of “real women” in an attempt to combat an unhealthy standard of rail-thin beauty that it says has isolated its readers.

The editor-in-chief of Germany’s bimonthly Brigitte told reporters that, starting next year, the magazine will feature a mix of prominent women and regular readers in photo spreads for everything from beauty to fashion to fitness.

Andreas Lebert said the move is a response to readers increasingly saying that they are tired of seeing “protruding bones” from models who weigh far less than the average woman.....read more

Airbrushed photographs could be given government health warnings

A group of 50 politicians want a new law stating published images must have bold printed notice stating they have been digitally enhanced....