Rhetorical Analysis Outline of "The Arab People Have Woken up" by Tawakkul Karman

Rhetorical Analysis Outline of 

"The Arab People Have Woken up"

by Tawakkul Karman

Brisa Dos Santos

Purpose: To bring awareness to the Arab Spring/ Revolution and ask for moral, political, and physical support on a global level of their fight against Oppression (poverty, tyranny, government theft, the regime, murder, etc.) of the Regime.

Audience: Arab people who are protesting, those afraid or hesitant to protest, those attending the Nobel lecture, democracies of the world (other nations)

Context: revolution, "Arab Spring," protests, demonstrations, caused by economic decline, unemployment, poverty, lack of freedom/human rights, oppression, tyranny, theft by the government, government corruption, etc. want to bring down the regime. unhappy with rule, want democracy

Section 1: Introduction

Purpose: To introduce the situation in the middle east in terms of the people revolting, to back up why they are revolting, and to stress that it is completely and utterly peaceful.

Appeals: Uses a lot of pathos to describe the situations of oppression, using words and phrases like, "gone too far in depriving their people," poor share of freedom, democracy, and dignity they have," injustice," "legitimate human existence" and etc.

Technique: She uses repetition/parallel structure to emphasize how far the regime has gone, by repeating "they have gone..." and citing various instances, packed with pathos, where the regime has gone too far. Often starts another point or paragraph with "ladies and gentlemen," which builds her ethos, and also repeats "freedom," "peace," and "civilized/civilization."

Effectiveness: This was effective on my perspective. It really pulled in the reader, her pathos is great and the way she writes, her diction, her tone, and writing style are just in perfect harmony. Every one of these aspects work towards the effectiveness of the introduction, and the purpose of introducing is met. Her use of pathos is excellent, because it is just a right amount, and incorporated is some ethos and logos.

Section 2: The Middle

Purpose: she begins elaborating on protest, recalls when she found out she was nominated for a Nobel prize, and still justifies that these protests are peaceful, and that although the regime strikes with violence, they strike with peace. Wants to prove that this is a cause worth fighting for, its human, for rights that all humans have, is for greater peace, and is peaceful. Wants to emphasize the fact that people of all ages are going to the streets to fight for their cause. Sums up by explaining that when she got the Nobel Peace prize, it meant more not only to her, but to everyone else involved in this revolution, it meant that finally someone had recognized their efforts.

Appeals: This is mostly pathos. Continues the use of words like "oppression" and "peace,"although words had several different connotations. although a little bit of logos, its mainly packed with pathos. Striking emotion from every sentence, which in this instance, benefits the effectiveness because pathos is an appeal that is almost always effective.

Techniques: Uses the idea of peace against violence repeatedly. although just an idea, is significant because its a concept repeated. Also, a very interesting thing she did was that she said, "...the Nobel Prize did not come only as a personal prize for Tawakkul Abdel-Salam Karman, but as a declaration..." She addressed herself as if she was a different person.

Effectiveness: This part of the speech was effective overall, but it seemed a little repetitive, and it her going in depth about the protests and the peace against violence was too short. It was only through a span of one paragraph, and I just wish she would have elaborated more to support her purpose. Other than that, very effective because of her again extraordinary use of pathos. Really strikes an emotional cord to benefit speech.

Section 3: Last Chunk

Purpose: The purpose here seems to change from the purpose of the other first sections. Karman shifts to the moment, when she's standing before the audience, to justify the peace and good nature of these protests, that they seek only what is rightfully theirs, that they want something that is morally correct, and that is civilized. She seems to be saying that the revolution needs supporters. It needs other countries to step in and help overthrow the regime, to put the Arab countries back on their feet, and to help them establish a democracy. She justifies their involvement and justifies the revolution by making it sound like its for a good cause, its peaceful,and that its right, their taking what they deserve and no one should need to go through what they are going through. She wants to gain awareness to the revolution as a whole.

Appeals: Mostly uses logos, to justify reasons of other nations helping, but uses pathos as an aid for convincing. Emphasizes that protests are for the good of humanity, explaining that it was necessary because of the oppression, poverty, tyranny, etc. Wants to explain all the good reasons why other countries should recognize the revolution. Uses mostly pathos and ethos to do this.

Techniques: Uses parallel structure, repetition, "the Yemen...,"

Effectiveness: Very effective. although I feel like the last paragraph could have ended with a little more emphasis, her use of mostly appeals was great. She was making an argument, and the appeals she used helped her support it. To tie things up, she ended saying that all democracies have to recognize not only the separate revolutions in each Arab country, but the revolution as a whole, and that to be a democracy, they had to fight for it, and that they should recognize that the Arabs are fighting too and should help because no one should ignore this fight.

General Evaluation: Overall, this speech is very effective. Karman had a great use of appeals and techniques that overall benefited her purpose. Its not too complex to understand, but is also not shallow and meaningless. Although it ended kind of abruptly, overall, it was very moving, especially that she used a lot of pathos, striking an emotional cord in her intended audience.

Goebbels vs. Hirohito

       Hirohito and Goebbels both give speeches to attempt to lighten the mood and conceal the truth of their losses while trying to maintain unity and loyalty among the citizens of their countries, even through the times of sacrifice and hardships they have to face, explaining the sacrifices the citizens need to make to maintain unity and loyalty. Although Hirohito and Goebbels goal is to attempt this retention of loyalty, and advise the times of sacrifice, each man has his own different position to take on the issue.

       Hirohito and Goebbels both give speeches to their countries after suffering a great loss. In both speeches,they make it so that the losses were not as bad as they seemed. Both speakers'main goal is to conceal the true weight of their losses,keeping the citizens unified and loyal, not questioning anything. Hirohito tries not to alert citizens of the fact that Japan had to surrender. He does not want to make Japan seem weak, to make it seem as if Japan fell while in his responsibility. Hirohito says “…the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage," when the truth is that Japan had to surrender, which he conceals to keep the people loyal . Goebbels also used a similar method when he calls the great losses at Stalingrad merely "blows and misfortunes," as if they did not cause any harm to the nation.


       Both Hirohito and Goebbels also explain the hardships their respective country will face in the near future. They explain that although they will go through sacrifice and times of hardship, it will help strengthen their nations that is constantly receiving blows. Goebbels says that the people must give up their living standards to increase war efforts, while Hirohito says that japan has to endure the ultimate suffering; that of having to surrender, to make way for peace in the world.

       Although Hirohito and Goebbels' goals are to maintain loyalty, and to alert the people of the sacrifices that need to be made, their positions are different. Goebbels is rallying the citizens of his country. He wants to call the nation to action in the war. While maintaining loyalty, he wants the people to start making sacrifices of their own to help with war efforts, that will in turn benefit the country. Hirohito, on the other hand, has a more moral approach. He does not want to rally his people for war , because the fight has already been lost, but he wants to calm the people down, and assure them that although Japan had to surrender, which isn't such a big deal, the country is paving the way for a more peaceful world, and that what they did is noble. He wants to make the citizens assured that what they did helped the whole world, and helped themselves to become better people for the ultimate sacrifice they made of surrendering, and keep them unified, loyal, and spirits lifted.

Machiavelli and Thoreau On: How One Governs and is Governed

    While both authors attempt to answer the question of how a government can maintain order and the safety of its people while preserving its citizens' natural right to be free, Machiavelli's idea of how one should govern and how one is governed is very different from Thoreau ideas. Thoreau has a more liberal approach on how one governs, and suggests reform or immediate action against the higher power. He is very critical of the government, and thinks much of it has to change for it to serve its purpose maintaining order and the safety of its people while preserving its citizens' natural right to be free. He suggests that the government be reformed, and that the people should be governed fairly. Machiavelli, on the other hand stresses the importance of the government maintaining order above all else, regardless of whether the actions done to maintain this order are moral or immoral.
           

Thoreau's approach may be in a mildly aggressive tone, but he proposes nonviolent acts such as getting the governments attention by not paying taxes to suggest reform. Machiavelli's approach and proposal are both aggressive, insisting that a ruler must do whatever is in his power to rule his people regardless of whether his actions are moral or immoral and that "...it is safer to be feared than to be loved." But, one thing both authors seem to agree on even though they are ages apart is that one should never be passive. Thoreau describes that a man should never be passive saying, "A wise man will only be useful as a man, and will not submit to be “clay”..." and Machiavelli says a ruler should never be passive and should do what it takes to maintain order.

Thoreau and Machiavelli's ideas also differ in terms of the governed. According to Machiavelli, the governed are "feeble and effeminate," and "always impressed by the superficial appearance of things." He believes that the "masses” are gullible, passive, will fall for everything, and do not dare to stand up against higher power. He says, "... few know what you really are: and those few do not dare take a stand against the general opinion, supported by the majesty of the government." Thoreau on the other hand, strongly believes that man should not be fooled by the government, and should rise against it if he believes it is right for reform. Thoreau believes that when someone notices something is wrong, they have to make the choice to stand up and do something. He encourages us to not submit to be clay, easily molded by others ideas and forced to stand upright by someone else’s beliefs, rules, and morals if not coherent with your own. Thoreau says, "Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine." This means that even if you have to give up your life to a cause and throw yourself into the gears of the machine- the government, then do it. You will sacrifice a lot in the process, but it will stop the machine.

Social Change Project- Rough Draft

To all modeling agencies and fashion brands that it may concern:

        I am an ex- magazine reader. I barely pick up a magazine now day. I've experienced the self-esteem issues and longing to be skinny like the models on the covers too many times. To pick up a magazine, see these amazingly skinny girls, and feel like I could never even compare. Call me jealous, envious, whatever you want. But, I can’t help it. No young woman can when she sees these skinny models. Everyone wants to be beautiful, especially in their adolescence. And when I see these models, just as I’m sure many young women also do, honestly, I envy them. And I despise the fact that modeling agencies and fashion brands do this on purpose. It's intentional in their part making readers feel envy and seek to be like the models in these pictures. They think that envy will make us want to buy their clothes, shoes, jewelry. But, you've got it all wrong.
        I’m sure there are many who have given up reading magazines because they've become so intimidated by the images and the demands that those women are what is truly beautiful. I may only be one "ex" magazine reader, but I know I am not the only who has had my conscience weighed down, calling myself fat, finding all the imperfections in myself because these models intimidated me into looking PERFECT all the time-which is impossible. These skinny models haunt young women everywhere they go, they've become a normal part of everyday life. And, who recruits these models to taunt us with their perfectly toned, bony bodies? You do: all of you modeling agencies and fashion brands.
        A significant number of young women from the ages of 15 to 25 are becoming intimidated by skinny, anorexic, and unnaturally fit models featured in magazines. Because it is causing underlying mental and physical harm to young women, and because it is encouraging models to become "skinny enough" to fit into modeling agencies’ standards, to the point where it is extremely harmful, modeling agencies should being using “normal sized” models: curvaceous, plus sized, pear shaped, apple shaped, whatever shaped, to promote a healthy body, healthy lifestyle, and a healthy mentality towards appearance. It has been proven to not only benefit young women in being more confident, but also the popularity of brands, and sales.
Most young women see these extremely skinny, fit models and naturally, and their self-esteem usually drops down. Who doesn't want to fit in with these body type standards? Most young women think the only major problem in with themselves is their weight. It is human to feel the need to be better than your present self, to want to look like what people are saying is “beautiful” and “healthy”. As stated on "Eating Disorders and the Role of the Media," a survey was conducted with teenage girls who were given three magic wishes. It concluded that their number one wish was to “lose weight and keep it off.” In another survey, most women said that what they most wanted to change about themselves was their weight. “This pervasive body dissatisfaction and preoccupation with weight has become part of the female experience in North America” (Eating Disorders”, Spettigue).
        Although it is underlying, and no one may notice it, this skinny epidemic is causing harm to young women. The media plays a major role in developing some of the most well-known eating disorders, which are the predominant effect of these anorexic models being all over the media. Studies looking at the role of media in eating disorders revealed that over the time, the average weight is decreasing among models, who are “held up as ideals of beauty”( “Eating Disorders”, Spettigue ). What is ironic, that appears in the same study, is that over the same period, the weight of American women is increasing. This increases the discrepancy of the actual body size, and the ideal body size in America. Because young women are trying so hard to come into this “ideal,” most of the time, they begin developing eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
        Not only is this anorexic-like “ideal” body type doing damage to young women, it is also affecting models. As time passes, according to "Eating Disorders and the Role of the Media," the weight is constantly decreasing among models. This is another important issue to look at, because these models are competing to be the skinniest, to have the extreme ideal skinny body. Models are obsessing more and more about their bodies, trying everything and anything to become the skinniest. Not only does this add to the plenitude of eating disorder cases, it also becomes a bad example for young women. Models are displayed on social media but it is also apparent as always obsessing over their weight. And the media does not censor out when these models show evidence of eating disorders. Obvious or not, it does encourage young women to do the same so that they become just like these models. In an article on Medical News Today, a study on increasing cases of eating disorders among models estimated that about 20% to 40% of fashion models are currently experiencing an eating disorder. These could be models in your own agencies; struggling to stay “skinny,” and harming themselves in the process to meet your “skinny” standards.
        It has been proven that curvaceous models are more appealing to the public. Many modeling agencies and famous brands are now doing specials on “shape,” including designer Jean-Paul Gaultier. Many women were emotionally thankful for this revolution in fashion, claiming it made them feel confident, sexy, and more likely to go out of the box when picking out an outfit. The benefits of using curvaceous models are plenty. Sometimes, skinny can be appealing, but in these decades, curvaceous is the new sexy, it is the new allure to both men and women. It makes women more confident about their bodies, and more willing to go on shopping sprees and purchase things to showcase it proudly.as proof of this spreading trend, Famous designers such as Mark Fast and Jean- Paul Gaultier have featured larger models in their shows, and magazines such as French Elle, American Glamour, and V Magazine, have photographed larger models in special editions. Look Magazine’s Editor Ali Hall stated, "There have been so many novelty things around larger women. I think if you're going to do it, you have to say this is going to be the norm for us, which is why we've decided to do it every week." Hall also stated that “the traditional image of a model to show women what they should look like has become redundant.”
        It was also discovered that sales have increased since these agencies and brands began using curvaceous models. In Germany, a leading magazine stopped using professional models altogether in January, and now uses a diverse range of readers in its fashion pages. Sales have gone up 4%. The use of more diverse models could also help to set a magazine or modeling agency apart from others. Ben Barry, a PhD student at Cambridge University, thinks eventually there will be a change for the better and that more curvaceous and diverse body types will be featured. In his research, he theorizes female consumers are more likely to buy something when an advertisement (and by extension, a glossy magazine fashion spread) features a model who is more reflective of them.
        For the sake of the young women of America, Modeling agencies should begin using normal sized, curvaceous, and plus sized models, who promote healthy body types instead of the present “too skinny” ideal promoted by most models. This problem is causing underlying mental and physical harm to young women. It is also encouraging models to become "skinny enough" to fit into modeling agencies’ standards, to the point where it is extremely harmful. Although many agencies as well as brands are making the switch to the curves, it is still presented as a problem, because of the steady numbers of eating disorders still linked with the media. How long is it going to take for everyone to open up their eyes and see? Curvy is the new beautiful, and its taking over.
        Think about my proposal. Think about the multitude of young women it affects, and how it would affect yourselves. Think of the benefits, for yourselves, and for these young women, and lastly, and think of others, and not only yourselves. I call you into considering this change. It is a change for the better.

-Brisa Dos Santos

Social Change Project- Argument of Proposal

     A significant number of people, predominantly female adolescents and young adults, are becoming intimidated by skinny, anorexic, and unnaturally fit models featured in magazines and advertisement. Because it is causing underlying mental and physical harm to young women, and because it is encouraging models to become "skinny enough" to fit into modeling agencies’ standards, to the point where it is extremely harmful, magazines, advertisement companies, and modeling agencies, should being using "normal sized” models, to promote a healthy body, healthy lifestyle, and a healthy mentality towards your appearance.
     Most young women see these extremely skinny, fit models and they (the young women), are naturally intimidated and their self-esteem usually drops down. Who doesn't want to fit in with these body type standards? It is human to feel the need to be better than your present self, to want to look like what people are saying is “beautiful” and “healthy”. As stated on "Eating Disorders and the Role of the Media," a survey was conducted with 11-17 year old girls who were given three magic wishes, and it concluded that their number one wish was to “lose weight and keep it off.” In another survey, most women said that what they most wanted to change about themselves was their weight. “This pervasive body dissatisfaction and preoccupation with weight has become part of the female experience in North America” (Eating Disorders”, Spettigue). 

     Although it is underlying, and no one may notice it, this is causing harm to young women. The media plays a major role in developing some of the most well-known eating disorders, which are the predominant effect of these anorexic models being all over the media. Studies looking at the role of media in eating disorders revealed that over the time, the average weight is decreasing among models, actresses, and beauty pageant contestants who are “held up as ideals of beauty”( “Eating Disorders”, Spettigue ). What is ironic, that appears in the same study, is that over the same period, the weight of American women is increasing. This increases the discrepancy of the actual body size, and the ideal body size in America. Because young women are trying so hard to come into this “ideal,” most of the time, they begin developing eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
     Not only is this anorexic-like “ideal” body type doing damage to young women, it is also affecting models. As time passes, according to "Eating Disorders and the Role of the Media," the weight is constantly decreasing among these models and etc. that are considered “ideals” of beauty. This is another important issue to look at, because these models are competing to be the skinniest, to have the extreme ideal skinny body. Models are obsessing more and more about their bodies, trying everything and anything to become the skinniest. Not only does this add to the plenitude of eating disorder cases, it also becomes a bad example for young women. Models are displayed on social media, in America’s Top Model, in example, as always obsessing over their weight. And the media does not censor out when these models show evidence of eating disorders. Obvious or not, it does encourage young women to do the same so that they become just like these models. In an article on Medical News Today, a study on increasing cases of eating disorders among models estimated that about 20% to 40% of fashion models are currently experiencing an eating disorder. 

     For the sake of the young women of America, magazines and media should begin using normal sized models, who promote healthy body types instead of the present “too skinny” ideal promoted by most models. This problem is causing underlying mental and physical harm to young women. it is also encouraging models to become "skinny enough" to fit into modeling agencies’ standards, to the point where it is extremely harmful.

Works Cited:


Spettigue, Wendy, and Kathrine A. Henderson. "Eating Disorders and the Role of the Media."NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.Nordqvist, Christian. "Eating Disorders Among Fashion Models Rising." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 8 July 2007. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

Toulmin Analysis - "Forever Under Their Photoshopped Gaze?"

The claim, or the argument, in this blog post is that Fashion industries need to use normal people as models. The argument implies that  People are going out to get cosmetic surgeries, modifying themselves and their bodies, sometimes in unhealthy ways, like eating disorders, and becoming more  obsessed with being perfect, because magazines make them feel bad that they are not like models, and don’t fit in with the beauty norms.

The qualifier, which is a statement that makes the warrant stronger, or weaker, in this piece, is that most likely, a lot of people are hurt, offended , and intimidated by these beauty norms set by fashion industries and are struggling to feel like they fit in. And, that it would be required that fashion industries use everyday people, with real sized bodies and average facial features, as models .The warrant presented is that since the models used are extremely fit, classified as extremely beautiful, always perfectly airbrushed and photo shopped, that they become sort of an advertisement to the viewers that says “this is what beauty is, and to be beautiful you need to be like me.”

The backing, or the defense and broadening of the warrant in this argument is that humans feel the need to fit in, because simply put, it is human nature. When they see these beautiful models, they feel that the model is implying that “I am an image of beauty. If you are not skinny and airbrushed to perfection like me, you are not beautiful.”

There isn’t really any evidence to support this argument. There is no presentation of any real number data or even a quote present in the post. This takes away from the validity of the argument tremendously because part of the body of the argument and the claim is the evidence. Although there is personal reference as evidence, there should be more factual and outside sources of proof. And, since there is no evidence, there is no authority to cite. But, the writer gives herself authority by using ethos, and making herself credible to the audience by providing personal experiences. There is also no rebuttal, or an exception, proposed in this argument. The existence of a rebuttal could be crucial in an argument, since there could be a lot of opposition to this claim the writer is making, and so the audience can be very skeptical when reading this piece, and can develop objections and reservations while reading this argument. 

Possible Audiences

Teenage girls 

Teenage boys

Men

Women

Editors of magazines

Publishers of (fashion, publicity,entertainment)magazines

Presidents of major(fashion,publicity,entertainment)magazines

Presidents of advertising companies

Professional photographers

Modeling agencies

Top 3 Choices:

Presidents of major(fashion,publicity,entertainment)magazines:

-the ones who decide what goes on magazines, can chose to change the kind of pictures and advertisement that goes on magazine, writing would have to be very formal, addressed to someone obviously of higher power and status than me, I would have to think about my tone --> an attitude of resentment towards the issue, careful use of pathos without over doing it --> my strongest appeals would be pathos and logos with a tiny bit of ethos

The general public:

-everyone else aside from those who are intimidated and put down by these "beauty standards", to call people who might have been oblivious to it into action, bring to the surface this underlying insecurity caused by these implied "beauty standards" does not have to be very formal, just well structured and able to get point across. Tone --> can use heavy negative attitude to impact audience, to surprise general public and to open their eyes and draw them in --> they will be wondering "why such hate or passion on this?" Can use a lot of pathos, but not too much, appeal to public by making myself credible, "I feel your pain." 

Modeling Agencies:

-same method of approach as magazine president; use appeals to the right extent, but tailor it to fit with modeling, picking models, why everyone is beautiful --> everything in my argument that can tie into the aspects of modeling and how the "beauty standards"these models pose for and help to imply are ruining society more than we think. 

Forever Under Their Photoshopped Gaze? - Ethos

From my previous experiences with low self-esteem, I barely pick up a magazine now a day. I’ve experience this in my life too much. To pick up a magazine, see these gorgeous girls, and feel like I could never even compare. Call me jealous, envious, whatever you want. I can’t help it. Everyone wants to be beautiful, especially in his or her adolescence. And when I see these models, honestly, I envy them.

I despise the fact that these industries do this on purpose. Industries use these models to make viewers want to look like them, want to wear what they’re wearing, so that the industry can become richer than they already are. It's intentional in their part making readers feel envy and seek to be like the people in these pictures. And the sick masochistic part is that they so this because they want money. It is so shallow of these industries to put people’s self-esteem down like that just for the growth of their company.

I’m sure there are many who have given up reading magazines because they've become so intimidated by the images and the demands that those women are what is truly beautiful. I may only be one "ex" magazine reader, but I know I am not the only who has had my conscience weighed down, calling myself fat, finding all the imperfections in myself because these models intimidated me into looking PERFECT all the time. They haunt us everywhere we go, they've become a normal part of everyday life, so why can't they be ordinary, normal people?

She opens the magazine, knowing already the feelings of want and desire to fit in that they always bring to her. Beautiful faces stare back, as she reflects to herself why she isn't that way. Don't we all wonder why we're different than these gorgeous models in magazines? Don’t we feel our self-esteem hit rock bottom when magazines say that super skinny is the ONLY beautiful? How do we manage to match these "norms?" How much are we going to have to question and alter our selves and our lifestyle to fit into the image that magazines portray as "beautiful?" And the problem is, they seem to be everywhere! Everywhere you look are magazines, advertisements, all rubbing in the fact that there are a lucky few who have scored big in the gene pool, and that most humans will never be that "beautiful." 

But, what is beauty? Is it artificial on the surface like these advertisements and magazines portray? Or is beauty from within, from being unique and different? Why are we, as individuals, going to let these industries tell us what beauty is and how to be beautiful and unique?

Fashion and advertisement industries need to get real. They need to use real sized models: everyday women and men who are averages, not extremely attractive, but who can showcase their inner beauty, something that everyone has. Instead of being surrounded by these unrealistically beautiful models, we should be surrounded by average people. 

Who says a working mom of 4 can’t be beautiful? A low wage single mom, who cant put on a pair of $700 and rule the runway? Who says an average man working as a carpenter or a stay at home dad can’t showcase a new style of jeans for a famous brand? I can almost guarantee that the majority of people would be more comfortable seeing average people, like themselves, in advertisements and magazines.

The feeling of belittlement and of intimidation because you are not what society and influencing industries set as the "norms," is really terrible. They should notice what they are doing to young girls and basically almost everyone in society. How they are influencing them to run out and get surgeries or drastically change their lifestyles to fit these "beauty" standards. 

Industries, who use these unrealistically beautiful models, have no heart, or conscience, obviously. I can tell by their quest for fame and money, not caring who they intimidate or offend. They are shallow, and don't really pay attention, or care about how they are affecting these young girls. Because even if they know how it hurts not to fit in, they still go for the perfect models, and we, the normal people, have to shrink under their beautiful, photoshopped gaze. 

More and more teenage girls and young women are developing eating disorders, complexion disorders, self-esteem issues, and a large array of other problems because they feel like they don't fit in. How much longer are they going to fake oblivion to these issues? How much longer are teenage girls going to do anything and everything to be skinny and beautiful, even if it harms them, or potentially kills them? How long, Gucci? How long, 7 Jeans? How long Vogue? How long are you going to pretend you cant see  these ever-obvious issues? 

Forever under their photoshopped gaze?

     She opens the magazine, knowing already the feelings of want and desire to fit in that they they always bring to her. Beautiful faces stare back, as she reflects to herself why she isn't that way. Don't we all wonder why we're different than these gorgeous models in magazines? Dont We feel our self esteem hit rock bottom when magazines say that super skinny is the ONLY beautiful? How do we manage to match these "norms?" How much are we going to have to question and alter ourselves and our lifestyle to fit into the image that magazines portray as "beautiful?" And the problem is, they seem to be everywhere!Everywhere you look are magazines, advertisements, all rubbing in the fact that there are a lucky few who have scored big in the gene pool, and that most humans will never be that "beautiful." But, what is beauty? Is it artificial on the surface like these advertisements and magazines portray? Or is beauty from within, from being unique and different? 

    I barely pick up a magazine now a days. Ive experience this in my life too much. To pick up a magazine, see these gorgeous girls, and feel like I could never even compare. Call me jealous, envious, whatever you want. Because, I cant help it. Everyone wants to be beautiful, especially in their adolescence. And when I see these models, honestly, I envy them. And I despise the fact that these industries do this on purpose. It's intentional in their part making readers feel envy and seek to be like the people in these pictures. Im sure there are many who have given up reading magazines because they've become so intimidated by the images and the demands that those women are what is truly beautiful. I may only be one "ex" magazine reader, but I know I am not the only who has had my concience weighed down, calling myself fat, finding all the imperfections in myself because these models intimidated me into looking PERFECT all the time. They haunt us everywhere we go, they've become a normal part of everyday life, so why can't they be ordinary, normal people?

     Fashion and advertisement industries need to get real. They need to use real sized models: everyday women and men who are averages, not extremely attractive, but who can showcase their inner beauty, something that everyone has. Instead of being surrounded by these unrealistically beautiful models,we should be surrounded by average people. Who says a working mom of 4 cant be beautiful? A low class single mom, who cant put on a pair of $700 and totally throw the othere out of the running? Who says an average man working as a carpenter or a staybat home dad cant showcase a new style of jeans for a famous brand? I can almost guarantee that the majority of people would be more comfortable seeing average people, like themselves, in advertisements and magazines. The feeling of belittlment and of intimidation because you are not what society and influencing industries set as the "norms," is really terrible. They should notice what they are doing to young girls and basically almost everyone  in society. How they are influencing them to run out and get surgeries or drastically change their lifestyles to fit these "beauty" standards. Industries who use these unrealistically beautiful models , have no heart, or concience, obviously. Because even if they know how it hurts not to fit in, they still go for the perfect models, and we, the normal people, have to shrink under their beautiful, photoshopped gaze.

     

Sentence Imitation: Nickel and Dimed- On (Not) Getting by in America: Unrealistic and Photoshoped- On (Not) Lowering Self Esteem

Original:
"According to the national coalition for the homeless in 1998-the year i started this project-it took, on average nationwide, an hourly wage of $8.89 to afford a one-bedroom apartment, and the preamble center for public policy was estimating that the odds against a typical welfare recipient's landing a job at such a "living wage"were about 97 to 1. why should i bother to confirm these unpleasant facts?" As the time when I could no longer avoid the assignment approched, I began to feel a little like the elderly man i once knew who used a calculator to balance his checkbook and then went back and checked the results by doing each sum by hand." 
Nickle and Dimed, Barbra Ehrenreich



Imitated: 
Almost all magazines stimulate our minds to think society is strictly made up of beautiful people, to make us wonder what we are missing, and question why we are not what they portray to us as "the way everyone should be," why we are not like the only thing these magazines feature on their pages: these unrealistically beautiful women and men who probably achieve this "beauty" through heavy Photoshop. Why can't magazines use real sized models with realistic body types and natural beauty instead of using media to make our society even more deficient in self-esteem? The more our society uses media to extrapolate that all humans are this unrealistically beautiful,makes us feel like we are missing something and are the ones that are not normal is going to conclude in more people abandoning values about self individualism and natural beauty and succumbing to the norms society implants in our minds. 

Things That Bug Me

It Bugs Me That:
I don't read or follow directions very well; without direction, you will go nowhere in life

I say the wrong things at the wrong times; think twice before you say something

I am too curious; curiosity killed the cat.

My emotional feelings contradict everything I believe in, and it almost always get me screwed in a situation; that’s what you get when you let your heart win.

Sometimes I throw my morals and values in the trash when something that goes against them is tempting; eve was tempted to eat the apple. Look what happened.

It Bugs Me That:
People tell lies; lies are short lived

People act oblivious to my mood; don’t wake a sleeping lion

People make me feel bad about myself and put me down; the humble will be exalted

People embellish themselves with false personalities to gain favor of others; the exalted will be humbled

It Bugs Me That:
Magazines don’t ever show models with realistic bodies and body proportions; the human body, in ALL its forms, is the best work of art 

In movies the woman is always the one with the lesser value; She is far more precious than rubies

Hip hop used to embody the struggles and victories of the black community-now it embodies pure disrespect- sex, drugs, alcohol, racism, prejudice against homosexuality, and the defilement of women and of society itself; stay true to who you are

People who are different and who don't fit into society's norms are called "crazy;" We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.

Just some thoughts that found their way into my mind earlier today.

The idea of having  to take pills to be happy and normal moves mountains in me. And not in a good way. It's like robotically living a  life that your not really even living because it's  not even really you. It's an enhanced version of yourself because society and doctors and man decided that your real self is too messed up and different to fit in with "normal."  When I think of pills I see a body, like a machine with gears all corroded on the inside, but shiny and brand new on the outside, being fed by and running on the pills. they are what keep the outside looking new, but the inside never changes, it is still corroded, still on the verge of malfunction, but the effect of medicine is the guild. instead of this machine completely breaking down, in the case of death, the inside gears are just kept going by the flow of the drugs, making the person function, numbly, oblivious to the fact that they are still "screwed (so I don't use a more violent, inappropriate word)"  up on the inside, and that the only thing that keeps them going and keeps their image on the outside as what everyone thinks as "normal" is the pills.I don't think people who take meds ever experience real happiness. because, after a while of taking meds to control your emotions and thoughts and actions, you start to become numb to certain things and just become used to being forced by a pill to feel that way, being managed by a pill.
I like to image a world where everyone is irrevocably crazy, spontaneous, too happy, too hyper, too different, too unique, who love one another too much, and are still called normal. A world where everyone is crazy and its ok. a world where society doesn't create an image for man to follow and live by. A world where happiness doesn't have to come from a small chemical filled pill. A world where drugs don't have to be administered to those who are not completely normal, where they can be themselves, and live spontaneously and freely, not bound by the "norms" of society.  sadly, That's never gonna happen, because those beautiful magical things don't exist. Just an ugly reality is what we have to live and cope with for the remainder of our lives.

My Name Does Not Define Me.

    5,582 girls since 1880 were named Brisa in the United States. Now, a name like Julie or Sarah ranges in the millions. Maybe even billions. Yet my name, only 5,582. But, that’s not the point. The point is, my name is unique: One of a kind (or maybe 5,582 of a kind). I don’t know the reason I was named Brisa, which in Portuguese or Spanish means breeze. Maybe mom had a secret desire to be a weatherwoman or a sailor, and it showed in my name. Whatever was the reason, She never told me why she named me Brisa. She lead me to believe that there was no meaning behind my name when a four year old me asked her what my name meant and she replied “it means breeze.” To me breeze is wind, Air, Nothing, something that can’t be seen, and something that can’t be touched.  Then, I discovered the Internet. My beacon of light, showing me the way to a baby name website, where miraculously, there was something about my name. The name I thought no one else had, the name I thought my mom saw floating around her head in the air and decided to bestow upon me. Surfing through the web, trying to shed some light on my peculiar name, I found that it wasn’t so peculiar after all. 
     My name is of a Latin origin, and is the short form of the Spanish name Briseida. Briseida originated from Briseis, the Greek name of the woman loved by Achilles in homer’s “Iliad.” I don’t think my mom knew all of this when she named me, I think she thought it sounded pretty. To me, at first it was not pretty at all. And it didn't seem pretty to others either. I’ve gotten made fun of by too many people in my lifetime so far. One boy in particular got to me every time. He said I was named Brisa, because my mom felt a breeze giving birth to me, so she said, I feel a breeze, and sighed ahh. And that how “Breeze ahh” turned into Brisa. Miraculously enough, now that I’m older, I’ve gotten over the “Breeze ahh.” I’ve even bestowed it the honor of being my Instagram name instead of my normal “Brisa.” 

      My name is Brisa. Brisa Alexia. Everyone calls me Brisa but there's the Alexia too. It comes from my mom's name, Adriana Alexia. She claims she named me Brisa because she thought it was beautiful, and decided to add a part of her to me. Her Alexia is now my Alexia too. I guess you could say that makes us the united, similar. Everyone says we look really alike and our personalities are the same anyways.I found then that "Alexia" means defender of men. It's origin is Alexander the Great, and Alexandria, in Egypt which was named after him. I wouldn't say I'm much of a defender of men though, and certainly neither is my mom. 
      I am not an Alexandrian defender of men. Neither am I a calm whisper of wind. I am not the woman Achilles fell in love with, and I am certainly not what I would define as beautiful.  My name does not define me. A calm breeze on a sunny afternoon is not who I am. I am a storm. I am extravagant, loud, and a violent believer of my own ideas and philosophies. I jump outside of the lines, I tend to scream more often than talk like a strong wind howls more than it whispers. I am a darkened sky and a raging wind. "Breeze" does not define my boundaries. I am a hurricane, a typhoon, a tornado. But even if my name does not define my violent weather of a personality, I still am the breeze. Named as the opposite of who I am inside, yet people see me as the calm breeze that my mom wished I  would turn out to be when she named me (too bad that didn't happen). I am still Brisa, even if some days my winds are raging and I'm a hurricane waiting to happen.