During the 1950’s and 1960’s the media reported the news a little more restricted than what used to now. The media focus has been drawn towards racial violence within the African American community for example black violence or police brutality this storyline is constantly portrayed. Martin Berger explains how many newspapers and magazines editors notice that targeting the graphic realities of such communities had appealed more to the white reader. 

For society to continue advancing we need to clear balance between the positive and negative. The mainstream media need to highlight more positively within minorities instead of portraying only negative for it sets a certain stigma around POC that’s not necessarily appreciated.

 According to Berger “publicity” influences consumers for they lead people to believe what they are buying is something that will improve or change their lives or that by buying the product they will special and that they belong to a group. This is significant because even though its clear that this product will not improve or change their lives they believe that it will make them richer and they will be more ambitious or allow them to believe they belong to a group 

These differences are important because the oil painting shows the owner’s wealth and possessions which are given to them at birth. For example the person living as John Berger states back then your social class was determined at birth as opposed to what you wear and how they look. While publicity has a purpose they try to get you to believe that investing in a certain product will improve or change your life for the better. Or that spending little money and acquire the product they can be exactly like a model in the magazine or on tv.

One of the dream that Berger offers was the “skin dream” this targets the person to believe that investing in a product will leave that person’s skin looking healthy smooth. By showing a model using the skin product and promising it will make everyone beautiful. The customer will believe that by buying this product the person will have their dream skin and have a better and wonderful life 

Representations of woman today are objectified in the same or similar way that Berger argues about woman in renaissance paintings, woman are still constantly objectified. Woman are more sexualized now than being seen as a form of art to look at. Social media is a platform for woman to express themselves and be seen, models are all over but are more seen as sexual beings instead of art like they should be, even when not intended to be seen in such a way men still sexualize and objectify woman. Woman do and are able to express themselves as they want to and have control over how they are seen none the less. Media is still influenced by the male gaze, woman are used as a sexual display to attract more viewers in music, movies and magazines.

1. According to Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, writers should use the model of “entering the conversation” in their writing. What are the advantages of this model?

The advantages of the model “entering the conversation”  are it helps to listen and acknowledge anther persons idea or opinion and respond without offending the person. It helps to identify another persons perspective on different ideas.

2. The smarthistory videos on the schedule this week discuss how learning to look at artwork help us analyze other situations. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

I do agree for it helps us view every day things in a different perspective. for example, in a portrait you see details but you don’t notice every single detail. Or the saying “look at the bigger picture” for we don’t see everything within the picture or what the artist is trying to express through it.