Category Archives: Blog post #2

Blog post #2

In the video “Ways of Seeing”, John Berger mentions that the image of women has been influenced by the gaze of men from Genesis on. He satires this phenomenon by using European nude paintings of women. In discussion of nude and women, Berger responds a different view that naked body is oneself to be naked, but nudity is to be seen naked by viewers with Kenneth Clack who says that being naked is simply being without clothes and nude is a form of art. At the same time, I believe Clack, I also believe that naked is different from nude.

In European, the nude paintings of women depicts the way of women view their images in a patriarchal society. As Berger says, the behavior of women who are in these nude paintings have no connection to their environments. Their behaviors are to be seeing by peeper or those who view the paintings like us. They consider themselves’ images from the perspective of viewers.What’s more, they will be ashamed by the gaze of men, even they make the move to attract and please men. Nude gradually became a symbol that women are defined beautiful. They are not born to be naked, just because men like to see them naked. In other words, nudity is a cloth that they can not take off and use to create their own image of beauty.

In fact, now the representations of women objectify them in the similar ways as the depicted what Berger argues about women in Renaissance paintings. Women wear different clothes to play different roles in today’s society. We can observe this phenomenon from various mass media. For example, advertisements objectify women from the perspective of the male gaze, and use photos that seduce male sexual feelings to promote the advertisement. Sexy body, ruddy lips, miniskirts and high heels,etc., which enable women to view themselves from the perspective of men and to shape their own image. The unilateral outputting of image advertisement from the media make women set up their aesthetic. It also reflects that women do not control their images in the media, they still determined by the male gaze.

However, I think that sexuality do not play the same role in images of women today as what Berger describes. In this era when more and more people are chasing gender equality, more and more women shape their own image from themselves perspective. They see themselves as more and more important and do not take sexuality as their main motivation. In conclusion, even though the image of women is still affected by the male gaze, their perspective of view themselves is gradually transitioning from the perspective of viewers to their own.

Gabriella C. BLOG Post #2

The image of women it’s slowly vanishing from what it used to be all due to the result of technology and the rate in which information is being exchanged around the world. Nowadays women’s image is used by the mass media as a way of attraction for the consumers. In “ways of seeing”, Berger explains how the paintings of naked women portray an image of an object for male viewers as “being nude is to be seen naked by others and not seen as oneself but as an object, whereas being naked is to be oneself”. To an extent the representation of women today objectify them in the same way as what burger argues. However, they do not have control over their images in the media because it deals mainly with the perception of others and the manipulation of the content. Sexuality does play a big role in the image of women today given that society is allowing them to be more open about it with more of an acceptance attitude. 

Blog post #2

Today’s representations of women objectify them in a similar way as Berger argues from the Renaissance paintings, passive and charm woman as they taught us to be nowadays. In my opinion women don’t have control over their images neither on the media or the real life, the image that women see of themselves is always “not enough” far from the image that the society tells that we should be. Sexuality plays almost the same role in images of women as Berger describes, as if women didn’t own her sexuality as if they should wait for a man and not to actively enjoy it but to please the man.

Bryan Moreno | Blog Post #2

John Berger believes that nakedness is to be oneself, but a nude is to be seen as naked to others and not be recognized as oneself. I’d add that in today’s society this form of objectification has moved over to a more modern medium such as videography/photography. John shares paintings of naked women, and points out how they are portrayed as submissive, often drawn with a charming gaze. Clearly the paintings were made to allure the men who observe it. A similar clear modern example would be pornography. A lot of today’s porn is made with the male viewer in mind, normalizing the treatment of women as objects for sexual gratification.

Having said all that, I do believe that women today have taken it upon themselves to reclaim the production of their own image. Unfortunately a lot of men without perspective, label women’s attempt of sexual liberation as self objectification. John discusses the competitive nature of beauty within European paintings. The apple being synonymous as the prize, the trophy. The judge always being depicted as a man. John’s logic if applied in today’s more modern media, could fit the same narrative. I believe women have more control over their image than they ever have. They control what they allow others to see. It’s not determined by anyone other than themselves. And that’s because women have also became content creators, and they can determine what us the viewers see. But the fast paced social media is the perfect breeding ground for competitiveness. Their success is often dependent on the viewer. Especially if you are a female model. Then your content success is often driven by what the male viewer wants to see. So even if women have reclaimed the production of their own image, the male role is so engrained in today society. The male gaze is still a deciding factor on the content produced.

Women’s hold on the production of their own personal content is fairly new and is step in the right direction. Sadly its reach is fairly limited. Its influence has yet to reform pornography. Which is the breeding ground for how a lot of men and women develop their impressions of sexuality in today’s society. John talks about how women are often drawn relaxed, posed submissively, sometimes even drawn with another man but never directing their gaze on them but us the viewer. John argues that since the painters draw these women as idealized as they are, their image is determined by the male gaze. One of the women later on in John’s segment summarizes it best, “Nearly all the paintings you have shown are what is called, idealized; and therefore they are to me, very unreal.”. Her quote perfectly encapsulates todays porn industry. Most pornography today is so unrealistic, only depicting men dominating women and the women enjoying it. I believe John would be inclined to agree with my observations on the matter.

Blog post#2

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.

Blog post #2

The video of the “ways of seeing, episode 2, “John Berger argues “naked is to be oneself to be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognized for oneself,” which is how women in the renaissance were looked as objects to please men during the 14th-17th century. As of today, women don’t have much control over their images on social media one has to, in a certain way to look interested/appealing, others might freely look at what they feel. In the video, the women argue,” I am a beautiful object. If not, I have to do something,” which I agree because men might not like what they see and lose interest. We women would try to fix the problem like what Berger said at the beginning of the video,” thus incidentally repeating the biblical example.” with adam and eve, they saw each other naked when they ate the apple. But I also have mixed feelings about it, like why can’t men appreciate the hard work women put out their image to show that they can also look professional and presentable.

Blog Post #2 Angel Zamora

In the video “Ways of seeing, Episode 2 “, John Berger explains how women were objectified during the seventeenth century. He explains that they were seen as objects to be displayed by painting them nude for men to look at. He further explains that the women on display are turned into a disguise for men to look at. In today’s society, much has not changed. Women are displayed in music videos in order too grab the spectator’s attention. They are being displayed for men to look at, not too mention that most of these women are not fully clothed, but are displayed with just bras and underwear on. Women are being displayed everywhere, no matter where you go, there’s a women being displayed, whether its an advertisement, clothing brand, video game, music video, movie trailers…

Some may argue that women have control over their images on the media because there are now more social media platforms for women to post what they and when they want. Others may disagree with this because when they do post a picture they have to look a certain way, pose a certain way in order to appeal their audiences. In my opinion, women do not have complete control over their images in the media because they have to satisfy their audience. Most female influencers audiences are men, and they are affected by the male gaze because like mentioned before they have to look a certain way, pose a certain way in order to please their audience. Another example is women don’t have any control over how they are shown off in advertisements of clothing brands, products, etc.

John Berger explains that women were sexually displayed in paintings by being nude. In the video John Berger explains that women’s sexually was used to get men’s attention. In today’s society it is still the same. Women are being sexually displayed in music videos, movies, etc. Most of these brands/companies know that they will attract a bigger audience if they are sexually displayed which is why it’s still happening to this day.

Blog#2

As today’s generation women stand up for themself and yes we do get judge for things we post on social media like a picture showing some skin but now you don’t get judge or glare by men only also by women’s. some have good comments others don’t. As what to john Berger says’ in the video “women who are not judge are normal and the women who are they are the prize”. I can tell men only liked to judge the ones they like and find attracted to the women who did these paintings. Women now control what audience they want to have nothing compared to the renaissance painting when they were used for pleasure and the male gaze. Yes, there are women that do it for pleasure but that’s if they are consent and want to do it. Time has changed and things are different. I feel a woman will always be judge no matter the time we are in.

WAY OF SEEING

According to video “way of seeing ”  John  Berger cites that discussion of nudity women pianting and picture .Berger addressed different point of view about women nudity art and picture. he mentioned phenomenon by using  European nude women painting. one  the one hand nude picture shows  that sexuality, ideal. on the other hand, naked painting implies that women’s timid and guilty,  still, most of companies are using women’ s picture  for advertising and promotion. those picutres shows that women  power and confidence. women picture are always judge by men. however,  it prove that beautiful women picture or painting  attracted men ‘s attention .negatively or positively.