This video is a horrible and yet hysterical example of how gendered norms can be internalized. Ideologies like this help socially construct the bodies of men and wonem.
In class on wednesday, we considered ways in which gender influences contemporary research. .... How might this video be impacted by scientific research? How might ideologies like this one influence scientific knowledge that construct gendered bodies? For instance: caloric intake, waist circumference, BMI, ect. Feel free to respond to this video in anyway you want. I would like to see you applying some ideas that we've been discussing in medical sociology. You can respond to the video... to someone else's response, you can come up with a contemporary issue or a way in which gendered norms become internalized and impact social bodies.
43 comments:
This video shows just how harsh society has become about how men should look. It says that men who don't have bulging muscles aren't as good and should try to change the way they look. This socially constructed cultural view point also modifies research. There is tons of research in exercising to 'bulk up' and what type of exercises work best for this result. However, most of this research is focused around males and women who want to achieve this look are treated at differently. Thus any result that comes from these studies is not one that has a research group that is representative from the population. This causes the research to be less valid because it doesn’t account of inter-individual variations.
This video is nothing but making the males in today's society feel like they need to have huge muscles like the "more built" guy in the video in order to fit in. In today's society, everything is about being the strongest, biggest and fastest in everything that we do. In one of my other classes we just discussed the effects of supplements and how the "image" of having huge muscles is everywhere. In class, my professor gave the example of the difference in toy doll figures from what they look like today compared to what they looked like 30 years ago. The differences were unbelievable in the sense that the toy doll figures of today are being made with larger and more defined muscles compared to the past when the dolls were made to give the message of the character just being healthy and fit. Society and the social norms of the idea of being the strongest, biggest and fastest, like in this video, have made their way into people’s minds and have convinced many that they have to look and act a certain way in order to be the best they can be.
This is a perfect example of the image pushed on guys, men are told that they need to be big and strong in order to be a real man. Many men are just like the smaller guy who are willing to take supplements and do things to get the manly image that society tells them they should have. This of course does not only happen to men but women as well. While men are told to get buff, women are told by society to be skinny. With both groups society makes them think that if they are skinny for women and buff for males then they will be happy. These ideas are put into men and womens minds at a young age and seems to remain there. Another way to show this same idea is look around the gym, its divided like middle school, the men lifting to build muscle and the women doing cardio to burn fat. Unfortunately this has become a social norm in our society and it doesn't look like it is going to change anytime soon.
This video shows exactly how society has reacted to gender norms in our society. Men are 'supposed' to be muscular and fit, just as women are 'supposed' to be thin and beautiful. Both of these cultural viewpoints have influenced research that is being conducted, either on how to make men more muscular or for how to make women thinner (even if it may not be the healthiest way). Our culture is so image conscious that even children living in this type of society have started themselves dieting and weight-training to have the 'ideal' bodies.
This video directly portrays the socially constructed view that our society has of the male gender. We begin constructing and shaping males in this way from before birth, with name choices and the color blue, through childhood as we teach that boys shouldn't cry, and into adolescence as we encourage boys to participate in sports, build muscle, and toughen up. We dismiss boys fighting in the school parking lot as "boys being boys", and as adults we expect and promote the "alpha male" persona. As far as affecting research, our socially constructed views of gender sway research topics and experimental subjects. As mentioned earlier, research studies examining muscle building and stamina are focused on males, use primarily males as subjects, and target the promotion of their results at males. The same is true for women. Studies on weight loss and skin care use primarily women subjects and promote results to a target audience of women. It's a never-ending cycle.
First of all that guy is clearly taking something more than just muscle milk. Secondly, media nowadays push people to look like this guy and if they don't then they should feel less of themselves. Supplements gross more money each year than the car and real estate industry. This is pretty ridiculous but it is a social norm for men to be mini arnold swartzenagers and women to be as skinny as a tooth pick. It is just too bad...
From the very moment of birth, a male is subjected to a set of gendered ideas, behaviors and expectations. They may start as a blank canvas but their bodies and mannerisms are shaped by social context and practices before they have any recollection. By the time boys reach their teens they have this socially constructed notion that health and physical attractivenes are synonymous with words like "ripped" and "cut". Therefore, the "unfortunate" scrawny boys like the one in video, feel excessive pressure to live up to that muscled male stereotype. They act as the key demographic for companies such as Muscle Milk and Myoplex, and fuel research to produce the latest and greatest protein supplements. Such research aims to widen the gap between the two genders by capitalizing on obvious anatomical and physiological differences, and the ways in which they can be more clearly defined. Whether it be through specified workout regimens,diet restrictions or protein supplements today's society is pushing towards the "ideal" body every chance they get. With each marketing campaign companies promote the physical superiority of men by targeting those who they feel are a contradiction to masculinity, and then proceed to make them feel inferior.
The video was funny but the fact of the matter is that the advertising world is not far from that truth. On a scientific perspective that video is unethical and is portrayed to those who feel inferior to others of the same gender. Today's society portrays men and women for what they should appear than what they really are and that created more psychological and physiological problems. The gender norms of today compared to the gender norms seen 20 or 30 years ago differ greatly. One instance that relates to this is the use of steroids. Back in the thirties people were using the drug for medical purposes only and now in today's society people want to fit that portrayed image and take steroids merely for their appearance.
My little brother actually started taking stuff like this because he was so skinny! He's always been very athletic but he's been teased about being so skinny by other boys because they associated it with not being tough. I think that it's amazing that ideas like this have gotten even to middle schoolers. Then again, many girls have started crash-dieting by this age. They aren't encouraged to work out and gain muscles like boys but instead to be as little as possible. The media sets up such unhealthy standards!
This is yet another example of how our society views males in contemporary society. The concept of gender roles is evident in this example particularly for males. Our society views males as being strong and muscular as the ideal body image. It has become a social norm for men to desire the look of being "strong and built." Our society reinforces this belief by promoting supplements, steroid use, and incessant exercise.
First of all the video was funny. This video definitely does portray the socially constructed body of males. but why would you wanna put all those chemicals in your body especially if you dont need it? I calculated my BMI to be a 22. for a male of my height and weight this is healthy. Having a healthy BMI lowers risk of certain diseases. so is it socially unaccepted to be out of the social constructions?
This video is a perfect example of the pressure put on males to be the biggest and the strongest. Women on the other hand have the pressure of being the thinnest. This has a strong affect on research. Research on the best way to become stronger and have the greatest muscle mass is geared towards male body. Research based on the best way to lose weight is geared towards the female body. The money and time that is put into this research could be used from something much more beneficial for society. However, this is the research that makes money because of the socially constructed view of how men and women should look.
There have always been social norms, it seems to be how our society functions. In previous years boys were "supposed" to play with trucks and army men while girls were "supposed" to play with dolls and kitchen sets. This is starting to become old fashioned. Now men are picked on if they aren't muscular. Females have a similar problem, if you are pudgy or obese you get picked on for your weight. It shouldn't matter how much muscle mass you have for men or how skinny your legs are for women. It should be based on how healthy you are. If you eat a balanced diet and exercise a few times a week- not that you take steroids (or in this case muscle milk) or spend 24 hours a day in the gym trying to put muscle on or burn all of your fat off.
I'm not really sure that this video really makes me feel like I need fit the social norm of being "jacked". However I do feel that products like muscle milk take advantage of the socially constructed body images. They offer an easy quick way of getting yourself into the desired body image. Actors and rappers who have personal trainers and take steroids put the images in our brains than capitalistic businesses just take advantage of biomedical society where we take pills or supplements to correct everything. Then the research is created with a bias to show that these products work. They are often very carefully worded so that the average man will just see results even if they are not typical.
commercials like this one are unfortunately seen far too often. I agree with josh that this video in particular doesn't necessarily make me want to be like the muscular guy who is taking "muscle milk," however, the point they are trying to get across is very clear. That in order for men to be seen as strong individuals in today's society, they need to LOOK the part.
Although this video is funny it reinforces how society has constructed the belief and image of men being "strong and fit". However the guy in the video said, " this is for you boys and girls" -- after reading an article in class about how women are changing and society is finding it more acceptable to have women participating in the same sports that men do whereas years ago it was unheard of. My point being that although there is media that projects the skinny girl image to females you also have another portion of the media that aims towards the athletic and fit females. Society is influenced by the media either way you look at it. Furthermore gender norms are changing in part due to the media.
This another example of what is susposed to be the ideal image for man, a big, super muscled man. It also reinforces this image again when the ad makes fun of the skinny guy. This kind of marketing is also aimed at younger and younger kids every year. The aims at younger ages appear everywhere, whether they are in toys, ads or diets that they give younger kids. The pressure has now been put put on younger people to fuffill the stereotypes that men should look buff and for women to look skinny.
sScott brought up a good point about healthy BMI. The "healthy" range for BMI is 19-25. However to fit into the confines of the social norms for BMI men are encouraged to have a BMI much higher than 25 and women lower than 19. We have socially constructed and unhealthy health standards, which is a dangerous precedent....
Most people who watch this video would find it kind of commical and take for granted the underlying theme of it. Men are seen as weak if they are not big and bulky. This video is showing how men who are smaller with less muscle cannot do the same things as big, muscular men. There are no women in this clip and that is becasue today's society does not view big strong women as a social norm. It is sad how much media can influence today's culture.
This video shows us the harsh reality of our society. It's crazy that we have such outrageous gender ideals. We have these images of jacked men, and stick-thin women, that anyone who is not "the norm" is considered not manly or womanly. Due to the ideal body image that we have put in place in our society, we have probably increased the amount of research being done to build muscle or lose weight. Unfortunately, the research being done is catered to only those who want to acheive this image, not necessarily to the complete population.
I think this video sets social norms for gender and stereotypes as well. I think the last thing a male would feel watching this video is like they had to gain muscle, but that they don't ever want to be as ridiculous as the male in it. It does make males seem as though they should be bulk and mindless. There are many men who I know who take protein because their friends do. I think this is a very serious and wrong gender trait set by society.
This is a perfect example of how society portrays gender norms and reinforces the idea that all men are suppose to have incredibly large muscles and be very fit. In this situation men are encouraged to add chemicals into their bodies to achieve this stature. Since this add is directed towards males it therefore supports the idea that women should have a smaller more delicate build since women are not targeted in this add at all. This socially constructed idea of how men and women are suppose to look can be seen everywhere and it is unfortunate that society has led us to believe this is the way people should look.
This world seems to be all about stereotypes. In our society the media plays a huge role in influencing peoples decisions. Men might watch this particular video and actually believe that is what they need to help them get larger muscles. It also seems to be part of our cultures gender role that the man should be strong. This video is sending the message that men who have small muscles and therefore are not strong should take this product to get the big muscles and be strong.
This video is a good example of how men should look in todays society. It is saying that men should have big muscles and should be strong. The social norms have put these ideas into mens heads that they need to be strong and big to fit in and feel good about themselves. I think its sad that everywhere you look there is just another promotion for supplements to help men get bigger and for women to be skinny, because that is what society thinks we should look like. (to have the "perfect body"). No one is perfect!
This video not only expresses how important and persuasive gender roles are in society, but also creates some serious medical questions. This video shows that if a male feels bad about his image he will simply start taking a supplement to improve his image. In this video they use a benign supplement muscle milk. However, if person is depressed enough about his image, he may be willing to try much more dangerous ergogenic aids to promote a body change which could lead to much more serious implications.
This video is just one of many that force gender norms onto men and women. It is trying to make men think that they need to be strong and bulky and by drinking this product they will accomplish that. The same thing happens for women when society pushes that they should be very thin and beautiful and look like super models. I think it is too bad that people actually believe these things and think they need to change to act and look like these "perfect" people.
I think the video defiantly portrays the typical social norm of men needing to be muscular and strong. Muscle milk, muscle tech, and other companies like them use these social norms to sell their product. Men who are small and not muscular see these commercials and see a quick solution to their problem. There problem is not actually a real problem, it is just something that society has made them seem like is a problem(which is not being muscular). People should not exercise and workout because society tells them to, they should work out because they want to. People shouldn't be made to feel bad about themselves for not being that iconic muscular man, but should want to exercise to better themselves physically and mentally(meaning to make themselves healthier).
This video shows the social pressures put on males in our society to be a certain way. If males don't have big muscles or are not strong they are looked at as being wimpy or weak. This is why males resort to taking supplements even though they can be dangerous to take. They work out non stop, not to be healthy but to have a certain appearance. Companies campaign in a way a lot like this video does. They show a "wimpy" kid and an easy fix for them to get stronger. However this goes for girls too. There are so many diet tricks and pills out there that make girls think that they can loose weight easily, even though it may not work or be safe.
This video shows us what society wants us to be like. Men should be strong, buff, and built. While woman should be skinny like celebreties and models you see in every magazine or in movies. Men who are built smaller and less muscular tend to use supplements to try to get to look like that perfect guy that society wants them to look like. This is condsidered normal but in reality this supplements arent good for the body at all. Society has driller this look in peoples heads and they change completelty to look this way, not only physically but mentally too.
Stepping back to look at this clip shows how internalized the genered norms we have are. Neither one of the men in this commercial are attractive, yet we automatically know that the muscular man is stronger, better, more dominant. Before we even beign to analyse the commercial we are already playing into the gender norms that are perpetuated in our society. In addition, using muscle milk in order to get bigger muscles makes being small a medical issue that really does not need treatment. It is a short term, easy fix that does not take into account any other factors, such as life style, diet, etc.
This video supports the warped concept of gender roles in todays society. It reinforces that men are suppose to be bigg and buff or else they are picked on for being weak and girly. The social norm has become for guys to be big and strong while girls are told to be thin and slender. It also relates to the last article in the sense that we trust any "scientific" information out there and look for the quickest fix when in reality it is a skewed truth. Muscle milk alone cant make you big and strong but thats what image they are sending to society, and falsely, many fall into the trap and believe it.
The video, although an obvious parody, is rather telling of the societal expectations for male physical attractiveness. The tall, muscular, broad shouldered, square-jawed aesthetic remains the perceived norm of what it is to embody masculinity. This perception aids in the development of "natural" supplements that are proposed to increase muscle bulk and aid in promoting self-esteem among users who believe they need the product. While there are some biological theories linking body size ratios and mating habits, this commercial is an example of the exaggerated ideas of what a normal male should look like. Both men and women are subject to social influences on how they should perceive their bodies and society always provides ways to fix their perceived flaws. Cigarette (primarily amongst females) and steroid (primarily amongst males)usage are just two of the common "fixes" used by individuals who are shunned by their peers based on their appearance.
Both of my brothers tried this stuff when they were 13 and 15. Its comical and sad all at the same time that at this young age they are already feeling the pressure to become bigger and stronger. They are both very athletic and eat healthy, but it worried me when they started this, especially since they saw no results so it clearly wasn't doing them any good and could only be doing harm. All the standards boys and girls are held to are ridiculous. I'm not sure this video particularly would make people take muscle milk because its a bit too silly for that, but there certainly are ads and stereotypes that cause both boys and girls to make unhealthy choices.
This video shows how society puts an image out there, and puts the pressure for men and women to look a certain way. Men have to be huge and fit, and women have to be skinny. Media has huge part in this, espicially shows like Jersey Show where the guys are jacked, and Americas Next Top Model where the girls are super skinny. This is how our society is right now and doesn't appear to be changing.
This commercial really demonstrates how socially influenced people are to consume certain products to look a certain way. Men are expected to eat large, bulky food items, while women are expected to do the opposite. Food consumption and body image are socially impacted and this commercial demonstrated how the social construction of body type influences what people consume.
This video is absolutely hysterical, but just as women need to be thin and fair of skin, this advertisement helps embed the idea of social expectation for the male gender. In order to be considered "attractive" or a "man's man", muscles and strength are what you need. In today's society these gender expectations can really affect people's self-esteem and fitting into our society correlates with how well one embodies these mental images of gender. My roommate actually started drinking muscle-milk because he needed to bulk up since he was in the army. Even in organizations like these, certain physical expectations are still seen.
This video is ridiculous. This video shows how just like women, men have an image that they are pushed to being like. For woman the media plays on them being skinny, and having the right curves while men should have overly large muscle, and every single ab showing. For woman it is surgeries that can fix their problems, and for men its muscle milk and other supplements of that type. Things like this video are to grab the viewer’s eye and make them think about how things could change. Just spend your money and you’ll be a new person.
If scientific research shows that Muscle Milk increases muscle mass (in addition to all of the other social pressures on men), then we are much more likely to buy it. However, since the social norm has already been constructed, it will be reinforced by research... very likely by researchers paid by the makers of Muscle Milk. You hear it all the time in advertisements... "studies have shown that...." or "recent research suggests that...". So it seems to me like the ideology is reinforced by research, which makes more people buy the product, which makes the muscular men of our society more muscular and more confident, and the thinner men of our society less secure with their skinny bodies.
this video, in addition to being awful, is a pretty accurate portrayal of how some media outlets operate. products such as this one claim to perform "quick fixes" on people's bodies all the time. there is no mention, however of the hard work (and possibly extra supplements) that go into looking like the "muscle milk guy."
The media often pushes products that are backed by supposed research and offer quick fixes to problems that really can't be repaired without time and hard work. Things like muscle milk, weight loss supplements, and others all try to provide some amazing cure and are advertised without implications of time and effort that goes into the results.
Hahaha, This was one of the most ridiculously aweful videos I have ever seen. Getting that out of the way it does reinforce alot of the gender stereotypes that were discussed in class. First its a muscle building commercial so naturally there are no women involved in it. Second it portrays not only the "normal" image of what a male should be, but also appeals to the attitude of Americans. Americans are in large part either to busy or to lazy to put in the time and hard work needed to achieve the body image they may desire. Instead they look for the quick fix, nothing quicker then a powder that not only resuscitates you but also grows muscle in 4 seconds, which is exactly what would sell a product like this.
This video is a semi-good example of how research and gender is connected in this society. Research tends to follow social patterns on some level, or at the very least is affected by them. Our society's gender norms state that men should be muscular and built, 'macho' if you will. Americans are also inherently lazy, and thus in order to fit this gender norm, people want a quick fix like a powder. So research answers this call, fills this need by providing us with powders, pills, drinks, to help enhance the size and appearance of muscles. All to allow social gender norms to remain.
Videos like these just reinforce the ancient way of thinking that men need to be strong, muscular and manly. Which means that women have to be the complete opposite, weak and brittle basically. So whenever studies are done they might actually take that into account, which is just wrong and stupid, and in most cases unrealistic. Not all guys spend all day, everyday at the gym drinking muscle milk
~Cami
I do not think this video is intended to make males think that they are supposed to bulk up to fit in with the social norm; instead, I think it is meant to be a joke and to poke fun at the people that actually think they need to do this. Yes, certain males, and less commonly females, think that building muscles up to these sizes makes them look better but I think that the majority of people are able to look past this and realize that they do not need to be this muscular.
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