Serving Each Other in Todays Society

Serving Each Other in Todays Society Community Service: Serving Each Other in Todays Society There are many young adults out there who lack self-esteem, confidence, a sense of accomplishment or purpose, or simply a reason to get away from TV, computers, and video games. They often dont understand the value of community and the importance of team work. Most teens also dont realize how much lending a helping hand to others can also benefit them. What could be done to teach teens the importance of helping others and build a sense of self- confidence and worth? Community service is quick to remind anyone the importance of offering help, working as a team and simply getting outside and active. These teens shouldnt be assigned to just anything. All of the participants in community service should have a voice in the activities in which they are participating. Otherwise, it could make the whole experience a miserable one and do just the opposite of what it is intended to do. There is a lot of stigma around mandatory community service, but with flexible community service programs, positive promotion, and choices, teens will be put on the right track. A lot of stigma surrounds mandatory community service. Most people see it only as a means of corrective punishment. There are many people who think community service should be left to prisoners, and not to the youth of today. This poor attitude needs to be reversed by education. Many teens believe what they hear from their parents, teachers, and mentors. With this poor attitude on the matter, its no wonder teens may despise the idea of serving in the community. Proper education and promotion is the key to a successful program. For example, teens should see the results of community service. They should be able to see workers having a good time and enjoying what they do. Young adults should also see that they would benefit from serving in the community. This could all be done by providing introductory programs, attractive pamphlets, peer communication, and so on. Once teens are educated about community services and its benefits, the stigma will fade and they will be more willing to participate. Its important to remember the power of choice. There are numerous activities the teens could participate in. Blood drives, children activity clubs, clean-ups, and mentoring are just a few of the many things to choose from in community service. One who has a choice in what he or she does as an extra activity will be happier while participating. Delgado states, â€Å"[] a summary of the literature on youth activities, found that youth benefit the most when they have an opportunity to actively plan community-service projects that contribute to the welfare of others[]†.(127) When community service workers plan activities, a sense of ownership is built. Since the ideas were their own, the activity belongs to the workers and they will likely work much harder than they would if they were forced into the activity. Choosing an activity is just as powerful as planning one. The ability to choose an activity will also encourage teens to participate in multiple activities, which will broaden their horizons and abilities. A lot of young people lack a good sense of self-esteem. It can be caused by criticism, the media, the lack of activity, and so on. Many times all a teen needs to boost his or her self esteem is a sense of purpose and direction. Studies have shown that productive individuals generally have a higher self-esteem. (Joseph 1) Using community service as a way for teens to stay active is a great way for them to see the fruits of their efforts. When young adults see how much the work they are putting forth really matters, it will boast their confidence. For example, if a small town had grass growing in the sidewalk, trash lying about, and dirt everywhere, a group of teens could plan a cleaning project. Such a project would beautify the town and would likely give the group a sense of pride. The town would benefit by the work and maybe even be educated by the teens actions. If there were a huge turn-around in appearance, then perhaps the rest of the townspeople would help maintain the new condition of the small town. This would boost morale even higher for the group and make all the work seem very worthwhile. Another good point to mention is the fact teens would be busy. A lot of teens spend a ton of time in from of their computers, televisions, or video games systems. A study conducted in 2003 concluded that an alarming 34% of teens were clinically obese. (Nichols and Good 169) The sedentary lifestyle most Americans have adopted is devastating to overall well-being. When teens are over-weight, they suffer in numerous ways. They are persecuted by their peers, which results in a low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. They lack the energy or drive to pursue an activity because they lack physical fitness. Any kind of activity is good for someones health. If teens get actively involved in community service, they will be on the go. If teens get moving and realize how out of shape they are, then it may motivate them to do something about it. This will promote exercise and proper diet, thus resulting in a healthier lifestyle. Schools have been trying to incorporate teamwork into the classrooms, but it often doesnt work out as well as hoped. There have been numerous studies conducted on the matter and only a small portion of teamwork exercises have worked in schools. (Thomas 1) When a teamwork activity is academically based, it is difficult to pursue and most times it is difficult to see any results. Actual physical labor shows more of an effect of ones efforts. Therefore, some type of community service where one is physically involved in an activity with a group of people would teach teens how positive teamwork is. Then, they would later incorporate the idea into other activities, thus making them well rounded and willing to work with others. There are many young adults who leave high school and have no idea what the real world is all about. Most teenagers only know a life where everything is structured, and there is no question about what step to take next. Teens receive a schedule with their classes, books, a time for lunch period, and often their extra activities are planned for them. Community service would be a great place for teens to learn the importance of self-reliance. When a teen is provided a choice in what he or she may do as an activity, this would be the first step in that lesson. The second would be finding a way to transport themselves to the place of work. Then, they would have to make sure they are on time. Decision making, responsibility and initiative all fit into the lesson of self-reliance and define some of the basic things they would go through in adulthood. As it has already been said, with self-reliance comes a sense of responsibility. Anyone participating in community service is still held to a standard. These standards typically arent as high standards in a paid environment; however, there is still something to be gained. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development states, â€Å"[] by age 15, millions of young people risk reaching adulthood unable to assume the responsibilities of informed, active citizenship in a pluralistic society. (Radest 30) This same report also says, â€Å"Early adolescence offers a superb opportunity to learn values, skills, and a sense of social responsibility†. (30) With teens being held to a standard, they must assume responsibility for their successes and failures. This is something everyone goes through as an adult. It is better to learn these lessons earlier in life so teens can make their mistakes, learn from them, and grow from the entire experience. Resilience is a lesson which shouldnt be taken lightly and should be learned early in life. Adults often rush to the rescue when problems arise, not allowing young people to think it through and find a solution on their own. A problem arises and some teens may panic, have no idea what to do, or stand around waiting for someone else to take care of it. While going through community service, teens will likely meet with a few setbacks and will need to take action. Since these setbacks would likely only be minor, it would be a great place to start learning resilience. Resilient children are proactive rather than reactive and have a good sense of â€Å"coherence†. That is to say they understand things happen in life but we still have some control over it all. (Joseph 29) Adults have to practice resilience a lot through life, so learning this early will help teens become well rounded adults. Since community service is a team effort, teens will be able to build professional social skills. Social skills are built throughout childhood, but in a more professional setting where the use of language is different, these skills will be refined. These teens would be working with adults who know how to properly communicate in order to achieve a goal. If young adults observe the behaviors of the adults around them, take note of what happened, and try their best to act the same, they would begin building the stepping stones to success. They would learn a range of thing from avoiding confrontation and generating solutions, to active and proper listening skills.(Joseph 255) All of these are needed in a professional atmosphere and will help them throughout college and the working environment. The benefits teens would receive from community service experience have been thoroughly discussed thus far, but not how the community would benefit. It all, of course, depends on the activities the teens participate in. If there were a community clean-up, then a town would be beautified. If the teens helped deliver groceries to those who cant get around, then people wouldnt have to go hungry or worry about how to get their food. When teens mentor younger kids, the children would have the benefit of someone relatively close to their age teaching them. The people living in these communities and seeing the difference teens are making with all of their work may adopt a more volunteer attitude. The ways a community benefits from those who serve are endless, and shouldnt be forgotten. There a so many things a young adult can take from community service that will benefit him or her immediately, as well as in the future. Teens can build a healthy self-esteem by gaining a sense of purpose and seeing how much of a difference they can make in the world. They could come to understand the importance of living a healthier life. Young adults would gain the ability to think through problems, work with others as a team, and make important decisions. Professional conduct and language will be learned, which will help them in their work endeavors. They will also learn resilience and self-reliance, which will help them bounce back quickly from setbacks and take a more proactive approach to life. There is a quote from Andrew Shue that says, â€Å"Community service has taught me all kinds of skills and increased my confidence. You go out there and think on your feet, work with others and create something from nothing. Thats what lifes all about.† (Shue brainyquotes.com) This is a great way to sum up what teens would gain and what community service is about. Its about helping others, but also helping yourself in the process. Once teens get out there and start working in our communities, they will see what a difference they can make. They would remember these lessons through their lives and likely continue to act in a positive way because of what they learned. This entire process could help change the way people behave now and in the future in a very positive way. When everyone gives just a little, it can go a long way and there has to be a beginning somewhere. Why not make that beginning start with today youth and expand into the generations to come? Works Cited Melvin Delgado, New Frontiers for Youth Development in the Twenty-First Century: Revitalizing Broadening Youth Development (New York: Columbia University Press, 2002) 127 Joanne M. Joseph, The Resilient Child: Preparing Todays Youth for Tomorrows World (New York: Insight Books, 1994) 1,29,255 Sharon L. Nichols, and Thomas L. Good, Americas TeenagersMyths and Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless Indifference (Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004) 169 Howard B. Radest, Community Service: Encounter with Strangers (Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1993) ,30 Andrew Shue, n.p., Community Service, brainyquotes.com, n.d., August 20, 2009, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andrewshue214132.html Gary Thomas, Effective Classroom Teamwork: Support or Intrusion? (New York: Routledge, 1992) 1

Own Labels In The Uk Smoothies Market Marketing Essay

Own Labels In The Uk Smoothies Market Marketing Essay For the purposes of this report a smoothie will be defined as a drink that is made with pure crushed fruit, but which may also include a small amount of fruit juice or purà ©e, yogurt, milk or soymilk, and is smooth in texture (Mintel, 2010). 1.2 The UK Smoothie Market Although the smoothies market in the UK enjoyed a period of exceptionally strong growth of more than 150% between 2005 and 2007, this has now been stalled by the impact of the recent economic recession and consumers switching their loyalty to alternative, cheaper pure fruit drinks. As well as suffering from unfavourable economic conditions, smoothie manufactures have failed to convince UK consumers that the drinks are not full of calories and are not bad for their teeth., despite strong contradictory evidence from the British Nutrition Foundation. The result of all of this is that the smooothies market declined by some 36% between 2007 and 2009 (Mintel Report Sales Brochure, 2010). The brand leader in the smoothie market, Innocent, has largely been responsible for fuelling the growth in the market and despite the general market downturn, it still commands an 80% market share. However, Innocents market share has been boosted, not just by its own performance, but also by the decision taken by PepsiCo to remove its PJs brand in early 2009. PepsiCos rationale for removing the brand was that it enabled it to focus on its best selling Tropicana brand, which added a smoothie to its range in February 2008 (Lewis, 2008). The smoothie market is now showing signs of a fragile recovery and Mintel forecasts that improved economic conditions, together with the increased penetration of the childrens market, will see the smoothies sector returning to growth soon see Figure 1 below (Mintel Report Sales Brochure, 2010). FIGURE 1 Trends and Forecast for Volume Sales of Smoothies, 2005-2015 Total Index % annual change m litres 2005 27 66 +69 2006 52 127 +93 2007 70 171 +35 2008 60 146 -14 2009 45 110 -25 2010 (est) 41 100 -9 2011 (fore) 44 107 +7 2012 (proj) 48 116 +9 2013 (proj) 53 130 +12 2014 (proj) 58 141 +8 2015 (proj) 64 155 +10 2.0 The Importance of Branding in the Smoothies Market With consumers becoming increasingly sophisticated and confident in being able to differentiate between the offerings of various suppliers in a marketplace, the value of a strong brand has never been more critical (Mitchell et al., p.201. 2003). According to Aaker (p.95, 1996), to be successful, brands should offer consumers a value proposition, which constitutes functional, emotional and self- expressive benefits. Branding is critical in the soft drinks market as a whole. For example, Coca-Cola (a stakeholder in Innocent) believes that 96% of its total worth as a business can be attributed to its brand (Knox, 2004). In the smoothies market the brand leader, Innocent, has demonstrated the value of a strong brand. The name Innocent positions the brand as simple, pure and safe thus delivering both functional and emotional benefits within its brand value proposition. There are a number of reasons why branding is critical to success in the smoothies market, namely: Consumers are cynical about manufacturers claims of the health benefits of smoothies. Consumers believe smoothies are too expensive compared to other fruit drinks. Because smoothies are a relatively new product in the market they do not resonate with the 45+ age group which is a potentially significant market segment for smoothies. The distribution of smoothies relies too heavily on the big supermarket chains leaving them open to competition from supermarket own brands. Smoothies brands have largely recognised the value of branding in the marketplace and this is evidenced by a three fold increase in total advertising spend in the sector in 2009/10. The leading brands have built up a lot of brand equity as a result (see Figure 2). However, despite this the leading brands have not been able to rely on their brand reputation and equity to boost sales, rather they have had to discount the price of their products extensively in 2008/9, which may impact negatively on the equity of the brands in the longer term. Figure 2: Personalities of Various Smoothie Brands, May 2010 Benecol Innocent Ellas Kitchen Tropicana Average Base: internet users aged 16+ who have heard of the brand 1,517 1,795 674 1,718 % % % % % Authentic 10 19 10 16 14 Boring 9 2 4 3 4 Cool 6 21 10 16 14 Delicious 9 35 10 28 21 Engaging 5 12 6 8 8 Exciting 4 19 9 11 11 Fun 5 26 12 15 14 Genuine 14 23 12 20 17 Healthy 42 49 19 36 36 Natural 23 43 18 31 29 Refreshing 9 30 11 34 21 Special 9 22 8 11 12 Tired 4 1 3 3 3 Traditional 8 7 8 19 10 Unappealing 11 4 5 4 6 Unhealthy 1 1 2 2 2 Vibrant 4 18 8 13 11 Source: GMI/Mintel 3.0 The Threat from Own Labels in the Smoothies Market The growth of supermarket own label brands is having a big impact on the sale of manufacturer branded, fast-moving, consumer goods (Veloutsou, 2004). Supermarket own label brands are no longer just the lower quality and lower priced alternatives to manufacturer brands that they once were as since the late 1990s they have been offering a genuine quality option for consumers (Burt, 2000). Porters (p.49, 1989), includes the threat from substitute products as one of the five forces in his model of industry competitors see Figure 3 below. FIGURE 3 : Porters Five Forces Model of Industry Competitors : Substitute products, in the form of own labels, pose a significant threat to established brands in the smoothie marketplace. The leading brands, such as Innocent, are suffering from consumers switching to own label smoothie and fruit juice products, in the shorter term, due mainly to price considerations. The extent of this switch is evidenced by the fact that the large supermarkets now dominate the fruit juice drinks market with their own brands (Keynote, 2010). 4.0 The Brand Position of Tropicana in the UK Smoothes Market Best known for its fruit juice products Tropicana launched its smoothie in 2008 supported by a  £4.5 million promotional campaign. Owners PepsiCo intended that the Tropicana smoothie would fill the gap left by its withdrawal of the PJs brand. However, despite the huge investment in promotional support and PepsiCos knowledge of the soft drinks market, Tropicana has failed to deliver. Although it is now the second largest of the manufacturer brands, in terms of market share, it is a long way behind the brand leader, Innocent. Its sales and market share have also taken a nosedive from its peak of 2008 see Figure 4 below. Figure 4 : Trends for Take-home Market Share of Smoothie Brands, 2007-2009 2007 2008 2009 2007-09  £m % share  £m % share  £m % share % point difference Innocent 150 71 120 71 100 80 -33 PJs* 25 12 10 6 na na na Tropicana Smoothies 8 4 15 9 3 2 -63 Ellas Kitchen 1.5 1 2.2 1 2.5 2 67 Sub-total 185 88 147 87 106 84 -43 Others 4 2 5 3 4 3 Own-label 22 10 18 10 16 12 -28 Total 210 100 170 100 125 100 -40 * brand discontinued in late 2008 Despite its poor sales performance in 2009, Tropicana is not a bad performer, in terms of its appeal to consumers, with just over two-thirds of those surveyed by Mintel saying that they liked it and would buy it again. However, most consumers still regard Tropicana as a juice and not a smoothies brand. 5.0 Summary and Conclusions Following a significant period of growth, the smoothies market has declined in the last two years and is only just showing signs of recovery. The market is dominated by Innocent and other brands, such as Tropicana, have failed to establish a meaningful foothold despite massive marketing spends. Brand reputation and equity is key to the success of smooothies and Innocent has successfully established its brand in the consumer psyche. In terms of leveraging its brand then Tropicana has an inherent problem inasmuch as it is still best known as a fruit juice, not a smoothie, brand. It needs, therefore, to build its reputation as a smoothies brand by delivering a value proposition targeted specifically at smoothie drinkers and supported by its brand strength in the juices market. The fact that consumers generally like its smoothie product and would buy it again are a good foundation for future growth. Also, considering the brand personality scores shown in Figure 2, where Tropicana is generally in second place, there are opportunities to build on the brand attributes of authentic, cool delicious fun and genuine, in future promotional activity. The short shelf life of all smoothies makes it difficult for them to penetrate the on-trade. However, smoothies have not really targeted themselves at the impulse purchase consumer and, consequently, this is a potential area of growth as is the largely undeveloped childrens market. -

Richard Wrights - Black Boy :: essays research papers fc

Richard Wright's - Black Boy A Teacher's Guide for Secondary and Post Secondary Educators Introduction Richard Wright: An Overview Questions and Activities Before Viewing Questions and Activities After Viewing History: Questions and Activities Education: Questions and Activities Literature: Questions and Activities Psychology: Questions and Activities Sociology Political Science/Cultural Studies: Questions and Activities Bibliographies INTRODUCTION Although RICHARD WRIGHT: BLACK BOY focuses mainly on the life and history of an internationally acclaimed American author, the visual and audio components of the documentary richly contextualize the literature that Wright produced. In that sense, the documentary synthesizes a great amount of historical, social and cultural information about the twentieth century. It can be used to prompt extensive discussions, to stimulate students to undertake special research projects, to write papers or combine the arts and/or cultural knowledge into a learning experience. Since the documentary is ninety minutes in length, planning and scheduling viewing time for students is essential so that the documentary can be viewed in either one or two class periods. Teachers are encouraged to view and discuss the documentary together and decide whether it is more efficient to use it in teaching one discipline or if students might profit more from discussions that are not discipline bound. The Teacher's Guide is designed for those teachers who want to use RICHARD WRIGHT: BLACK BOY to enhance the experiences of their students as they explore many and various school subjects. The guide is not designed to be exhaustive. It provides ideas for student activities and assignments, bibliographies of Wright's work, and a selected listing of background sources. Some older materials are included to suggest the state of scholarship and thinking about issues within Wright's lifetime or as reminders of what works might have influenced his thinking. In making assignments, it is suggested that the teacher add current articles and books that are deemed appropriate. The pre-viewing questions and activities are designed to help students gain background knowledge. The post-viewing student assignments focus on ways Wright's works mentioned in the documentary can be used to promote broader inquiries among the disciplines. Because the documentary contains scenes that portray Negro lynchings and an African woman's bare breasts, it is recommended that teachers and administrators below the college level review the program before showing it to students. Questions and activities are provided in the following disciplines: History, Education, Psychology, Literature, Sociology, and Political Science/Cultural Studies. The bibliography completes the guide.

A Developing Epidemic in Argentina :: Buenos Aires Journalism Influenza Health Essays

A Developing Epidemic in Argentina BUENOS AIRES, Argentina--December is one of the loveliest times of year in the southern hemisphere of South America. On a typical summer day on a warm, Sunday afternoon, residents of Buenos Aires enjoy a relaxing jaunt along the Avenida de Mayo where one can browse the numerous shops of rare antiquities or simply retire to drinking tea in front of one of the many cafes along the avenue. Families with boisterous children picnic within the many public parks and gardens and bask in the warm sun. Expecting to revel in the long days of summer, I was surprised to find that these scenes that danced in my memory, while fighting sea-sickness en route, have vanished along with the citizens of Buenos Aires. The streets of the city are quiet, day and night. This proud South American city with its traditional colonial origins and its progressive embracement of modernity has become a ghost town of fear, fear of the illness that U.S. citizens know as the Spanish Influenza. According the local authorities, the origins of Influenza was brought by ships traveling from North American ports to Buenos Aires. Currently, port authorities have been cautious with the admission of foreign vessels and have established a quarantine period prior to entry. U.S. clipper ships the Elsie and the Snowdon, along with the steamer, the Royston Grange of Edinburgh have been subject to this quarantine which not only limits their admission into port, but also places an embargo on certain perishable goods. These actions have provided dire consequences for the local economy. Because of a lack of foreign goods, many dock workers are jobless along with local merchants facing scarcities which have greatly inflated the price of certain foods. While this is a serious economic situation, authorities of Buenos Aires feel justified in their restrictions and cite current statistics related to the spread of influenza. As of last Monday, the civil registry in Buenos Aires reported that in one district, as many as 192 deaths from influenza occurred just on that day. Because of this large amount of death, the local cemetery was unable to offer proper burials to 155 of those victims. City leaders are beginning to realize that preventative methods are the best means of defense against influenza. Public address messages about personal hygiene are published in papers and broadcast on the radio.

The Trip To Halawa Valley :: essays research papers

The Trip to Halawa Valley "The Trip to Halawa Valley," is a short story written by Lynne Sharon Schwartz. The story is about a son succeeding and getting married in Hawaii, and the reunification of his divorced parents. The parents become the main focus of the story when the son suggests that they go on a trip to Halawa Valley. In this story Schwartz is trying to show people that once you make a decision it is very hard to turn back on that decision. With all the characters, except for the briefly mentioned newlyweds, Schwartz shows how decisions made by a person or a couple are hard to turn back on. An example of this is Paul's parents. Lois and Jim are brought back together in Hawaii, and try to rekindle their love for each other. After their trip though, they realize it can not be done, and part in their own separate ways. Schwartz does a very good job of showing the reader the experience she is trying to convey. She does this by using a couple different characters throughout the story. The main ones she uses are the parents, and that is the very obvious example. A few other examples are not as clear, but they do show how decisions are an important factor in life and once made are very hard to turn around. Using Paul's brother Anthony, Schwartz shows that once he made the decision to join the Hare Krishnas there was no turning back, even if that meant not communicating with his parents anymore. Schwartz also uses Paul's other brother Eric. When Eric announced that he was gay, his parents had to make the tough decision to either support or not support his choice in sexuality. Schwartz develops the characters very fast, but in doing so makes the story move faster. Throughout the story the characters are being developed through the thoughts of both Lois and Jim. They talk about their kids and how one of them died at age 11 due to a brain tumor. Schwartz also makes Lois develop Jim, and Jim develop Lois. She does this by making them reminisce about their past together. The conflict in this short story is between the parents of Paul.

Postmodernism and Multimedia Essay

The premises of postmodernism include the spread of globalization, deviation from the â€Å"universal truth†, non-linearity and flexibility and that it can be closely associated with computer technology. These premises can be found and embodied in today’s multimedia. Multimedia itself can be considered a postmodern creation because of the nonlinearity in its creation, storage and distribution especially with the advent of the World Wide Web and other technological advances (Phillips c. 2003). Multimedia is also an entertainment form that branches in different directions, deconstructing and reconstructing the experiences to suit different individual tastes. It links different sections and components, making the media more interactive and more convenient for the audience as they go through the sections of their choosing. This proves its nature true as an integration of multiple media that can multiply the impact of the message/s the multimedia would want to impart to its audiences (Pant 1999). Multimedia methodology and production itself can be said to be generally postmodern because of the technologies and the demands they need to adapt to in order to satisfy the demands of the today’s market. Postmodernism, is, thus the heart of this era’s multimedia methodology and production. The methodology and production of multimedia is a process that involves multiple steps that include conceptualization, development, preproduction, production, postproduction, and documentation with each phase being further subdivided into different activities (Pant 1999). Conceptualization and development, mostly take a linear approach (though these may become non-linear depending on the medium of technology it should be adapted to), but the preproduction, production, postproduction and documentation stages get more complicated as the multimedia reaches more audiences. This is where postmodern methods, like non-linearity, enters in. This is a case in point in movies, wherein, after the theaters, they go to the DVD. In the DVD, they get reproduced by adding commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes documentaries, deleted scenes and outtakes which involve the stages from production to documentation (Owczarski 2007). Because of the new edits to DVDs and other media such as downloadable videos, the media has been made to be more interactive with a click of a button and lends to its non-linear quality. Tied into its production and methodology, the different sections that are being inputted into the multimedia are not created linearly and are edited into the work piecemeal depending on the market’s demands and the playfulness of the media produced. The multimedia are not only transmitted through the Internet and DVD but are also being distributed non-linearly to other mediums such as the mobile phones and other devices that makes creators go back and forth in the production process making it spiral rather than linear in order to accommodate the demands of technology and the public and still having almost the same experience in the end. Flexibility is also very evident in today’s multimedia as evidenced by different mediums where they are presented in. Some of the most popular mediums are online streaming sites such as YouTube. While traditional media uses video cameras to create videos, postmodern methods use different technologies to create videos devoid of the professional touch. As stated by Ann Hornday in her study of the phenomenon of the public’s production of their own media contributions, â€Å"The mobile phone camera has introduced a whole new version of variety, delivering spontaneous, intimate, unedited footage. At their best, these slices of life – devoid of structural conceits and often of narration – transport viewers to places and situations they would never otherwise be privy to. And they can land unexpected emotional punches. No CNN report and few feature-length documentaries could capture the stark terror of a two-minute video recently uploaded to Metacafe. com, in which a U. S. Army convoy on a routine run dodges a bomb on an Iraq street† (2007). Such is the nature of today’s multimedia. Postmodernism in multimedia has expanded the experiences of audiences around the globe because of its introduction of the idea of versatility; being able to explore different environments that would otherwise be closed off to traditional media. As today’s technologies demand more portability and accessibility, multimedia has adapted to become more flexible to the growing requirements of its consumers. Some of these technologies come in the form of handheld technologies such as PDAs and mobile phones which have varying and more compact requirements. Since the requirements of these small and less complicated devices are different from those stated above, the creation of multimedia is increasingly becoming more flexibly created and recreated. With the addition of textual design in different forms of multimedia, the current technology has enabled the audience to interact with and participate in the media-making experience itself. The different technologies that have emerged has made it possible for various ways to present multimedia, regardless of proper lighting, sound and focus, and is still able make an appealing video to the audiences (Hornday 2007). This disregard for traditional means for professional multimedia creations and the non-professionalism of the publicly-made multimedia has made the postmodern movement of media an exciting experience that has made it possible for multimedia to flourish unlike other media forms. These, and other postmodern influences, has made it the most successful form of media that makes it the heart of multimedia.

The Unrealistic Portrayal of Women in the Media

Media is one of the most influential aspects of modern society. It plays an enormous role in setting societal standards and depicting how people, especially women, should act and appear. In everything from advertising, television programming, newspapers and magazines, to comic books, popular music, film and video games the media sets unrealistic standards for women. These unrealistic depictions of the role that women must play, and the image that women must have in order to be accepted are drastically affecting societies views and the self-worth of women worldwide.In all forms of media, women are grossly misrepresented. Women are most often shown in the home, performing domestic chores; as sex objects who exist primarily to service men; as the romantic interest; as characters who rely greatly on men; as victims who can not protect themselves and are the natural recipients of beatings, harassment, sexual assault and murder. Women rarely play leading roles or roles of significance in m ovies and television shows, and when they do, they are rarely cast as independent or as a hero.Only 16 percent of films feature women protagonists (Richardson, 2011). In 2012, women represented less than one-third of the speaking characters (Eveleth, 2013). For every one female on screen, there were two and a half men. Women are not given enough positive role models. Even in Disney movies, female characters ride off into the sunset at age 16 with a prince they barely know; sending the message that we are reliant on men. Furthermore, almost every single cleaning product advertisement created features a woman cleaning up after her children and husband.Despite the fact that in real life, this concept of patriarchy and women being fragile and weak is largely is outdated, the media continues to portray women in this way. This is sending a entirely inaccurate image of how things should be to society, especially to young girls and women. Women are not only being told to play a certain role in society, but being pressured to look a certain way as well. From young age, women are exposed to the idea that they are supposed to be sexy; tall, have a small waist, be buxom, have perfect skin, etc.All Disney princess movies, however harmless they may seem, show girls sexually. In G-rated children's films, female characters often look just as sexual/revealing as they do in R-rated movies. Many online games for young girls, such as Selena's Date Rush, do a similar thing. The instructions for Selena's Date Rush are simple: â€Å"When Justin comes to pick her up in the morning, she just woke up with no makeup! Please help her complete her makeup before Justin finds out! â€Å"; implying that you are not beautiful enough to be seen until you are in makeup.Additionally, while Barbie is supposed to be a positive role model for children, the proportions of the Barbie doll are humanly unattainable and the outfits that she wears are impractical and revealing. Not only Barbie dolls, b ut other popular dolls such as Monster High dolls and Bratz dolls, promote that same image. These unrealistic role models, that skew the meaning of beauty are present through women's whole lives. There is a constant bombardment of hyper-sexualised, airbrushed images of women as well as messages of needing self-improvement, in all forms of media.Almost all advertisements for cosmetic products and clothing feature digitally modified, underweight models. In fact, the first and only ad campaign featuring average and overweight women is a Dove ad campaign. The Canadian Health Network found that the average female model is not only much taller than the average woman, but weighs nearly 25% less (ojejwow, 1996). Even commercials about obtaining a healthy and physically active, lifestyle feature the presence of very thin actresses with a wide range of body and facial cosmetics. This leads to the assumption, that only thin women can be beautiful and healthy.Also, three-quarters of women's mag azine covers feature articles about overhauling one's physical appearance and studies indicate that nearly three-quarters of all female characters in sitcoms are underweight, and those that are overweight are often the subject of comments or jokes about their bodies made by male characters (â€Å"Portrayal of women,† 2009). Everywhere that young girls and women turn they are faced with the idea that their looks are everything, that pleasing the male gaze is paramount and that hiding their â€Å"imperfections† and making themselves sexy is the sum total of their value.It is only when one looks at all of these things together that one starts to realise the immense impact it might be having on them. The way in which women are portrayed in the media has an overwhelming negative effect on society. Media reinforcing the idea that women are weak and nothing without men continues to create problems with the way that women are treated and viewed by society in the workplace and in many social situations.It also creates problems in the way that women treat and view themselves, especially in relationships. 1 in 3 girls between the ages of 16 and 18 say sex is expected for people their age if they are in a relationship (â€Å"Statistics,† n. d. ). Unfortunately, women are often pressured to conform to societies standards regarding sex and relationships, especially as adolescents. Media constantly creating unrealistic standards for beauty is effecting the physical and mental health of women and girls.In one survey nearly half of nine- to twelve-year-old girls said they wanted to be thinner and had either been on a diet or were aware of the concept of dieting and in another study in one study half of girls ages 16-21 said they would undergo surgery to improve their bodies (â€Å"Body image- girls,† 2012) Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. (2011) says that one out of every four college-aged women uses un-healthy methods of weight con trol- including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self induced vomiting. Eating disorders have become more and more prominent in young women.Psychological factors that cause these disorders include low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy or lack of control, which are often caused by the unrealistic standards set by media. Even if eating disorders are not an issue, self-esteem problems frequently are. Dove's Real Truth About Beauty research (2011) revealed that by the age of 14, 55% of Canadian girls feel pressure to be â€Å"beautiful†. By the time they are 29, this number increases to 96%. This industry has gone too far in pushing a dangerously thin, unrealistically â€Å"beautiful†, misguided image that women, and young girls, try to emulate.The harsh reality that low self-esteem, low self- worth, and feelings of inadequacy are evident in almost all women's life in some form is not one to be taken lightly. Media, while providing peop le with information and entertainment, also affects people’s lives by shaping their opinions of and attitudes toward society and themselves. This is particularly relevant pertaining to the image of women in the media. Mass media still uses gender stereotypes and unrealistic definitions of beauty to reach the consumer, and the effects that these tactics have on women are severe.With most women facing oppression regarding gender roles of some form and with only 4% of women being able to call themselves beautiful (â€Å"Surprising Self-Esteem Statistics,† 2011), it is clear that change needs to occur. The media needs to stop using underweight women to sell products to every day women, instilling feelings of inadequacy in women in order to sell products, presenting women in sexual, dependent, or domestic roles and need to begin instilling self-worth in young girls and women of all makes and give them positive role models.Changing the media's projection of woman has been a consistent agenda of the women's movement since the early l960s. However, little has happened and it will take an enormous shift in the mentality of media producers and society itself before a great deal can happen. For now, if people become aware of the stereotypes and teach critical viewing skills and the real meaning of beauty/equality to young girls and one another, perhaps they will be less likely to succumb to the effects of the unrealistic standards that the media has put in place for all women.