Thread: Video: Killing Us Softly 3 - Sexism, Racism, Homophobia in Ads

Wow..I watched the whole thing...that was eye-opening, shocking, enlightening..etc.

I'm also ashamed to say, I have not noticed many the things that she pointed out. This goes to show how we are all subliminally being affected by ads. And ads do affect us, as I learned. I mean, even I thought they had no affect on me, but wow.

I highly recommend everyone watch it.

I dont care if my avatar is degrading women everywhere and creating a unrealistic standard of beauty.

this is why i have no problem dating what some people would call "ugly" they are human and need lovin too

Originally Posted by ranma187

this is why i have no problem dating what some people would call "ugly" they are human and need lovin too

Aww! I heart you. Although I don't think any sensible guy would go around calling everyone who isn't a stick "ugly," at least I hope not.

Originally Posted by dragonoverlord

I dont care if my avatar is degrading women everywhere and creating a unrealistic standard of beauty.

Hmmmmm....

Originally Posted by Xox

Wow..I watched the whole thing...that was eye-opening, shocking, enlightening..etc.

I'm also ashamed to say, I have not noticed many the things that she pointed out. This goes to show how we are all subliminally being affected by ads. And ads do affect us, as I learned. I mean, even I thought they had no affect on me, but wow.

I highly recommend everyone watch it.

Thanks for watching it Xoxie!!! I was really hoping to hear a woman's opinion.

Wanted to watch it, but it would play like 30 seconds and then wouldn't let me get any farther at all

Originally Posted by wasup

Wanted to watch it, but it would play like 30 seconds and then wouldn't let me get any farther at all

I actually had trouble with it too, but I found that if I typed in the title into google and found the link on the search page, it worked if I clicked "show video" or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, you can show the video on the search results page without having to click on the link. Meh.

It was a very good video, I enjoyed watching it. I've seen something similiar to it before, though it wasn't as long or really as 'in depth.' Thanks for posting this one up.

Edit: First commercial I see when I turn on my Tv is a guy imagining all the girls he passes in their underwear. o_O

Nothing too shocking (but then again, I've been over this subject a lot at school). Publicity relies heavily on basic desires (sex, power...) to sort of "override" the viewers' logic, they rarely focus on the actual product/service (car commercials are a great example).

I had to read a book that was a semi-factual account of the life of a publicist. In it, they talk about how marketers intentionally use bold ads fringing on the politically incorrect to provoke a reaction in the viewer. Basically, the audience will think "I can't believe they can get away with doing that", and the product will be very memorable. The problem is that companies compete for ever bolder ideas, pushing the limits of what is perceived as socially acceptable.

The media also has vast knowledge of its social targets (that's what they call us, targets). In society, there's a very small proportion of people called "the edge", these people are usually the first to form a trend, which is seen as experimental and sometimes shocking. A slightly larger proportion of people popularize these new ideas (while the first group moves on to something else) and make them look "cool" for the masses. A large majority of people are labeled as conformists, they try and emulate the second group. Lastly, a rather substantial minority of people are non-conformists, they pretty much ignore the other groups and are far less targeted by the media.

Marketers know how to play with these groups, through product releases and pricings, to develop long-lasting trends for maximum profit.

wow what an incredible video!

I have never noticed a lot of that stuff before and I was especially shocked by the racism of some of the adds, especially the ones with the children I mean wow I dont even know what to say.

Its silly because you can actually see this stuff in society as well, its a real shame. I have always thought and said that its the person who is more important then the looks but I never had a clue there was so much emphases placed on looks alone in our society.

I must admit though I thought she was perhaps (at least at first) a hypocrite when it came to making jokes of men and even more so when the women of the audience laughed. But I am glad she addressed the stereotype of masculinity of which I myself have been a "victim" (hate to use the word but I cant think of anything else) of.

All round an incredible video whihc I would recommend to anyone

She looks at the ads through a very racial/sexist eye. Even though some of the ads were 100% sexist, it was the ones that were obvious.

Some of the ads were offending but most of them, I think, <i>are</i> just trying to sell a product. As far as make-up, breast-size, hair, etc., those are all a matter of perspective.

I don't find women with make-up attractive. I'm attracted to both 'skinny' girls and 'full' girls. Most of my girlfriends' have had small boobs.

"You have the right to remain sexy." She talks about encouraging women to be passive. Well, I like strong, independent, and aggressive women... sometimes even dominant d:

"Sex sells". It does and that is exactly why advertisers use it, to sell. But the consumer is also at 'fault' here. Nobody is going to put a gun to your head and make you buy their lipstick or get implants.

Originally Posted by mark

wow what an incredible video!

I have never noticed a lot of that stuff before and I was especially shocked by the racism of some of the adds, especially the ones with the children I mean wow I dont even know what to say.

Thanks for watching mark!! Yeah that childrens bit really got me. And I thought we had come such a long way...

Originally Posted by maxihaus

She looks at the ads through a very racial/sexist eye. Even though some of the ads were 100% sexist, it was the ones that were obvious.

Some of the ads were offending but most of them, I think, <i>are</i> just trying to sell a product. As far as make-up, breast-size, hair, etc., those are all a matter of perspective.

I don't find women with make-up attractive. I'm attracted to both 'skinny' girls and 'full' girls. Most of my girlfriends' have had small boobs.

"You have the right to remain sexy." She talks about encouraging women to be passive. Well, I like strong, independent, and aggressive women... sometimes even dominant d:

"Sex sells". It does and that is exactly why advertisers use it, to sell. But the consumer is also at 'fault' here. Nobody is going to put a gun to your head and make you buy their lipstick or get implants.

You sound like a good guy, but I think your type is a bit more rare that would be ideal. A huge problem with these ads is not that they make men want a certain type of woman (although that's certainly the case), but it's also that it makes women feel incredibly insecure about themselves. I think the latter is the biggest issue.

videos aren't working on my computer for some reason

but if its what I think it is, then I think the sexism part is actually being held by FEMALES and not males.

I think its the woman who control the scene and sexual desire more than the man, and then they just twist it and feel they are being controlled by male desire. but we are the ones creating what is sexy and then imposing that onto the male ego which then imposes it back onto our subconscious of what is sexy or beautiful

I mean, if every woman stopped wearing a bra - shaping the breasts from round and perky to loose ovals, men would eventually think of it as sexy. its the natural shape of breasts and it certainly didn't stop men before the invention of a bra.

same thing with weight

skinnier girls just might have more confidence than rounder girls. and self confidence is sexy - so that feeds into the male ego that skinnier is sexier. but now you have a lot of round confident girls so these days its not uncommon to see guys saying they prefer more skin. what weight is considered sexy has changed throughout the decades and centuries so we know the 'sexy weight' isn't biological.

(but thats not an excuse to stay fat either >:0 obesity is a disease and will take years away from your life - it should be more of a health issue than sex appeal)

I watched the video - was not in agreement with all that was said - for example the objectification of females due to advertising and the media being a cause to violence toward women. How can she state: "We think of the person as less than human, and violence becomes inevitable!" Would like to hear your thoughts on this part. Maybe I am being a little naive here, but I don't see how this has any correlation?

Around 18 minutes in when they talk about the passive modelling of the females done purposely to make women feel like they cannot talk, or they are the passive kind, I think she is picking out here what she wants to, to make a point. For example showing the way the women are modelling, it would look a little silly, having the men acting all bashful and the women posing like they are going to fight or something? I don't know, I think the purpose of advertising is to appeal to peoples senses and sex does sell because people are more sensual than what they would want to think.

Meh - I thought it was a good watch, but I do think some points on there are a little subjective. I didn't see her qualify any of her statements, she mearly pointed out adverts and said over them what she wanted to make us think of them, so if anything, doing exactly what the advertisements are doing.

You could look at a plethora of adverts and give many meanings to the statements or intended messages of the media. And I think she used them well to get across what she wanted to.

That being said some of them adverts were shocking and you could clearly see the relationship to the messages she has portrayed.

Thanks for posting

"You can never learn too much about anything" is all I have to say about that video. Mes, it was a goldmine that I appreciate you posting it, and I watched it all the way through. Fortunately I've learned alot about the already-present problems with popular from my family, friends, and many books, but still...this video was worth watching. The point she presented make perfect sense, but what I'm surprised about is that she didn't mention the sex-driven nature of us people in general. Sex drives our culture and society in ways we don't consciously observe, and I believe she failed to address the implications of that fact. The majority of people who live in this world unknowingly live to procreate, and you can't have that without the urge to have sex now can you?

Overall it was a 7-8/10 video.

I just wish I could find a way to tell all of my female friends in real life that they don't need to look like Jessica Alba to woo me without looking like an ass.

Originally Posted by Daniel Danciu

"You can never learn too much about anything" is all I have to say about that video. Mes, it was a goldmine that I appreciate you posting it, and I watched it all the way through. Fortunately I've learned alot about the already-present problems with popular from my family, friends, and many books, but still...this video was worth watching. The point she presented make perfect sense, but what I'm surprised about is that she didn't mention the sex-driven nature of us people in general. Sex drives our culture and society in ways we don't consciously observe, and I believe she failed to address the implications of that fact. The majority of people who live in this world unknowingly live to procreate, and you can't have that without the urge to have sex now can you?

Overall it was a 7-8/10 video.

I just wish I could find a way to tell all of my female friends in real life that they don't need to look like Jessica Alba to woo me without looking like an ass.

I don't think the lady was discouraging sex drives. It's just the way media portrays sex: one x type of people get sex, so you must look like x type to get it and not only that, think of people who aren't x type unsexy and unworthy.