SAVE OUR YOUTH

            American society is based on deceit. From any early age we are thought to lie to others and lie to ourselves. The perceptions of a child on life and love are falsely altered with fairytale stories and holidays. Stories such as “Pocahontas” and holidays such as Thanksgiving leave children with fabricated perceptions on the history of Native Americans. Advertising is no different, lies on billboards, magazines and in television sets. We are living in a capitalistic society and we are consumers. Two of the most dangerous attributes a society such as our own can have. Executives and Brand Owners do not see us as people. We are simply means of manipulation and profit. We are thought to be thinner, lighter, smarter, sexier, stronger, flawless and so on and so on. One can never be too perfect. This notion of perfection is played upon with each commercial and ad we see even with products that can actually harm us in the process. 

            America is a country of immigrants. There are different cultures and sub cultures throughout America. Within each culture there are certain stigmas. For example with in African American cultures being dark skin is not deemed as beautiful and having straight hair is deemed better than having “kinky” hair. In certain Indian and Pakistani cultures having light eyes is deemed beautiful. From an early age these notions are deeply rooted within us and we carry them around in our hearts and brains.  From an early age we are taught to hate ourselves. Executives and brand owners are aware of such stigmas and ideals within different cultures and they use these stigmas to sell their products. Ever notice those perm commercials and thought skin lightening commercials.

            It is easy for us to sit and play the blame game but that alone will no save our future generations.  How do we save our children and ourselves? I truly believe change must start with our children. Teenagers are one of the biggest targets for advertising. Teenagers are often in a position where they have access to funds but they lack certain ideologies and truths. They are confused, scared, gullible and under enormous social and peer pressure. Although this is true about teenagers, there is nothing within the education curriculum that can help them with this problem. Although there are after school programs and other non-profits that help enlighten teenagers about their bodies and self-love, those programs must be either searched for and for some are unavailable. If Board of Education can manage to include Health classes in high schools (which is extremely important but should be taught differently) why not a self-awareness class. We are losing our youth to the rich and famous. They need to understand that what they see will not always be true. Teenagers need someone to sit them down and show them what’s being done to them. As a teenager you go through your youth hating yourself and wanting to change yourself so you can look and live the life of those seen in these advertisements and television commercials.

Dove Ad

            Self-awareness afterschool programs and non-profits are deemed successful and helpful to the development of youth. The age old saying “If only I new then what I know now.” We can save our teenagers from self-hatred and bad ethics of consumerism. Dove is among one of the very few brands that actually showed real women within their commercials. Women of different body sizes and skin colors. It would be extremely effective to have a spokes person for the Dove company talk on a panel explaining the means of advertising and why they chose to make such ads. Executives are always fearful to talk to their consumers. Which is ironic since they can lie to them and pawn them out for money. It is evident that these Executives know what they are doing. Such a panel would be extremely effective. Such a panel could well be considered suicide for certain companies.

            Teenagers must understand what goes behind advertising. I personally did not learn about advertising until I came to college and took Introduction to Media. It was there I learned the truth behind advertising.  Our children should not be left in the dark. If we can feed them lie and lie with our holidays, history books, and fairy tales, why can’t we feed them the truth. The truth that would allow for them to better protect themselves against advertisements. And its negative effects on them.