The Dumb Jock Stereotype Rebuked

The Dumb Jock Stereotype Rebuked

The stereotype of the jock is one that has been portrayed adversely in aspects of media today from film to literature. Being a jock is linked intently to being stupid, commonly referred to as the dumb jock. Both of these aspects are considered in the television series “Blue Mountain State,” which tells the fictional story of a football team playing at Blue Mountain State College. The main character, Alex Moran, is rising in rank as quarterback and bounds from second string quarterback to first string quarterback as he begins accepting more responsibility. The series is a comedy through and through but the team faces a new problem every episode, most times caused by the players themselves. Alex and costar Thad Castle, who is usually the reason for most problems, have to work together to solve them to save the team, which on most occasions is from the law or from NCAA sports allegations. These struggles call attention to the dumb jock stereotype but through quick thinking and hard work, the players solve their problem, causing viewers to question the stereotypes legitimacy. With plot, situation and the aid of sexuality and masculinity themes, Blue Mountain State expresses and attacks the stereotype of the dumb jock. And even further, other referenced articles that relate to the stereotype attack the stigma and provide support to the falsity of the dumb jock claim.

The source, “Those dumb jocks are at it again: A comparison of the educational performances of athletes and nonathletes in north Carolina high schools from 1993 through 1996,” with many references including B.B. Durbin, combats the concept of the dumb jock stereotype. The passage from his article states that “from 133 of the 301 member schools of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association…athletes had higher …GPA, a much better attendance rate, a lower discipline referral percentage, a lower drop out percentage, and a higher graduation rate than the nonathletes,” (Durbin 1). The dumb jock myth with regards to this statement and its statistical support behind seems overplayed. The reasoning behind this though is that the athletes are held to a higher standard than are the non-athletes. Another statement made is that “coaches, teachers, and parents take an interest in athletes, including their classroom performance,” (Durbin 2). With such attention, any slip ups would be noticeable and the athletes would be required to fulfill his obligations to that class work. With so many people behind the athletes, pushing them forward, the non-athletes have nobody to enforce them, except for their parents maybe. The athletes have much easier access to help with so many more people backing them up when the non-athletes can seeming slip under the radar and down the GPA scale without notice. The big difference though between non-athletes and athletes in school is that “athletes are motivated to perform at higher levels in order to remain eligible,” (Durbin 2). The students have all the backing and all the eyes from their higher authorities, but it is not needed in most cases. When the person has the want to play and is willing to work hard for it, they can rely on themselves for the motivation, the drive to finish their work, because without doing it, the athletes would be able to play their sport, to follow their passions. With non-athletes, they are not required to maintain a minimum grade point average in school and have the ability to slack off, not do their work, and still be able to do what they enjoy, unless their parents step in and force them to improve the grades. Even so, the non-athletes do not have the same requirements that athletes have, and with more requirements, the athletes are monitored more to ensure they do not fall short of them, that is to say if the athlete is even facing the problem such a problem at all.
In the article, “They shot down the ‘dumb jock’ label: Athletes prove they have both brains and brawn,” by Bill Berry, the dumb jock stigma is further deterred. The article tells how a client of a law firm is astounded to see Chicago Bears defensive end Alan Page working at a law firm and at first he cannot believe it. Page says in the passage, “nobody ever suggested I was dumb to my face, but I don’t doubt that there were those who said it behind my back,” (Berry 1). Nobody would ever suspect seeing a large hulking football player to be researching and studying for such things as a defense for a client as was an example in the case of Alan Page. The dumb jock stigma keep people from thinking that such an accomplishment was capable by an athlete. Dewey Selmon, a linebacker from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, feels “the myth that athletes are dumb does exist, but he insists that ‘anybody who is dumb wouldn’t make it’ in professional sports today…You have to think fast and be able to reason abstractly…This kind of reasoning requires a significant degree of intelligence,” (Berry 2). The decisions that need to be made on the field in sports need to happen almost instantaneously, and being able to make decisions and react in such a way takes a skill, a different type of intelligence.

Such a different type of intelligence can be related to Blue Mountain State, because where the team does not excel in the classroom, the series is still trying to push that athletes are actually smart by putting the players in situations of extreme stress and they are forced to problem solve, they need to react quickly and precisely in order to get themselves out of trouble. One such example is when the players face failing their English final, so Alex recruits the help of the professors mother to blackmail the professors mother by forcing him to give the entire team in his class a C on the test, or they would release a soft-core porn movie with the professors’ mother in it. It is a disturbing way to reach their goal, but when backed down, they were forced to react quickly for self-preservation. 

At first glance: The profiling of Terrorists

On September 11^th, of 2001, the actions of the terrorist group, Al Qaeda, devastated America and shocked the world. Two planes hijacked by the terrorists were crashed into the Twin Towers killing thousands of people, Americans and peoples of other nationality from one of 80 different countries according to Michael Eidenmuller on “AmericanRhetoric.com” in his translation of George W. Bush’s speech regarding 9/11. In the speech following the attack given by former President George Bush, he addresses not only the America and its countrymen, but is addressing all countries across the world. He calls for the peoples to come together as one. Eidenmuller translates “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists,” (4). George W. Bush, with support from such statement, has used the global ties from the attack on our nation to split the world. All nations that do not wish to pick a side seemingly have no other choice than to be considered a threat in the mind of George W. Bush. With the social status of race heavily expressed in the speech given by Bush, he justifies the support of America and justifies the hatred and prejudice against the Islamic Al Qaeda.

One example of speech that reflects the racial aspect of Bush’s speech is the quote “An attack on one is an attack on all. The civilized world is rallying to America’s side… Terror, unanswered, can not only bring down building, it can threaten the stability of legitimate governments,” (Eidenmuller 4). He calls Americans civilized, and Americans being a race of its own, while the terrorists being a separate race. What George W. Bush says allows you to picture the Americans from the terrorists, and by that I mean you can physically imagine the Americans, either white or black, and separately you can imagine the terrorists who are brown skinned. This is because of the implications that Bush has involved with his speech. George W. Bush frequently uses the word Islam and Muslims. He says this to show that we have identified the group of people that had done the heinous act against the United States of America, along with specifically identifying them as “Al Qaeda,” (Eidenmuller 3). The only trouble is that when Bush continuously repeats the terms Islam and Muslim, he brings attention to them in a negative manner even though he had no intent of doing so. By continuously saying those words, you continue to relate that race of people to Al Qaeda and relate them to terrorist activity. Then at this point any person that is seen that is Muslim is suspected of being a terrorist and commits acts of terror. With this ideal in play in the speech, it plays a larger role in differentiating the role of race in being American versus being Muslim, and further yet, you relate being Muslim and the skin color of brown with terrorism in general. When you picture American, you envision white primarily and black too. But the last thing you relate to being American is brown, or, being Muslim. This is due to the portrayal of terrorists in writings or speeches such as President Bush’s and the fact that the Muslim people don’t relate that well to Americans due to color or even religion, making the racial profile of Muslims become grouped together as one bad egg at first glance.

http://www.shoebat.com/blog/2012/01/25/identifying-terrorist-links-is-now-racist/

In a blog titled, “Identifying Terrorist links is now racist,” on the Walid Shoeboat Blog page, the discussion about racial profiling and whether it is truly a bad thing or not arises. In a quote about an airlines pilot, it is said that “The pilot, a Muslim, was judged a security risk because of his close links to two alleged extremists suspected of ‘planning to use an aircraft as part of a hostile or terrorist act’.” The pilot seemingly had links to alleged extremists, but the best question would be what kind of ties. The trouble the portrayal of people in the media is too vague. The man had links to two extremists sure, but that link could be something distant like the pilot is second cousins with one of the men but does not keep in touch. On the other hand it could be that two or all of them are best friends and the suspect was truly in cahoots with the extremists. Without specifics, people believe what they want to, and that is the point when people’s individual levels of racial ideals play in. People who follow media could only be getting half of the story but because they have heard that the terrorists that bombed the United States were Muslim, they have a racially influenced belief in the situation. Not all Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Muslim either, but the more they are used together in writing or in speech, even if it’s to try and tell that not all Muslims should be seen as terrorists, it still puts the thought of Muslim terrorists into the minds of people and they have been influenced into relating and molding the two separate aspects into a stereotype. Another quote from the Walid Shoeboat Blog site is “A British airline pilot arrested over an alleged terrorist plot is claiming racial and religious discrimination after losing his job.” This shows what could possibly be the other side of the argument. This states that the pilot was fired over an alleged terrorist plot, and if his involvement is verified and he is truly engaging in terrorist activities, then the stereotype truly was correct this time.

The Walid Shoeboat Blog claims that “Identifying terrorists as terrorists will one day be racist. With terrorism being related more and more related to simply being Muslim because of media and worried mind, people may be hesitant at first when they see a brown skinned person, but without racism and without stereotyping, you would have any idea regarding what a terrorist may look like. The terrorists in the world should be hated for the killings of innocent people and should face punishment, but unfortunately, the same stigma’s we use to identify the heinous murderers also complicates the lives of innocent people who share the same race as the terrorist.

Its hard to Relate: Black Social Stereotypes

Its hard to Relate: Black Social Stereotypes

Michael Omi in his writing, “In Living Color: Race and American Culture,” talks about racism in society, but he also speaks of how society supports it. He tells that the issue of race is not confined to popular culture, but the symbols that the social life creates. This means that the problem is not the race of the person, and the problem is not the people that are onlookers to the media. The problem is the few that make the spectacle of that race to start certain views about that race and the evils they commit. An example of this is seen back during the times when prohibition kicks in and the slaves are being freed. The white members of the Ku Klux Klan go around and start burning crosses in the yards of black folks and begin lynching them in claims that they raped their white daughters. The black men had done nothing wrong, but where killed and they did not receive justice because the white men made a claim against them that was not questioned because of the effects of discrimination. This is seen in the book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Tom Robinson, who happened to be a black field help in the town, was accused of rape by Bob Ewell of his teenage daughter. No Lynching had occurred, but a “fair trial” had taken place where the man was tried. The end result of this trial though was in the favor of Bob Ewell. The attorney, Atticus Finch, had proved that it could not have and that Tom Robinson did not rape and injure Bob Ewell’s daughter and give her the bruises she wore, and that it was her father that did it. The people though, still with post slavery and discrimination lying heavily in their hands, they felt that he was guilty still, and if not that they thought he was guilty, then that convicting him guilty was the right thing to do anyway. This being only a book, but it shows the true feelings of the white southerners at this time.

If not the book then, the movie “A Time To Kill,” shows more of the societal injustices that whites showed to blacks and still do today in one way or another. The aspect though is that “we utilize race to provide clues about who a person is and how we should relate to him or her. In the movie, a little girl black girl named Tanya was brutally raped and beaten by a couple of white southern men, and when they were going to court for their jail sentencing, Tanya’s father shot the two men to death. This put the man, Carl Lee Hailey on trial for the murder of two white men. The first job of the lawyer for the accusers was to remove all black males from the selection for jurors which he did. Without a black man in the juror box, there was nobody that he could relate to. With only white jurors making the judgments, Hailey’s lawyer had to try to relate the white jury to his black defendant, so he attempted this by telling the story of Tanya’s rape and assault. Without saying any names, the jury still knew it was Hailey’s daughter so insinuations of course were that she was black. But at the end of the gruesome story, he told the jury to imagine she was white. This put the jury in the black defendants shoes, it made them realize the pain that the man sitting before them had to feel and by thinking that the girl was white, they thought about their own families and children and finally could relate to the terrible grief and fury that put the man in front of them in such a situation. 

In Omi’s writing, he also talks about the stereotype of the black best friend. In a television show or movie with the black best friend, it seems that the majority of the attention is on the white friend and the black best friend is more for support. The black best friend is there to help the main character out of binds, to back him up, but it never seems that the black best friends has any problems of his own and does not ask for anything in return. This is very strong in the Television series, “Blue Mountain State,” where the main character, Thad Castle, gets in all sorts of shenanigans, from good to bad, and in the end, he needs help to fix a problem. The first person that always has his back is his black best friend, Larry, who does everything that he can to help out in the situation, but he himself never has a problem that he personally needs help with. Larry though, when he helps, at times makes Thad appear less intelligent and claims so of the courage. So although Larry himself asks for nothing in return for his help, he claims his own victory and feeling of achievement from providing assistance. The other main character, Alex Moran, is best friends with a white guy named Sammy, but both of them have problems that both help solve, and at the times of assistance, neither underscores the others intelligence or their courage. This myth is to show that black friends are submissive and will do anything that they are needed to help do, such as they had once done back during slavery. His act of racial equality in movies by trying to integrate the cast, if written in a certain way, contains an underlying form of discrimination. If you look hard enough, you will inevitably find discrimination of race in articles of todays culture, but that is because race is the views of people and that is what pop culture is.

http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=667&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=Pi4Kzei3d8SqkM:&imgrefurl=http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php%3FIssueNum%3D11%26id%3D3204&docid=wr2I1MIrgRoIWM&imgurl=http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/site_images_upload/legacy/media/11/citybeat02.jpg&w=350&h=297&ei=4yhRT83iJaSN0QHXvJDBDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=459&vpy=184&dur=192&hovh=207&hovw=244&tx=138&ty=133&sig=116302792573562964027&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=177&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Time_to_Kill_(film)

Power and Promiscuity: Woman has never looked so Good

Power and Promiscuity: Woman has never looked so Good

There are several myths in this world in regards to beauty as told Naomi Wolfe in her writing "The Beauty Myth." One myth being that as women gain more power, they have to abide by the standards of beauty. But this can be the case inversely also, meaning that as women adapt to the standards of beauty they gain more power. The inverse of the myth is dealing with the here and now, while the myth has to deal with progression over time. This is because in the working world today, you don’t have to abide by the standards of beauty that society sets forth, but, the more beautiful you are, the further you can get faster. Women see that beauty will get them power in life faster, whether it is in the work place or just simply more power over the male sex in general, so women conform to the standards immediately and see a quicker gain. If you were to track the power that women hold over time, with the increase in power you would see that the beauty standards increase in general along with it.

 

The next part of the myth is that chastity was used to keep women’s power down. The less sexual freedom she has the less power she has. This is definitely true, because men in general are highly affected by the sex appeal of women, and the more sexual freedom that the woman has, the more control that she would have over the man who can think of nothing more than the fantasy between them that usually will never be. The next part of the myth also supports this idea. The beauty myth isn’t about women; it’s about institution and power. The men are the ones who created this myth, because as their desires raise the standards of beauty the women rise to meet them, and when this happens, the free willed women have the sexual upper hand. In the patriarchal society today, the power of the male has dropped and has come to a more even level with women than it has been in the past, and this is because men’s deepest desires will make them give up anything, including their power. 

A film that shows the power of women would be “Failure to Launch” starring Mathew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker. Trip, played by McConaughey, wouldn’t move out of his parents’ house and it was up to Paula (Parker), whose job is to make people move out of their parents’ house and move on in life if the parents hire her to do so, to do just that when Trip’s parents hire her services. How she does this though is through manipulation and the use of her beauty as an aid. If she was not deemed beautiful by societies standards, then she never would have been desired by Trip in the first place. But since she possesses such qualities, she has the power over him and makes it easier for her to change him a little bit at a time through manipulation until she gets her desired goal. Even though Trip in the movie was changing and realized it, he got over it and stays with Paula because of her beauty and the appeal of sex. The man is used to having casual sex often and when the woman gave up herself easily, she had no power over him. But Paula on the other hand held out from him. This helps show the chastity issue of the myth. When women are not free to explore their sexual interests in life, they possess no power. But when they can have sexual encounters with any person that they choose, men have lost some of their power and the decision is left to the hands of the woman and makes her the prominent figure in the encounter. 

Another aspect to the myth is that beauty is about behavior, not appearance. Appearance is important, the woman’s physical beauty is a factor in how a man sees them, but how they act and what they do is very important to. If the man and the woman have nothing in common and the night is spent in casual sex, such as Trip in “Failure to Launch,” they have no power over the man. When the woman though can relate to the man, the attraction becomes so much more than the seemingly superficial judgment of looks, it become a comparison of what each loves and enjoys, and that is what creates the true desire. In the movie, Paula goes on a date with a clients’ son and he is in admiration of her beauty. The guy is a huge Star Wars fan, and when Paula starts talking about Star Wars and touches his hands, he can hardly handle himself. It was the behavior, not the physical beauty of Paula, that made him so giddy and created his huge desire for her.

The myths about beauty in society are generally true and can be seen in so frequently. Women can make it far in society now a day with or without following the societal values of, but when women do follow such values, the make it further and faster. So perhaps the statement that the myth isn’t about women is untrue. It is true that men and their prominent desires help along the myth, but women know about the myths and the desires and play them to their advantage, so the myth supposedly is about women after all.

 http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&tbnid=oUeD2mNan3_fuM:&imgrefurl=http://dailycensored.com/2009/11/22/sarah-palin-feminist-hero/&docid=_rXk-WmIQ70xeM&imgurl=http://dailycensored.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/newsweek_palin.jpg&w=272&h=272&ei=IoxHT778JO6N0QHiy832DQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=399&vpy=309&dur=2513&hovh=217&hovw=217&tx=140&ty=121&sig=116302792573562964027&page=3&tbnh=158&tbnw=158&start=52&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:23,s:52

http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=624&tbm=isch&tbnid=TkFhScDNAW3vqM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-449606/Its-true-women-work-longer-hours-men.html&docid=HDJWwhAN_iel2M&imgurl=http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_02/wifeDM1904_468x550.jpg&w=468&h=550&ei=8IxHT9_AOqnf0QGphv2ZDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=423&vpy=219&dur=1771&hovh=243&hovw=207&tx=126&ty=128&sig=116302792573562964027&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=103&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:18,s:0

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=624&tbm=isch&tbnid=eNwRiwJHfSwXPM:&imgrefurl=http://wallpapers-diq.com/wp/36__Failure_to_Launch,_2006,_Matthew_McConaughey,_Sarah_Jessica_Parker.html&docid=vAuKAHsNLmRiYM&imgurl=http://wallpapers-diq.com/wallpapers/36/Failure_to_Launch,_2006,_Matthew_McConaughey,_Sarah_Jessica_Parker.jpg&w=1280&h=1024&ei=tY1HT7r9E8ry0gH9vfm1Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=397&vpy=176&dur=1537&hovh=201&hovw=251&tx=127&ty=115&sig=116302792573562964027&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=153&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0

http://geekitude.tumblr.com/post/3479722093/mishapenmagic-the-helmet-strikes-again

Femininity pulling on the minds of Men

Bud Light Lime, it’s looking pretty good from here. This advertisement is of course is trying to sell the product, but also, it is trying to sell the fantasy of having a good. One quick look at this advertisement and you see a number or hot girls lounging around in the water and lying on the sand, and not just lying there but doing it in a very sexual manner. But upon taking another look, you find yourself realizing that there are two guys diving in the beer with snorkels. It may only be fantasy but already, men like this ad, but this is in fact due to the point that that is how the beer company wants to feel when you see this advertisement. The guys in the picture snorkeling in the beer are to represent that the newer Bud Light with Lime is not only a girls beer, but it is made for men to, that men will enjoy drinking it. And as I previously stated, this ad wants to show that this beer, Bud Light with Lime, is a very appropriate beer for women to drink and that they will enjoy drinking it with their friends, girl friends or guy friends, whoever they may be. Going further though, the advertisement is not just endorsing a good time, but the effect of the picture in the advertisement could be taken and seen as a dream vacation spot, somewhere on the beach with loads of sun, all the sand you want and of course all the hot women swarming around you. The image is what may men may consider to be a dream come true, and if a man goes to the store to buy beer for him and his friends, he might see the case of Bud Light Lime and laugh, because the beer seems not manly enough for just him and the guys, but if he were going to a large party where there probably would be women there, and maybe even a pool, the man would be more inclined to buy the beer. With so many girls around and a pool, the male might see the ad and think about his fantasies and how some may have a chance to happen on the particular night that he is out buying beer and this would justify him going and buying one of the cases of Bud Light Lime, this meaning that men would buy this beer purely on the sex appeal, or at least the portrayed sex appeal, alone. Going further in reading this advertisement, you can use the writing, “Gender Role Behaviors and Attitudes,” by Aaron Devor to further connect and determine the relationship that sex role plays in the advertisement. At the first glance, you of course see all of the women in the picture. The ad is creating interest by playing off of femininity. The first thing identified is that the girls are showing a whole lot of skin and that they are gorgeous. By showing the skin, it is to show them a little bit vulnerable but mostly to place an emphasis on sexual characteristics of that woman. Likewise, those sexual features, enhanced through dress, body position and slow fluid motion such as strolling through the surf on the beach are directly aimed at making a man attracted to these women in the advertisement because, as I have said already, the goal is to sell the fantasy, the dream along with the advertisement. There may be men who are not as masculine as others and enjoy the refreshing fruity taste of a Bud Light Lime, the ad presented is trying to get the more masculine of men to purchase and consume the beer because they are attracted to the message that the company was trying to get across. Other characterizations of femininity, which are provided by Aaron Devor, were not being pushed across, such as restrictive dress, dependency upon men, material or sensitive. The point may be that although these characteristics may be feminine, they are less desirable to the minds of men and women. Sensitivity and materialism at a time like being at the beach, or in the real world, being at a party, may be frustrating and would want to be avoided, And with dealing with restrictive clothing, girls now a days can wear clothing that is more revealing but is more comfortable and still be seen as feminine if not more feminine than before. The major goal of femininity is to attract men, but I this case, the desired femininity in the advertisement is trying to obtain the women’s interest also. The other part that can be seen I the advertisement, although less provocative, is the masculinity aspect to the depiction. The main example of masculinity showing is the Jackassery feature so to speak, which is the participation in risky behavior. There are two guys diving and snorkeling in the beer, and although impossible, it is that impossibility aspect that makes it such a funny and memorable thing to do with a friend. If two guys in real life were presented to go snorkeling in a giant pool of beer, they would probably say yes. Even without seeing this ad, because it is a stupid thing to do but it would be memorable and they would have all the free beer they could swallow. Other than that characteristic, the only other one easily seen is the unrestricted dress they have. The baggy swim trunks for comfort in their endeavors. The advertisement was full of feminine qualities, but these were all aimed at attracting guys and boosting their sex drive to get them to buy Bud Light Lime Beer and the displayed characteristics of femininity is the cause of guys feelings to want to be masculine around girls.http://alextdesign.deviantart.com/art/Bud-Light-Lime-Ad-199259935

Advertising Analysis

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=276&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1366&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=fbVWzGXjdFA7yM:&imgrefurl=http://mary-ja.blogspot.com/2011/11/persuasive-advertisements.html&docid=Rrltk0uAx-CmSM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt4SPrIxdqzmfSUbjSvSPehsb701W7ElbsEH2sONbrRVdzSGYcpCFX8KunnlZJ6ib-MhL5DoRwr6t_vmVsd3LSd3V0YL2HNsufWr4nrChyPvWVuxRYM3C6xxsxxxnE8REUcCkyxlmRvUI/s320/1892046.jpg&w=320&h=320&ei=XzwmT7qBG4fv0gG24bDeCA&zoom=1&chk=sbg&iact=rc&dur=353&sig=106534364390389758960&page=11&tbnh=135&tbnw=122&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:276&tx=44&ty=69

Jake Pickett
1/30/2011

This ad screams out class, sophistication, wealth, and success. The advertisement I have found shows Brad Pitt, a successful and good looking guy to sell the expensive pictured watch. The advertisement is trying to appeal to a certain group, and contains specifics in one or all of the themes of race, class, gender and sexuality. One could make the argument that because the model is white, the ad is trying to claim to the white male, but to me, the picture is meaning that the watch is an example of wealth and power and race has nothing to do with the message that is trying to be sent. The next appeal specification is class. This theme is more easily recognizable. The picture displays a very well-known actor and the purpose is that people are supposed to know about this man and want to be like him. The class that the company is trying to appeal to is the middle class. The reasoning is because when it comes to upper class, they know that they are rich and powerful and don’t feel that they need to assimilate with Brad Pitt, so they might not buy this watch and may get a more expensive, less advertised watch because they have the resources. But the average middle class man is supposed to aspire to be well known, famous, and in people’s minds, to be important you need to look important. The price may seem high, but the justification that the model represents those that people try to strive to be like and people who are very successful already, and it is trying to influence the middle class to want that in life. The middle class are targeted a lot by expensive retail advertising. It is the desire to become more, to be famous or wanted in life, that the advertising companies are selling. If they can succeed in making someone feel more sophisticated or more appealing, they will have the ability to sell the merchandise at a higher place because the company is justifying the price with class and success. Gender of course is male, but the ad could also be seen to make women to want to buy it for their man also. Brad Pitt in the picture looks cool, focused and presentable. With that pose, with the sleeve pulled back, it looks relaxed to, like it is an easy life. Men would see this and want to be care free.  With the sleeve pulled back, it makes men wonder how the watch would look on them. You yourself could pull up your sleeve and imagine what you would look like if you had the watch yourself. If there is a slight interest that a man might have in it, they will wonder how they look with the watch on and it would compel them to give in and buy the product. Advertising want men to feel a need to look focused but relaxed, and composed and sure of yourself. With enough advertising, they companies will help solidify the views into culture and form a want, not for the product, but a want for the life they see, the one the dream they can achieve. With regards to advertising to women, the model in the ad shows strength and confidence, which companies portray quite often because confidence is important in a personality. If the woman sees the confidence and wants their man to show that trait, they may get them the watch even though an article of clothing or accessory has no promise of the desired confidence. The last theme is sexuality, and is easily shown in this ad. It is portraying masculinity, and again, confidence. This is meant to make men think that with this watch, they will look manlier and give them better sex appeal. All these themes are present but to different people may be interpreted different ways. The main theme over all that is shown is confidence, masculinity and sex appeal. Advertisements for men try to make it look easy for someone to become this way and that by simply purchasing a watch; you could have the high life. Culture now a days is thoroughly influenced by companies trying to sell fake self esteem. The advertisements are ment to make it look as though the very thing that you need most in life can simply be bought and that you can put a price on your happiness. It just so happens that that so called “happiness” costs a person an arm and a leg, because the companies know that they can sell the brand name goods and luxuries at those high of prices because they are a fad that is in and is socially accepted, a fad that the companies and their advertising helped create. By digging deeper and seeing how the advertising for companies try to persuade people into buying their goods, you better see how every advertisement with the goal of making money is aimed at certain people and that the companies have actually better helped establish all the desires of those certain groups of people. The targeted clientele have the desire to be wanted and to be appealing, they have the money that the companies want, and lastly they have different opinions of what is best for them all around them. If the company can make you believe that a watch will put you closer to perfection, you feel almost obligated to buy it, and the companies will price that desire accordingly.