Media, Gender, and Identity

Victims or individuals? I believe we are all victims of advertising, branding, and media to some extent. As an interchangeable designer and consumer, it has become evident that design has a significant relationship with an individual’s “sense of self “. I believe that images are socially constructed and we model ourselves after what we consciously or unconsciously see in the media. Finding yourself is a process, and when views of gender and sexuality, identity and selfhood, masculinity and femininity are socially defined it’s easy to get lost. The concern with social acceptance is a struggle between media power and audience power. The media relays messages to the audience and their feelings also have impact on the issue and it’s influence.
I find it interesting when David Gauntelett discusses popular culture ands it’s view on role models. Later on in his essay he goes on to say, “popular culture offers a range of stars, icons and characters from whom we can acceptably borrow bits and pieces of their public persona for use in our own”. Magazines, music, movies, and ads all show these stars or role models, as an implication on who you should be or how you should live. So in other words, you can be yourself but only with in the LIMITS.