On Sex Appeal and Alcohol

Dana’s presentation really captured so much of the heart of the culture today. The TV shows, the movies, even the advertisements have made it a priority to exploit sexuality at every opportunity and every cost. (I can’t believe some of the ads and commercials that we’re seeing on TV now. However “subtle” they may appear.) I thought Dana made some good points on the effect this appeal has on the youth of society. I think it’s very true that the advice and knowledge on sex youth are receiving today is not coming from positive sources, like parents or guardians, but rather from what they view and hear about in the media. As was said in class, this lack of communication within the family heightens a child’s curiosity about sex. When the child does not receive the information and guidance from within a healthy environment, he will seek the advice (or the experience) from other sources.

I thought it was just as interesting the comments that were made concerning other cultures. Those who have traveled abroad had different insight into the dissimilarity between the way the American culture addresses and represents sexuality and the way the European culture addresses and represents it. I had never really considered this topic from this standpoint.

I thought CA’s presentation on the rhetoric of alcohol companies was just as interesting. She made many good points in addressing the effects of clever advertising strategies used to consciously (or even subconsciously) get a buyer to commit to their product. Companies like that realize that how they present the product is most important; the quality of that product is just as important but secondary. The statistics CA gave were informative and discouraging. The alcohol companies that are increasing their profit are not giving as much as they should to organizations that seek to promote awareness of the dangers of alcohol if not handled responsibly. The alcohol companies are targeting those (youth it often seems) they should be helping to prevent from drinking.

Great presentations, Dana and CA!