Positive affect of porn on relationships

Porn is a very highly discussed topic and people have very strong views and opinions about porn itself.  A very common question that happens to occur with porn is whether or not it affects relationships.  Some people believe that it does while others believe it does not.  There are points to back up both views but personally I believe porn can be perfectly fine with relationships and not affect them at all. Pornography has been around since the history of time.  A lot of people say that it destroys relationships by giving guys unrealistic expectation of girls.  On Oprah, Rabbi Shmuley says that porn is a form of sexism and that it is a form of a drug.  First off, porn is not a form of sexism.  Girls chose to become porn stars and that is their choice.  There are the same opportunities for guys as well, porn just happens to appeal to men more so than women and that is why it is labeled as a form of sexism.  Also, porn is viewed as a drug which is also not true.  Drugs alter the state of your mind.  Porn does not.  Yes people can become addicted to porn, but people can become addicted to chewing gum, but it doesn’t make gum a drug.  In Men’s Health it actually states that porn can help your marriage by keeping things exciting.  If both watch it together it can be very useful. Porn is always frowned upon in society, but personally I think it’s great.  It can be called a drug, but in the long run it actually can help when used correctly.  Everyone has their own opinion but I personally think that porn does not affect relationships.

Social Networking Sites & Society

One of the largest social networks out there right now is Facebook. It has swept the nation and is contining to grow at a rapid rate. Children use it, teenagers espcially use it, and even alot of older adults as well. My excuse to use facebook was that I could still keep in contact with people that I normally don't talk to on a daily basis. Old friends would add me as friend on it, or a stranger that I just met adds me on there and automatcially knows alot of my life based on my profile. This social network has changed alot of individuals in the world, and its now effecting society to the fullest. Our generation now is at the peak where technology does all the talking for us while we sit back and watch the show. Facebook has now made it easier for friends all over the world to still keep in contact with each other despite distance or having a mobile device. Many teenagers and college students ( which facebook was orginally intented for) use facebook everyday, and I say that not only for their benefit but for others as well. Promoting for companies have been and are still continuing to advertise for their business all over this phenonmeonal social networking site. Thats only how facebook has collected so much revenue over past couple of years, all thanks to advertiers. Since all of these young adults and kids are on social networking sites so often they get accustommed to only speaking to other people by typing on a keyboard rather than having a full conversation with them looking eye to eye like civilized human beings usually do when encountering each other for the first time. Many people think its great that you don't have to ever deal with confrontation, consequences, or awkardness. Thats why you see alot of internet smack talk happening daily, mainly because that person does not have the courage to say that certain thing to their face. In my opinon facebook is okay if regulated but their should be a limit on how much you are on social networking sites. I say this because I believe every person in this world should take advantage of the outdoors and see the sites that are so beautifully laid out for us as human beings on this earth. Using facebook excessivly could possible result in depression and make you a very lonely person if you are just satisfied with a random person on the internet that could be lying entire about their apperance, age, or even sex.

Video Games Affecting The Youth of our Nation

As you already know video games play a very large role in a childs everyday life. Wheather its at home, at a friends house, or in a car, your child is probably playing it. I, myself, am a really big gamer and as a personal experience I did tend to be a more violent child after playing violent video games. Most of the time I wanted the most gory, bloody, violent video game on the market because it was cool to watch and fun to copy as play acting. I took advantage of the fact that my parents did not know that certain games have rating systems and you have to be a certain age to aquire them. Having said that, Im quite positive that have pulled the same scandal as I did. Overall though I feel as though that video games did make me violent, but it was mostly for extra moves in my play fighting. I believe it really depends on the childs behavior overall and personalitly. There have been studies shown that show certain children spend adleast 5 hours a day on average a day playing video games and since they spend this much time sitting in front of a screen with the acts of brutal violence happening because of their commands sends a negative message to the child. In the violent video game you are rewarded for bad behavior: killing someone, capturing them, hurting them, in order to win the game. Some scientists believe that by watching this repetitive violent behavior it comes natural for the child to perform these actions in reality without even realizing it. I agree to some extent that it is true, but the statement is a bit plan outta porportion and exagerrated to say the least. Personally, I believe that if you are a parent you should be the one controlling what you kids watch or play at certain age. If you aren't apart of that supervision than you have no right to complain if your child so called ends up being a violent lunitic. In conclusion, its the parents fault for these type of violent acts being played out and cracking down on your kids everyday lives is the only way to protect them from being influenced by the wrong media.

Social Networking & Sports

The impact that such networking websites like Facebook and Twitter  have had on sports is higher than you may think. More than 80% of sports fans monitor social media sites while watching games on TV, and more than 60% do so while watching live events (statistics). With that being said the tremendous impact that social networking has on televised sports is not nearly as unbelievable as you would think. Between both of the largest social networking providers (Facebook & Twitter) twitter has the most vital information regarding sports because of the ability to follow many more athletes than Facebook. Celebrities, athletes, and sport networks tend to use Twitter more often than Facebook assuming its because of the amount of characters you can put it in for one post. After certain important or historical events occur in sports it is usually immediately tweeted on Twitter for further discussions directly after the event has occurred. All of these tweets that happen everyday do have some sort of positive outcome believe it or not. The Arizona Cardinals Wide Reciever Larry Fitzgerald said that he would donate an extra ten cents for every follower he had on twitter for breast cancer awareness. Some athletes tweet about their personal lives or something that has happened to them that their fans or non-fans can strictly relate to. To feel that personal connection between another famous individual I feel helps you realize that you are not the only one feeling that way, or is potentially in that position. That type of similarity I feel is very important and is a great example of a positive outcome that social networking has had on sports.  To watch just the game is a sin, you have to be watching the game while watching highlights from other games, tweeting about what just happened, and critiquing other players from your rival team. To look at a more negative outcome some famous athletes have even been suspended and fined for inappropriate tweets about their coaches, other players, or staff. Posts from players can be an extremely controversial thing and could backfire oh how you actually feel about that your supposed favorite athlete. There may be a few things you find out about them through their tweets that aren't so inviting as you assumed. Coming to my conclusion, as you can tell social networking has an enormous impact on televised sports and will continue to put forth this type of impact, or possibly even more of an impact in the future.

Eating Disorders in Men/ Models

Eating disorders affect an estimated eight million Americans- one million men and seven million women. Of the eight million, only one in ten seek help and treatment. Unfortunately about 80% of the females that do attend treatment centers do not make full recovery and are sent home early.   There are about nine varieties of eating disorders including, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating, anorexia athletica, over exercising, overeating, night eating, orthorexia, and EDNOS.  Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness amongst adolescents. One in two hundred American women suffer from anorexia; and two to three in one hundred suffer from bulimia. Eating disorders are not gender based, or restricted, as an estimated 10- 15% of anorexia and bulimia patients are male (South Carolina Department of Mental Health). So, what are the main sources that fuel the havoc reeking flames of eating disorders? Most begin due to a poor perception of self image, and self worth. In other worlds, if one views themselves as unattractive or unsuitable they start to seek methods of fixing their body, even if it is not the safest option. But what is it that makes us feel like we must look a certain way, or weigh a certain amount? It is the magazines we flip through full of bronze, blonde-haired swimsuit models , and the  latest television shows and movies that feature some of Hollywood’s most attractive actresses and actors. The media plays a substantial role in our thoughts as well as outer appearance. The pressure created by the media affects men and women in varying ways. Men, for example, tend to feel the pressure to be muscular and physically fit, rather than overweight and unhealthy. Males suffering from eating disorders and body image issues tend to have an immense stigma to overcome and, as a result, have been significantly neglected in both diagnosis and treatment (Eating Disorders in Men).  Eating disorders are severely stereotyped and for this reason less is known about the psychological effects of eating disorders in males. Though this trend is beginning to change, there is still a need for more research focusing on males and their gender-specific issues in order to better understand and treat them successfully (Eating Disorders in Men). Men account for 10% of anorexia and bulimia nervosa patients, but because little is known on eating disorders in males the issue seems to go under diagnosed, undertreated, and misunderstood. A further look into causes of these life consuming eating disorders in the male population points out the possible causes to be: weight history, sexual abuse and other trauma, gender orientation, depression and shame, exercise and body image, co-morbid chemical dependency, and as mentioned previously,  media pressures.Unlike women, men tend to have a phase of obesity, or being overweight during some point of their life. Those who suffer moderate obesity during childhood are exceedingly more susceptible to developing an eating disorder. To compensate for excess weight men typically turn to exercise, and because men are more influenced by athletics they often look to favorite athletes or sports teams for influence to lose or gain weight through physical activity. Sexual abuse and eating disorders have a slight correlation, and it is shown that 30% of eating disorder patients had a background of sexual abuse. A major symptom of eating disordered individuals with a history of sexual abuse is body image disturbance (Eating Disorders in Men). Sexual orientation also plays a large factor. Bisexual and gay men are shown to be ten times more likely to have eating disorder issues then heterosexual men. Some men, who experience confusion around sexual orientation, find comfort in weight loss as a product of restricted eating. In anorexia, severe weight loss creates changes in the body's physiology, including lower testosterone levels, resulting for some, in asexuality. For these males, recovery can be difficult as the process of re-gaining weight reverses these physiological factors, thus re-starting puberty. Males with eating disorders tend to experience depression and shame. In today’s society men are expected to disguise their vulnerabilities because displaying signs of depression or shame are viewed as feminine traits (Eating Disorders in Men). To aid with weight loss men are more likely to turn to the use of steroids and growth hormones to aid with bulking up. The rate of anabolic steroid use among young males is roughly equal to that of anorexia and bulimia in young females. Over two million males of all ages have used steroids at one point or another in their life. Steroid users tend to be men with a less than average weight for their height, and to aid in gaining muscle mass binging, purging, and restricting accompany the abuse of hormones. Many women suffer from eating disorders although many remain undiagnosed as the result of unreported cases, secrecy and the ease of deniability associated with eating disorders. Unlike men, the causes of eating disorders in women are usually surrounded by feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth, as well as depression and lack of control.  A woman’s social surroundings play an especially large role, and often give the emphasis of skinniness and weight control. The discussion of weight and dieting occurs on an abnormally regular basis in our society which could push a woman to be influenced to start dieting and could even normalize their perception to be thin (Causes of Eating Disorders). The pressure to look perfect, is now larger than ever. Both men and women can fall into the grips of eating disorders. These diseases are not gender based, nor do the discriminate against race or religion. They can affect anyone. Both the media and our society are to blame for the demand to be thin and good looking. In order to escape these life destroying eating disorders, we need to find a sense of happiness, and self worth in who we are and what we look like. all statistical information is here. 

            

  

Cosmetic Surgery: Women wanting to look better?

For years women have been influenced and subjected to the media's view of how a women should look like to be "sexy". Victoria secret model's, reality TV shows (jersey shore), The bachelor etc...... They all convey the way women are suppose to look like. What women don't understand is that the only reason why they wanna look different or be a certain way is only because of all the different types of media displaying how they should look. Almost 9.2 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2011, and “Since 1997, the interest in and demand for cosmetic plastic surgery has risen exponentially and our comprehensive statistics continue to show that.""The Aesthetic Society, which has collected plastic surgery procedural statistics since 1997, says the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 197 percent since the tracking of the statistics first began" surgery statistics. As you can see media has an astronomical effect on women and how they think they should look. In my opinion most women who feel as though they need to be a stick figure to be beautiful is just rather unattractive to me. Id actually rather a women have a bit of meat on there bones because that looks like she is actually healthy. Eating disorders are a main health issue pertained to women trying to reach the goal of being so called fit according to the media's perspective. "Fashion models’ weight averaged only 8% less than the average women 20 years ago. Today the average fashion model weighs 23% less than the average woman" eating disorder statistics. After researching eating disorder statistics I have learned that almost all female models are 25% or higher below there normal body weight. I've also learned that one quarter of all television and movies convey some sort of attractiveness. That explains why women are so insecure about themselves. To resolve this issue we need to show all sizes of women and be fair to society. Display to all women that no matter what size you are or how you look your still a beautiful gal. To begin this process Victoria secret or any large company that is involved with modeling needs to show models that are of the average women in society which is no where near what the women below looks like.

How women are suppose to Look like. (eating disorders)

The feminine outlook: WWE

I recently watched a video on the WWE "world wrestling entertainment" and how masculinity is portrayed overall. It emphasized how women are subjected to being beaten and shown as the weaker sex. Although this is true to an extent I believe that it was over-exaggerated to a pulp. The video explained that without women in this wrestling show nearly half of the audience would be attentive to other shows. These attractive women draw young men from all over because of their perfect bodies and beautiful faces. It helps draw out pure masculinity because men are suppose to adore attractive women and feel powerful if subjected to them. In my opinion I believe the way that women are treated and looked at on this wrestling show is perfectly fair. These gorgeous women are given the choice to be on this show, and are asked to sign a contract for a great deal of money to be displayed the way they are. Even though they are being treated in a derogatory manner, it's ultimately their decision to be apart of  the act. I see it as all apart of the show and helps fulfill the drama that is needed to draw all sorts of male possibly female audiences into this artificial wrestling. Like mentioned in the clip shown in class a WWE fan mentioned that it is a "male sitcom" which I completely agree with. This wrestling show is no wear near as disgusting as the brutal pornography's that are out all over the internet for many viewers to enjoy right at the suspense of their fingertips. As would any other television network would say, "it's just business" and I agree with this statement because none of these women are forced into the acts they preform. The use of women on WWE is imperative and with my guess I say that it will never end as long as the show is on air. Without the feminine side of WWE, audiences would be lost, ratings would go down, and  I believe the show will collapse.