To practice blogging, respond to this question. Leave your last name in the window with your response. You will have blog tasks due throughout this year, most due on a Tuesday before midnight.
Of course little kids do not analyze The Lion King like we scholars do, but subconsciously and subliminally, do they become racist, sexist, bigoted while viewing this popular film? (First time hearing/seeing a Hispanic man they associate that voice with a hyena, the only Hispanic voice they've ever heard. Hyena=bad. Then, Hispanic=bad. Right?)
Of course little kids do not analyze The Lion King like we scholars do, but subconsciously and subliminally, do they become racist, sexist, bigoted while viewing this popular film? (First time hearing/seeing a Hispanic man they associate that voice with a hyena, the only Hispanic voice they've ever heard. Hyena=bad. Then, Hispanic=bad. Right?)
Similarly, doesn't advertising have subliminal effects? You cannot help it sometimes--you just have to buy those Abercrombie & Fitch clothes, even though they are absurdly overpriced. Right? Subliminal messages have deep, lasting impacts on the mind, right? They make you feel bad that you don't look like their models, then sell you the solution to your depression/negative self-esteem: their disgustingly-overpriced clothes!
Type 150+ words and think hard. Consciously, you only noticed the poised, petite, comfortable, confident, cute girl in the sweater that costs $183. Subconsciously, though, you also noticed the reason she is so happy: her sweater got her a hot guy whose eyebrows, hair, jaw, and style (also Abercrombie gear) are also flawless!
- At what are those three pictured together gazing?
- Who leans together to stare at something like they are?
More like "Aberzombie & Witch"...
134 comments:
Jamie Sherman Pd. 2
I believe that our subconscious is affected every time we watch something. During The Lion King, children are “taught” to be racist and sexist, even if we/they don’t know it. Advertisements are quite similar. Companies fill their ads with things people would want to see. For example, if an ad is selling something a man would want, they’d put an attractive girl somewhere in the ad with the product. This, in turn, would make the man want it, because maybe this item could make attractive women want him. Girls buy the over-priced clothing from Abercrombie and Fitch because they believe it will make them more fashionable or stylish. Men buy the clothing because they subconsciously believe it will make them more attractive. Most people do make these choices without even thinking of their reasoning. “Why am I buying this pair of shorts for $60?” or “Why do I want this awful-smelling perfume for $50?” I’m sure everyone could find almost the exact items at another store for less money.
Winterringer Pd. 2
I don’t know if the underlying themes in The Lion King could actually cause a young child to become racist, sexist or bigoted. However, they could definitely contribute to a person becoming that way. If one constantly bombarded with themes like that, then they may start to have a profound effect on one’s behavior or psyche. I believe there would also have to be other external factors in a person becoming that way, such as society, their parents, and their family in general, etc. I do think that advertisements can have a strong effect on somebody though. I mean, there has to be a reason why people spend so much money on name brand clothing, as opposed to something cheaper which looks just as good. The subliminal messages in the Abercrombie ad’s seem to suggest that if you wear their clothes you will be awesome; you’ll be the coolest person ever because you spent fifty dollars for a shirt with their name plastered all over it.
Dan Groninger Period 2
I would say that this Abercrombie and Fitch Picture shows that the girl is happy and got the guy who is in the background which gives off the subliminal message that if you buy their clothes you will get the guy while being happy and possibly more attractive. The sweater she is wearing could be put there to make the picture less threatening considering would you trust a person in a sweater compared to a person in a t-shirt. The girl in general has her hair put down and looking into the camera in a way that says look at me I’m young cute and enjoy wearing these cloths sending the message that theses clothes might make you this way. The guy in the background is attractive but faded out because he is not wearing Abercrombie and Fitch clothes yet you can still make out that he is attractive giving off the vibe that if you buy the clothes at that store you will get a guy like that.
Matthew Haase
Pd. 2
I believe that yes subconsciously children do pick up subliminal messaging. So it is not uncalled for to say that children do become more racist or sexist in years following. Many children may play pretend games based on this movie giving young girls the lesser roles in turn shaping young boys to believe they are more dominant. Things like these slowly progress to teach our young to treat each other not as equals but to separate us from a young age.
Many if not all advertisement these days has subliminal messaging. You see a pretty model on a hot Ferrari and you immediately have this vision of if you drive a Ferrari you will get hot models. Abercrombie has half naked men plastered all over their store this in turn attracts young girls into the store expecting to get guys like this by wearing there overpriced clothing. They also have pictures of these guys on the bagging so when you carry your bag around the mall other girls will see the bag with the guy and possibly a cute girl carrying the bag so they shop there so they can get guys like that and look like the customer that shops there. In reality you tell yourself you are not one of these people but I believe if you look in your closet or into your fantasies you will notice that you are subject to these messages.
Pictures, movies, and sounds like these examples have lasting effects on the back of our minds. Thus these messages are in fact shaping us, training us to be this top figure that attracts the opposite sex and is popular just for purchasing these items or to separate us as foreign and domestic people.
mork pd.2
In my opinion The Lion King doesn’t change the minds of little kids because they are just watching it as a story they really aren’t paying attention to the different voices to which charters its coming out of. Also I doubt they know what gay is so Scar acting in that way probably wouldn’t ring a bell to them. They are too young to put things together like we are doing today. Because as I think back not until we watched and analyzed the film I thought it was a good movie with nothing racist or sexist views but now my mind is changed and I can pick out those things after seeing it. Another thing is when it came to the Freudian lens I didn’t make out the crying eye of the tree and Scar while he was going to get Mufasa and I also would have never guessed that pride rock was a symbol of a penis. With these shown facts right here I doubt that any kid would turn racist or sexist or anything else from watching this film.
Kalo pd.2
When you see those expensive clothes in the window of the store,it just makes you want to have that piece of clothing even though some people already have it or may not have it, it makes you want to spend more money on clothing that everybody has and that some people cant afford but spend there money on the expensive clothing so that they can fit in. Some people are just blessed with the money some people aren’t, so when you see people in Abercrombie clothing you say “I wish I could have that”. The girl in this picture is portrayed as a girl that can get a guy no matter what because she is wearing Abercrombie, so this picture is saying if we go out and buy Abercrombie will we become popular? Or even get a guy? The girl in the picture is smiling like it is nothing that she just spent $80 on a pair of jeans, or that she popular because now she is wearing Abercrombie. Does it really matter if we wear name brand clothing? Will people judge us if we don’t? This is something we think about when we decide what to wear in the morning. So why should it matter if we shop there or at target same clothing just more expensive and destroyed.
Drenth-Pd. 2
Little kids do sort of become racist and sexist when watching The Lion King. They may not realize it, but they kind of do. When they hear someone who has a voice like Scar or like the hyenas, they will probably think that they are bad because they have a different voice than anyone else. Just like in The Lion King, little kids will think that you have to be strong and like everyone else, and not different. If you are different, you are like the hyenas, so no one can hang out with you. The Lion King is like advertisements. Advertisements say that you have to be popular and pretty in order to get a hot guy. Or for guys, you have to be handsome and strong in order to get a cute girl. Advertisements also say that you have to have their clothes in order to be hot or cute. Abercrombie & Fitch advertisements show that the girl is pretty and she is wearing their sweater, and therefore she is getting the guy behind her. Even though the price of their clothes is expensive, you have to have it. That is what the advertisements are saying. You can have cute clothes for much cheaper and still get a guy, but the advertisements are impacting our minds by telling us to buy the expensive clothes.
But what if a kid has never heard a Hispanic voice in her life? Then she hears one and associates that voice with a hyena = bad. Hispanic = bad, then. Possible? Not IMpossible, right? Not completely out of the realm of possibilities?
Abercrombie & Fitch give you the problem with your self-esteem, then sell you the solution. Agreed? Isn't that their marketing strategy. "Let's show all our consumers how ugly they are, then indicate to them that they can be less ugly and unacceptable if they wear our clothing (which we'll price at putrid, vile, disgustingly high prices!)."
Matt Petersen_2
When looking through a Marxist lens involving the Abercrombie and Fitch Co. ad, we can tell that wearing expensive clothes made by Abercrombie is the cool thing to do. She has money obviously because she can afford those sweaters, those jeans, those clothes. She has the man in the back ground wrapped around her finger so she must have power over him?
The Freudian lens will tell us that the guy in the background is “hot”. Is this man in the back with her because she is wearing that type of clothes? The girl is posed in a flirty, innocent look. She also looks like she is in style with the 70’s? Is the hippie look coming back in style?
Feminist lens inspires us to think that girls can get anything they want. They are the man focus in the ad here. If they look hot, they can get whatever they want. If they were to not dress like this and not be “hot” like the model then they can’t get the guy they don’t have power anymore. In society you have to look like this. All girls have to be hot. The men have made girls into objects they can flaunt in public when they were hot clothes, main brand clothes in that matter.
Quentin Goley…
pd. 2
Have you ever been sitting on the couch, watching television, and when switching channels, stumbled across a Old Spice commercial? When the commercial opens up we see a muscular, tall, African American just wearing a towel and holding the stick of deodorant (Old Spice). Immediately as we see this man, our subconscious tells us that we will be tall, muscular, and manly, if we were to buy this deodorant. There is also another Old Spice commercial where the beginning scene is the same muscular man. The only difference here is that he has three beautiful and sexy women standing around him, while he’s also still holding the stick of deodorant. From this, we perceive that when we wear this deodorant, many beautiful women will flock to our sides. Though women running towards you when you wear this deodorant is exaggerated to it’s fullest extend, the Old Spice commercial sends a subliminal message to say “Hey! You want to be sexy? You want to have tons of women? Well wear Old Spice deodorant!”.
Jessi Peterson 2
By examining an Abercrombie and Fitch picture you will notice and be able to see things in all three lenses, Freudian, Marxist, and Feminist. The store contains very small sizes and sprays very strong fragrances. Why is this appealing to the younger generation?
From a Feminist lens you will notice that the girls in the pictures are very petite and smaller than the average American girl teenager. Why do we shop at Abercrombie if it is over priced and undersized? Does it make us cooler? Do we fit in if we look like a hundred bucks with one sweater? All these questions should be considered before shopping in the store. From my own experience I know I wanted the most expensive item of clothing there, when I wore it I felt secure like my family can afford expensive things. Now being older and learning the value of a dollar I understand that a sweater at Abercrombie and a sweater from Kohl’s really have no difference, I still have the same friends and get treated the same.
From a Marxist point of view Abercrombie represents money and power. By wearing a name brand such as Abercrombie and Fitch you will look richer and more sophisticated. People may buy expensive clothes to hide from there home life. If you have the name brand on your shirt people may think you live in an expensive house and own other expensive things when really you just blew all the money you had on a shirt to impress no one, you may live in a van down by the river.
From a Freudian perspective people that shop at Abercrombie might only be using their ID by falling into the trap of ridiculously over priced items of clothing. A smart person that knows how to spend their money will use their superego and head to the nearest wal mart and buy off the racks there. Just like Gretchen Wilson says in her song, “Redneck Woman” she is very bold by implying she’s down to earth with the lyrics, “I can buy the same damn thing on a wal mart shelf half price and still look sexy.”
Ellis, pd. 2
If you like saying you are sexy, you smell good, and that you have some money and want to look like nice you will most likely shop at this place. The girl in the picture seems to be saying she can get that boy in the background since she shops at Abercrombie and Fitch. When I walk in the mall past Abercrombie and Fitch I probably have one of the worst headaches of my life from all the perfume and cologne they spray in there, I never will understand why they do that because if I did buy a clothing item from them I would wash it right away and then make it smell like me most likely. Clothes at this store are over priced terribly. People could be purchasing other things that they actually need such as gas, for one of there shirts I could probably have filled my car up twice with gas.
People who shop at Abercrombie and Fitch like to say they are on top of the social ladder that they have the money to purchase those clothes and non wealthy cant. The workers there would only look at you if you have on very nice clothes and look like you have some cash in your pocket being ready to spend. If you look like a poor person just looking around they will just talk about you and try to stay away as much as possible, or they will most likely think you are coming in there to steal from them.
The girl in the picture may be smiling but is she smiling because she has a lot of money to afford the clothes, or is she smiling because Abercrombie and Fitch say she is able to get some since she wears there clothes?
Erickson pd. 2
Abercrombie and Fitch lures customers in by showing that if you wear their clothes you will get good looking guys/girls. Some of their pictures that they display in their store show the people who wear their clothes as cool or good looking. As you first walk in the store, a huge mural is displayed of a very muscular, half naked man. This attracts girls so they will buy the clothes that this guy may be attracted to. This may not always be the case if you actually do buy their clothes. They just want you to think that so they can make more money off your obliviousness. As you are walking in the mall, you can smell Abercrombie and Fitch from many stores away. They cover their whole store in their perfume so you are attracted to the smell. If you come in because of the aroma, you will take a look at their clothes and be persuaded to buy some. Their clothes are ridiculously overpriced. You could buy almost the exact same thing at a more reasonable store such as JC Penney’s or Kohl’s. The only difference is you wouldn’t be paying an extra $30 just for their trademark on your clothes. Their jeans with holes are priced at least $20 more than normal ones. Why would you want to buy a pair of jeans that have less jean material than holes? Abercrombie wants you to make you feel like you belong with everyone else just by buying their clothes.
Michelle Yoon, Pd 2
When looking at this Abercrombie & Fitch picture, one would immediately notice the petite and cute-faced girl smiling. Her body is slightly turned away from the camera and she looks like she’s having a pretty good time doing whatever she’s doing. Then one would notice the boy in the background. Although he is blurred out with a shirt on, one could assume that he is probably good looking with a chiseled body, since Abercrombie & Fitch only photographs people who look like that. I would guess that this picture would be hung up in the girls section of the store because the camera is focused on a girl. This picture portrays a girl who’s hanging out and having fun with this guy. The picture without a doubt says that if you buy and wear Abercrombie & Fitch clothes, you can too be socially accepted. Although it is a known fact that Abercrombie & Fitch clothes are overpriced, with a simple tank top being 20 to 25 dollars, society is trained to respond to the sight of the little emblem A&F sews onto every article of clothing they produce. Of course, people give in and proudly sport their clothing, thinking that they look cool and attractive, and although some of their clothes are actually cute, it’s mostly just something people buy based on the desperate craving to fit in.
Taylor Garner Pd. 2
Advertising is meant to catch a buyer’s eye and look appealing. Of course they are going to use an attractive model to show off their product. Buyers want to be in style and if they see some one attractive wearing that product they might feel that they will look just as good if they wear it too. The store wants people to believe that they are not hot unless they are wearing latest fashion clothing from their store. Some people believe that money is no option. They don’t care how much something costs as long as they look good and have a name brand. Personally I believe that some of the ugliest things are the most expensive, but others think differently just to say they have an expensive name brand item. There are people like me who work hard for their money and would much rather get more than one thing for the price of one overpriced shirt. Other people spend money as if they can easily replace what was spent. Those are the people that these stores are trying to attract. They know that no matter how high they price something there will always be those select few who will buy it.
Natalie Turner
Period 2
Using a Feminine lens for the Abercrombie and Fitch ad I think that it is highly sexist toward girls. Girls like to look good so they think that buying the most expensive piece of clothing they can find or the piece of clothing that is a designer label. This also makes them feel cool and confident. When girls see the posters of these Abercrombie and Fitch models they want to look just like them because these models have the perfect look, so the media tells them. So this is why they will spend hundreds of dollars of overpriced stuff that they don’t actually need.
Using a Marxist lens for the Abercrombie and Fitch ad I think that making clothes worth so much money make people think that they have a lot of power over the ones that don’t have this type of clothing. The ones that don’t have Abercrombie and Fitch clothes really want to have these clothes because they look at the ad and people that wear the clothes and think that those people are having a lot more fun wearing the clothes unlike themselves who are not wearing Abercrombie clothes, so the one that don’t have these clothes want the clothes really badly and go out and buy them even though that they can not afford them. This just puts a lot of power in the hands of the ones that can afford these clothes that they don’t really deserve.
Nicole Zens
Pd 2
“The Lion King” in my opinion has some effect on the viewers who are watching the movie. The movie depicts the lions as the rich upper class and the poor lower class as the hyenas. Subconsciously we think that if you have money like the lions you are respected and have a great life. It also tells us that if you are the hyenas you are less respected and have a rough life. The movie is also sexist having the leader of the pride rock being a man and the women have the role of getting food and making babies. In life that is what the woman’s job in the household to cook, clean, and nurture the baby. Racism is another major part in the film. It just so happens that the black girl, the Mexican, and the idiot are the poor lower class that has to fight everyday to have a full stomach. On the other hand the black that sounds like a white male, and a white male are both the rich upper class and can have fun and not worry about if they are having food or not at the end of the day. Abercrombie & Fitch has the same effect on people just like in the film “The Lion King.” The advertisement is a girl that is wearing the clothing line Abercrombie & Fitch and looks more confident, happy, and gets the guy she always wanted just by wearing the shirt. They want you to buy their clothes by making you subconsciously thinking that if you wear their clothes that you well get more respected, happier, and the guys well love you.
Abby Moschell Pd 2
Personally I do think that children are influenced by the movies and shows they watch. I think since they watch these movies and shows they become racist and sexist without even realizing that they are doing it. The Lion King makes a little child subconsciously want their same gender parent to die so they can have all of the wealth and power. Like in the Lion King when Simba sings “I can’t wait to be king”. Advertising has the same effects on them as movies. Advertising shows you need to look just like the people in the advertisements and commercials. The Abercrombie & Fitch advertisement shows girls that they need to buy their clothing from Abercrombie. Then they will have a cute boyfriend like they guy in the background. I think it also shows that a girl would be popular and have high self esteem. Abercrombie & Fitch have cute girls be models so guys will come into the store to buy the clothes and same with girls they have cute male models so girls will be more willing to go into the store.
People overpay because of the subliminal lies! People wearing Abercrombie think they will get respect for having the name and the money to afford the name, right? Is wearing this stuff showing off? Is it arrogance? Is it shallowness? Is wearing this stuff emptiness?
Mariah Nachreiner pd. 2
I do not want to believe that the Lion King could affect kids to think in a racist or sexist way. But, I actually feel as though it may have some affect on little kids. I know when I was a kid I would watch any Disney movie and dress up as the character and think,” I want to be just like them when I am older”. In a way I do believe that Disney movies or The Lion King does have some affect on children even the kids do not notice it at the moment.
In the Abercrombie and Fitch advertisement first you may think that all they are trying to do is making you want to buy their clothes by having a cool picture with a pretty girl wearing their clothing and a handsome guy in the background. What you really don’t realize is how certain little details in the picture affect us as to if we decide to actually buy the clothing or if we could care less to buy their clothing. In this advertisement the girl is obviously pretty. Why would people not want to buy the clothing if pretty or handsome people wear the clothing? They want you to believe that if you wear their clothing you will be pretty and handsome just like them. Another detail in the picture that affects us as to if we would like to buy their clothing is the handsome guy in the background. They are trying to make you think that if you buy and wear the clothing you will get hot guys to like you. Also if you really look at it you can hardly see the clothing on the two people. The advertisement is all about how men will get women and women will get men if they wear Abercrombie and Fitch.
Hauge pd.2
The way I now see the Lion King, I can see the subliminal messages but I don’t feel kids truly believe in the messages portrayed. I think that the kids can subconsciously view the messages and depending on the home life and what the family beliefs are, the children will believe the same things. For example if the family was a racist white family, a child might view the hyenas being outcaste the right thing to do or the “way it should be.” Otherwise I think a child regardless of skin color would view out casting people by their ethnic diversity as a wrong thing to do, but the hyenas are also the villains so they might see past the ethnicity and view them as being outcaste for wrong doings. I think the messages in the Lion King are just reinforcements of a child’s view on social status and gender roles, if a kids mother stayed home and did housework while the father went to work, this movie would be a perfect example of the way things should be. But if both parents worked and equally split house chores and job duties the child would view this movie as being wrong by the female lions doing all the work.
Granberg
I think when little kids watch the Lion King they do become a little racist, and sexist, but they do subconsciously. We can compare that to our fashion choices and what we buy in stores. Kids go around wearing the same styles all the time. We go into stores and try and find similar items that we see on someone else, or in a magazine. These items make us think we will be cooler or look better. All these ads make us subliminal to what we are doing. Stores like Abercrombie and Fitch put up pictures of models that are attractive, and have the “look” we should be going for. We go around subconsciously and buy what stores want us to buy. To most people it’s all about the style, and not about the money factor. Even if there is a stretch money wise kids will do anything to buy the right “look” or style.
Tayler Frisch pd. 2 Abercromie and Fitch has built a very enticing label. As a consumer of their product, they want you to feel great about wearing what they sell because it makes you “better”. By putting this image of “being better” they can sell their product for much more. The Marxist lens in this picture is obvious because we all know how expensive their clothes are. From the start only certain people/classes can afford Abercrombie, this also shows how power functions. By using the Marxist lens we can also see how power functions in this picture. If you buy the sweater you become better or more likable which in turn gives you choices. You might be able to choose from more people to hang out with or fit in with another crowd. You could then look down upon those who don’t wear brand name clothes.
The feminist lens is undoubtedly used in this photo. They lure woman to buy their clothes so they feel better. At the same time they pick a good looking girl with a good looking guy in the back. They make the guy feel that if he buys their clothes that he can get a better looking girl.
Through the Freudian lens people would be choosing there id over there superego because of how incredibly expensive Abercrombie’s merchandise is.
Bruggeman
I don’t think that a child is aware enough to understand racism or sexism. Although if they aren’t regularly exposed to these concepts I believe they would notice that something is definitely different about the characters that are being shown as different in color or gender. I don’t think that watching this video even multiple times can make the child become racist, sexist, or bigoted, because unless the child has grown or become aware of the concepts, the video will mean the same thing to them as it did in the first viewing. Also, for a child to notice the themes of possible racism and sexism, the child would have to be thinking on a very high level. I suppose it is possible, I just can’t see it. I definitely think that advertising can have subliminal effects on the viewers. The advertisements have very clever ways of making you believe you can be this or that with how they set up their advertisement. Customers may think that if they have one good item of clothing from a known company, that one article of clothing will be much better than multiple articles of clothing from another less expensive and less known company. I am not sure if the subliminal idea the company is trying to send to us can have deep, lasting effects on our minds, although for a short period of time until you decide to buy the product or not, it may effect you.
Jessi Peterson comment 2
I agree with Matt’s blog post. The styles they wear aren’t even the normal style normal people wear. Is looking like a hippy sweet? I personally don’t think so. Are you hotter for dressing like an idiot? If I wanted to dress like that I don’t need a hundred bucks I can just head to my little cousins playroom and grab a tiny article of clothing that doesn’t fit my chest and looks ridiculous on me and write “Abercrombie” in permanent marker and dang I’ll be looking fly. I also don’t agree with their version of “Hot” I think the definition of hot is a person that is comfortable in their own skin, doesn’t need to be fake, and has confidence in themselves and can pull off looking good in anything from a mini skirt, to baller shorts, to their pajamas at night. In conclusion Abercrombie and Fitch can get their low standard skinny clothes out of the mall because I don’t want my kids to feel like they need to be anything other than themselves when they grow up.
Ellis pd. 2
Responding to Jessica:
There are people that will purchase clothes from this store that are not wealthy to hide it from people so they will think more of them. You can see the three lenses in this picture, it seems like they are trying to have all the small petite rich girls come in and then leave all the others out. I really am not a fan the girls in this world who think they are more on top of the world since they have more money then everyone else. Why do we shop there if its over priced? I know you will wear the shirt once and most likely not again for a while. I disagree about the Gretchen Wilson song she is a successful singer she just likes to have the look of a hick since she is a country star, she is most likely buying very expensive clothes.
Matt Petersen_2
Concerning Mr. Winterrrrrrringer’s comment I would have to agree with him 100%. Little kids would not understand the messages in the Lion King but they could see it and pick the actions they do like excluding the hyenas, or the lower class people, and seeing it happen in real life. Seeing or hearing something over and over again will implant it in the child’s head and they will become sexist, racist or whatever they will chose to think. If they see that the lions are rich and powerful they will act like lions in children games at the park or wherever it may be. They will pick up on it and then they will see other people in real life like that. If the kid lives in a family where they can get almost anything they want they will act like they can get anything they want. Know what I mean? If they hear friends or family say something racist they will try and fit in at first to look cool. Over time it gets hardwired in their head that they have to be like that. Why does Paris Hilton have fans? Because she is rich and has fun, just like the lions. When the kids see that she is wearing expensive clothes its instantly the hip thing to wear. People will go out and buy ridiculously expensive articles of clothing just to be “hot” as Hilton would say.
Matt Petersen_2
Concerning Mr. Winterrrrrrringer’s comment I would have to agree with him 100%. Little kids would not understand the messages in the Lion King but they could see it and pick the actions they do like excluding the hyenas, or the lower class people, and seeing it happen in real life. Seeing or hearing something over and over again will implant it in the child’s head and they will become sexist, racist or whatever they will chose to think. If they see that the lions are rich and powerful they will act like lions in children games at the park or wherever it may be. They will pick up on it and then they will see other people in real life like that. If the kid lives in a family where they can get almost anything they want they will act like they can get anything they want. Know what I mean? If they hear friends or family say something racist they will try and fit in at first to look cool. Over time it gets hardwired in their head that they have to be like that. Why does Paris Hilton have fans? Because she is rich and has fun, just like the lions. When the kids see that she is wearing expensive clothes its instantly the hip thing to wear. People will go out and buy ridiculously expensive articles of clothing just to be “hot” as Hilton would say.
Erickson pd.2
Response to Jessi Peterson:
I like the tie in with Gretchen Wilson’s song, “Redneck Woman.” You don’t need to buy an expensive sweater just to look sexy. You could get a very similar sweater for half of that money. It is true that you may not have an expensive house or other expensive essentials if you just buy that one sweater. You just blew your money on one sweater when you could’ve bought ten sweaters from a more reasonable priced store. These days a lot of people judge if you wear the high end clothes. Many people think that if they wear the more high priced clothing you will be more popular. Sadly, many people fall for this and they don’t actually become more popular. Your friends shouldn’t care about what kind of clothes you wear. It should matter on your personality. The younger generation is appealed because they want to fit it and feel sexy.
Natalie Turner
Period 2
I agree with Dan that if you wear these types of clothes you will be happy, get the guy, and feel more attractive. At an age where girls really want to find the guy of there dreams like in Cinderella girls look toward the media that push girls to want to be skinny and if you look a certain way or act a certain way you will get the guy of your dreams and be happy. This is not true. You don’t a have to wear these types of clothing or act or be a certain way to be happy. Guys don’t just like girls that wear Abercrombie clothes. They like all type, so girls can stop trying to be so superficial because people that are superficial get annoying after awhile. So just be who you are even if you don’t wear these types of clothes. Being happy can be different for different people so artificial stuff should not determine happiness.
Taylor Garner Pd. 2
RE- Michelle Yoon
I completely agree with Michelle on the advertising topic. Advertising chooses attractive people to bring in buyers. For some reason people believe that they will look just like that model if they have the exact same object. Who cares if the outfit all together is more than a two week paycheck right? As long as you feel good about what you are wearing. That’s not how I feel about it. I also agree that some people feel socially outgoing if they have on name brand clothing. The pictures are showing that if you have on their clothes than sexy guys are going to notice you and want to associate with you. And guys vice versa the hot girls will be showing you the attention you crave. I also agree that the symbol is everything to excessive spenders. If it doesn’t have a well known symbol sown onto it than they want nothing to do with it. My personal opinion is that you are paying for the symbol. The clothing itself might not be that expensive but the store makes their profit by putting their name on it and raising the price.
Tayler Frisch
Re Shawn Hauge
I believe Shawn missed the point on the Abercrombie Ad.
But I do agree with what he wrote about the lion king and how he use the Marxist lens and how skin color functions in classes.
Granberg
I agree with both Alyssa Erickson’s and Taylor Garner’s comments about how stores and ads try to draw you in and make you buy their items. I agree with Alyssa’s comment about how Abercrombie and Fitch draws you into their store because of their huge poster on the wall, that you can clearly see just glancing by the door. The poster of the male is supposed to be gorgeous, and sexually appealing. The smell of the store also attracts people in. I agree with Taylor’s comment of the items stores try to make you attracted to aren’t even that attractive. It is true that if a person goes into another more reasonably priced store they can find similar looking jeans for a cheaper price, or the same style of shirt.
Abby Moschell pd2
I totally agree with Elyssa Ellis. I agree that it is a waste of money to buy clothes that are overly expensive when you can find clothes for way cheaper and get pretty much the same compliments from people. It is also pretty ridiculous how much perfume and cologne stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and Holister spray on there clothes. You can smell the cologne and perfume from like ten stores down from those kinds of stores. I also feel that when you walk in to those kinds of stores all they do is criticize what you are wearing, how you act and how much money you have. Is that girl really smiling because she likes what she is doing or is she smiling for other reasons is a very good question. It makes me think do those people just like getting paid for what they do.
Abby Moschell pd2
I totally agree with Elyssa Ellis. I agree that it is a waste of money to buy clothes that are overly expensive when you can find clothes for way cheaper and get pretty much the same compliments from people. It is also pretty ridiculous how much perfume and cologne stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and Holister spray on there clothes. You can smell the cologne and perfume from like ten stores down from those kinds of stores. I also feel that when you walk in to those kinds of stores all they do is criticize what you are wearing, how you act and how much money you have. Is that girl really smiling because she likes what she is doing or is she smiling for other reasons is a very good question. It makes me think do those people just like getting paid for what they do.
Valdez, Pd. 2
Disney in general is good at creating subliminal messages aimed at children. Just look at all the merchandise and other money-funnels Disney has created. Every kid has the dream to go to Disney Land or Disney World. Little girls have to have their favorite Disney princess on their backpack. Even as I type the word “Disney” right now, the “d” automatically shifts into an uppercase “D”. Disney has made a huge impact on the world, and it knows it.
Walt Disney, as in the person, was an amazing spokesman and a genius in anything he did, but many of his employees told horror stories of how he was behind the senses. Racism, sexism, took credit for other’s work; Walt wasn’t always a good man. While Walt Disney may have been dead for many years, he still may have influenced future works. Disney may support happy endings, but not happy endings for everyone. As we grow up, we may see other forms of media to counter any influence, but I still believe the Lion King supports many bad messages, maybe even without knowing it.
Garrett Bratland P.3
Yes, I do believe that people, who don’t look like the models for Abercrombie, Aeropostale, Hollister, and American Eagle, do end up having a negative self image. Because, they think that if they don’t look like that, think that they cannot wear clothes like they do, be as handsome/pretty as they are, will never get the attention they get, or even get the girls/boys that they get. So, for you to even feel like you can somewhat be like them is to either go on a diet and start working out to be like them, or to buy that store’s clothing to dress like that model, no matter how expensive it may truly be. People who buy and wear clothes like the ones the models model for everyone, that they could and will more happy with themselves, and be a better person, and be more accustomed to fitting into society now that they wear fancy clothes and look a certain way. The way the model is portrayed is that, if you don’t wear this style of clothing or look like they do, never be as successful as they are, you won’t get noticed like they do, and you won’t get the hottest person of the opposite sex like they do. The stores play this as basically as a “guilt trip” kind of ordeal.
When little kids watch the Lion King I do not believe they are actually being taught to be racist or sexist or bigoted in any way. However, it could teach you that maybe everyone who is like a hyena is bad and not cool. They should be outlawed and not allowed in the pride lands but in this case, the popular group. Watching movies and being around the society and family and friends can cause you to become that way maybe. The subliminal messages in advertisements are ridiculous. Who wouldn’t want to buy Abercrombie right? I mean a cute girl or guy in “sexy” clothes. Advertisements like that make you want to be like them and give you a boost in self esteem until you get home and see yourself in it. Then maybe you don’t feel as sexy as the model does. It brings your self esteem down. You buy the “hottest” new clothes so you can fit in, right? What other reason would there be to buy clothes that are over fifty dollars just so you can have their name on it and feel cool.
Bachman Pd. 3
I think when kids watch the Lion King, subconsciously, they are imprinted with the sounds and images of what is right and wrong, good and bad. If kids hear Scar talking and know that he is bad, they will assume all the people who talk like Scar are bad or not suppose to be accepted into society. This is just like advertisements in movies, TV shows, and shopping centers. Abercrombie and Fitch is a great example because they want to show the world that if you’re not wearing their clothes, then you are considered and outsider and not accepted into society. In most of Abercrombie’s ads they have what would be considered the “cool” or “hip” crowd. These ads imply that unless you are dressed in Abercrombie’s clothes, you will not fit into this crowd. However, if you are willing to spend $180 on a pair of jeans or a sweater that will get you into this crowd, then you will be “cool.” This can also lead to people getting picked on because they don’t have the “right” clothes. So they might even be pressured into spending money they don’t have just to be with the crowd.
Sjoberg Pd. 3
Anything can be looked at and analyzed through the three lenses Marxist, Feminist, and Freudian lenses. By using these lenses you are able to observe and may find negative things that even a Disney movie may impact on kids. Like the Lion King Abercrombie and Fitch can be negative. When first looking at an Abercrombie and Fitch what is the first thing that comes to your mind when looking at the models? Is it I wish I could look like them and be with a guy like her? When girls or people in general ask this they want to be exactly like the person in the picture, and the only way of doing so is to look and dress like them. People think by putting on the same clothes they will get the same attention as the models do in the picture. The picture advertised shows a girl with Abercrombie clothes on and by wearing those clothes she got the hot guy. Girls want to be just like her so they go out and buy a sixty dollar shirt to get the attention she does. Also your id and superego are present when you are in an Abercrombie and Fitch store. Your id is telling you to go ahead buy a one hundred dollar sweater you will seem cool and get all the guys, but your superego is saying, no don’t waste your money, you can go to target and get the same sweater for half the price.
Danielson Pd.3
I personally think that after analyzing The Lion King through the 3 lenses that we used that there is a potential for the subliminal messages to get to children and make them think and believe that minorities are bad. On the other side of the argument that subliminal messages in popular movies give kids their values people would say that it isn’t mostly what movies your kid watches or what they see its how the parents raise them and how they learn most of their racism or sexist views from their guardians. But with the Abercrombie photos and how they get people to buy them is probably on an even more powerful subliminal messaging because first of all they are targeting younger and older teens who are more vulnerable to the type of messages being sent out. In the picture it shows that you will be flawless if you buy the product and you’ll have more power in a sense. You wont be anything that society wouldn’t want you; ugly, fat, or clueless. This lets Abercrombie sell their products for so much because they know no matter how much that they sell it for there will always be someone who needs a solution to their problem.
Bryce Christopherson, Period 3
Honestly, I feel that subconscious messages play a far bigger part in our lives then most people are willing to admit. “The Lion King” does, undoubtedly, predispose young children towards becoming racist and xenophobic by portraying the hyenas with ethnic voices. With advertising, the idea of how it affects you is much the same, but on a scale exponentially more grand and malicious. From a young age (from birth, even, though we cannot yet interpret the signals we are receiving), we are bombarded nigh-but-constantly with advertisements constructed so craftily to play onto our fears and desires (at a primal level) and repeated so frequently that we soon absorb the ideals they broadcast almost as our own, almost as if by some social osmosis.
As a child, Nickelodeon and Disney filled my mind with images of what I had to wear to become a “cool” kid and what toys I simply must buy, and now, in my upper teens, I am accosted likewise by adds that show me, by comparison to models and the famous, just how much I don’t live up to the standards that they want me to believe I must. Truly, I am guilty of perpetuating this cycle, more then on one occasion I have found myself buying vogue shoes or designer jackets for far more then is reasonable. So, as I myself assume that which the advertising companies want me to, I prove my point that, subconsciously, advertisements play far more into our decisions then we would like to admit.
McNamara – Pd: 3
I do believe that all children’s movies lead children to be bigoted, racist, and sexist. This is especially true in The Lion King because of all the sexual references hidden in it. Disney movies also exhibit sexual references in order to add interest to the films for adults viewing them with their children. I experienced this when I watched The Lion King because no matter how many times before when I watched this as a child, this is the only time I caught on to all of the sexual references. I agree that it does affect them though because if it didn’t how would we automatically notice them now.
I do believe that advertising also has the same subliminal effects because there advertisements draw people in to want to by their articles of clothing. I think that Abercrombie and Fitch also put people in a position to feel very negative emotions if they can not be “cool” and purchase their clothing. They also have a way of making people feel horrible if can not wear the stores sizes, as messed up as they are. Abercrombie and Fitch can make the customers feel horrible about themselves because if they can not wear their clothing the customer would be breaking away from the “cool” social norm, and not creating their own individual look and personality through their clothing. They draw attention to their store in general by putting slender, petite, perfect looking males and females on their advertisement posters, and even shopping bags. Their way of marketing their product will make any person feel confident in buying anything in their store, even if it is outrageously overpriced.
Herrman pd.3
In the society we live in today there are so many influences around convincing us that certain clothes, makeup, shoes, perfumes will make you a “better” you. Some how make you more popular and “liked”. In this Abercrombie photo its selling there brand of clothing but what else it is doing is making young teenagers think that by buying this sweater or something else from this store they will have better looks and style. Maybe even some hot guy will be attracted to them. The girl in the photo is smiling and is very pretty. So this picture could have a NEGATIVE effect for some teenagers also. They will think that if they can’t afford this $80 sweater they won’t look as pretty or have good style. This is completely wrong. People who shop at this store thinks that buying these items make them more popular and “liked”. When it’s simply just a shirt. Also with the Lion King they are subconsciously showing you that females are not as powerful as males although in the Lion King you can clearly see that Nala can whoop and one of them. They show you think the hyenas are low class and dirty. There voices clearly hint a bit of racism. I think that young children sort of pick up on things like this. Even though we don’t think they really do.
According to the Abercrombie and Fitch ad, wearing their insanely overpriced clothing is “the cool thing to do.” It shows that, if you wear their clothes, it will fix all of your imperfections. The ad is showing that you will smell good, you’ll look significantly better, and it shows that you have money, because of how expensive the sweater is. It also gives the vibe that if you don’t wear Abercrombie and Fitch’s clothing, you are not cool. If you buy these clothes, you will attract the opposite sex! That is another thing that this ad is insinuating. I think it is ridiculous that the clothes you wear will get you a boyfriend or girlfriend. Karl Marx would find this disgusting. People shouldn’t look at others by what they wear, or how they look, or how much money they have. This ad is also saying that looks alone will get you far in life, and that is very wrong! People’s lives should not be centered on how they look or what they wear, but by the content of their character and how hard they work. Looking through the Freudian Lense, you might find that people are letting their ids take over by buying something so expensive. Also, it’s the cool thing to wear, so if you don’t wear Abercrombie and Fitch, you’re not cool. People might be buying something like this because they want to fit in with all of the other animalistic people that feel the need to spend so much money on this clothing. When you shop at Abercrombie and Fitch, you are paying for the name of the clothing, not the quality.
Wetrosky P.3
Greenhoff Pd.3
I believe that kids do pick up subliminal messages from movies like the lion king. Of course they probably don’t quite pick up all the symbolism of one who studies the film in depth, but I think that they do pick up on some of it. I think that the male dominance in the movie is obvious, females have their place and males have theirs. It makes me think that they want the females in the kitchen cooking while the males are out gallivanting around freely. Children are kind of taught at a young age the things that girls do and the things that boys do. Boys play with cars and girls play with dolls. I don’t think that they could become racist after watching this movie, but possibly the voice of a Hispanic man of a black woman would remind them of the evil hyenas in the Lion King.
Abercrombie and Fitch stores are kind of ridiculous. They put stick figure female models and buffed up male models on their posters to attract new customers. The store wants to make you feel like if you buy your clothes you will be the like the models that advertise the clothes, or your boyfriend or girlfriend will look like the models. I think their prices are so high because why would they lower the prices when they know people are going to buy their clothes anyway. The more expensive clothes make you popular; people think that if you wear their clothes you have money. Maybe buying an 85 dollar sweater will make you cooler and more excepted in the eyes of others, the clothes will make up for that inadequacy you feel. The store even gives off a club type atmosphere. They want the store to make you feel like you are at a party, and that you should wear their clothes and then maybe you will be invited to more parties. It’s obvious that the store is trying to give us a vision of what our lives could be like if we bought their clothes.
I have analyzed the Abercrombie & Fitch ad through all three lenses, the Marxist lens, the Freudian lens, and the Feminist lens.
A Marxist critic would be quick to recognize that the girl seems very shy and soft spoken, but once she has the “right” clothes she gets the athletic and chiseled man of her dreams. The girl even smiles as if she is happier than ever with her new sweater no matter what it cost. The fog of the background doesn’t let you see the boy exactly, which leaves a girl’s mind to visualize her perfect man in the background.
In the Feminist lens I noticed a few things as well. The girl seems weak and not as prominent or as confident as the boy in the background even though he is not the focus of the ad. Why does the girl have a nice sweater on instead of a sweatshirt or a t-shirt like a boy would wear? The girl also slouches down, almost a symbolic bow to the boy who stands erect like the idealistic man of the American society.
The Freudian lens could help analyze why the model girl is so happy. She has an expensive sweater which seems to let her make an uprising in the social and economic ladder. She is now confident yet still shows signs of her old, unpopular self. Like the way she slightly slouches, the way she didn’t style her hair, how she is still uncomfortable around her guy and still seeks seclusion.
All lenses used to identify the meaning of this Abercrombie & Fitch ad have been easy to use through detail analysis. There are many more hidden meanings and subliminal messages found throughout this ad and I’m sure that I only touched some of the forensic surfaces.
Joey Boy Pd.3
Marso
I think that Abercrombie isn’t the only store that advertises like this. Hollister and American Eagle do the same thing. To me the girl in this ad seems like a brat and isn’t smart, yeah she looks happy and has the guy, but she also looks dumb. She looks like she is rich and knows it, so she doesn’t care to show it off. When you walk by these stores the posters that are up make you feel bad, especially for guys because usually at Abercrombie the biggest picture at the front of the store is a guy with his shirt off with an 8 pack and a hot girl. They are sending off a message that if you don’t have this stuff you won’t make it in the real world and you’re not cool enough. For girls the sizes of their clothes are an issue. If you can’t fit into a size zero or xxs then you might as well not even step foot in that store. Both of these things can lead to self-esteem issues especially for younger girls and boys that think Abercrombie is the coolest thing in the world.
Melissa Johnston pd.3
When you take a first glance at this “Abercrombie” picture, it seems happy, sweet, friendly, and natural. This girl is pretty. It lures in both guys and girls. It’s proven that most men prefer natural beauty over make up and an expensive hair style. And girls are attracted to naturally pretty because they see that those girls don’t NEED to wear tons of makeup or make that much of an effort to look decent. Girls are jealous, guys are attracted. So what exactly makes this picture SOO attractive? Black and white is always a classic, and it’s a safe picture. It doesn’t scream PORN or SEX. It simply screams “Hi, I’m a nice girl with a pretty face, named brand clothing, and a cute guy in the background. BE ME.”—or at least try to. This is what society is telling us. Smell good = feel good. Look good = feel good. Human beings strive to FEEL good. Who cares what everyone else thinks? Clothing brands like this I believe, literally brain wash our teenage society into zombies. “I NEED that sweater!” or “She has it, why can’t I?” Its ironic how clothing stores like Abercrombie and Fitch, like to steal your money for clothes that are supposed to make you feel important, needed, and cared for. When in actuality, that is not the case at all. This brings me to my next point. When we look at the world popular movie The Lion King, we see some things in the film that we see in society every day. Such as racism, feminism, sexism, competitiveness, Marxism, and Communism, it’s all in there just to name a few. And we as a society often look over these areas of entertainment and see what we want to see. When we see an Abercrombie and Fitch picture such as this one, we see happiness, not the hundreds of dollars it takes to get it. When we watch The Lion King we choose to see cute little Simba growing up into his line on the thrown. A big deal for a cute little guy! He’s cute, so we love him. The sweater is cute, so we love it. Same out look on how we should feel, and act around other people. In theory I’d be using the Freudian lens indicating that all these thoughts are forced upon us by society, in which people make us think and how we should be in the worlds eyes, by using movies, ads, and in this case, pretty girls and hot guys in expensive clothing.
Jeff Maassen pd. 3
King, as a kid you see how the rolls of the characters are played. You see that only the boys or males can be leaders and more dominate than females. And they see that the hyenas, I believe that children are subconsciously affected to be sexist, and racist by The Lion shown as a black lady, a Mexican man, and a crazy man are outcaste or not good enough for the rest of society, there for they don’t matter and no one cares for them. Advertisements are very similar, they want you to think, if I wear this product I will receive all the things shown in the picture. They make the people in the advertisement look flawless and perfect, the people look so happy to be wearing this product. They make the guys think, well if I wear this, all these hot girls, as shown in the advertisement, will think I am up to there standards and I am cool.
Response to Michelle Yoon:
I agree with Michelle all of Abercrombie’s ads and posters show only girls and guys with a perfect 0% body fat type of body and perfect hair, teeth, and eyes. Like she said about the over priced tank top, I feel like that is the same thing about jeans from Buckle. It seemed that when I first came to Brandon from Lincoln every single girl owned a pair of jeans from Buckle. It was like if you didn’t have the newest pair of 150 dollar jeans, you weren’t cool enough. This type of advertising doesn’t have to happen just at the store, or in the mall, in can happen in school or when you’re anywhere in public. Michelle also mentioned that the people wearing these clothes think they look cool, it is just a way to fit in, and conform.
Marso
Kayla Sorensen period 3
I believe little kids do analyze The Lion King but with out knowing they are doing it. They probably pick up on the sexist, bigoted and racist things in the video but it doesn’t totally register. So i believe they do become racist and sexist from watching The Lion King. When kids watch this movie it teaches them things. Not to let women rule over men. They learn to dislike people with British accents because in the movie we are taught to hate scar, which has a British accent. I believe that the movie The Lion King is like an advertisement because it advertises what you are to be like and act like and what to hate and like and who can rule and have power.
Abercrombie and Fitch lure people to come buy their clothes because of their advertisements. They basically say that if you come buy our clothes you will look hot and fit in. If you don’t buy our clothes you won’t fit in. By doing this the store company makes money off of you. They make you think that you won’t be hot unless you buy their $80 jean or $60 sweatshirts. They also use their perfumes to lure you into their store. If you walk by the store in the mall you can smell it and your attention is automatically drawn to the store to see if their clothing is as good as their perfume or cologne. You basically can buy the same kind of clothes somewhere else that would sell for less. They probably will hold out longer. Most people buy their clothes because it’s what all the people are wearing and they use buying these clothes to fit in. It also makes you want to lose weight by fitting into their clothes. You will only be hot and get guys if you are a size 0.
Drew Rosse pd.3
Little kids, as well as older persons, are very affected by the subliminal messages sent out through movies, ads, and television. Even though Lion King is generally looked at as a family movie that has upstanding morale that they would like to teach their kids, it also creates prejudice due to the fact the voices are of minorities within our Nation. I believe that because the film depicts the lions as white looking/sounding, and the hyenas and Scar to look/sound like social outcasts, that it generates racism quite efficiently for all groups. Because the lions look white and are rich and treat the Hyenas who are most undoubtly Hispanic, African-American, and mentally challenged like scum; the white children start to become more adjusted to believing that the minorities are also bad, and the the minorities notice the fact that the hyenas are more like them and have a deep struggle while the lions have a continuance of disowning and outcasting them so they can keep all the riches and food. These occur every day unknown to us all. I think that the Lion King also shows as women being the stronger, smarter being of the sexes, yet the males remain head honcho and showing children and adults that we, not even trying, have the ideal that males are always the leader no matter what the difference.
We all fall victim to the subliminal messages secretely seething into our minds. The television ads and magazine ads are among the worst, in my opinion, because most of everyone in this country, and world, watch TV and with commercials constantly being fried into us with their ways of making us feel insecure, in order so that we shall buy their item. Which is exactly what Ambercrombie & Fitch, and the like, do in their ads. They post the most attractive people wearing their clothing and being surrounded by others of equal or greater physique to create the impression that they are that way because of the clothing items, and the subliminal message would be that if we have the clothing also then we would also be just like those people in those ads as well. I think a feminist would object to these ads especially because there are far more women posted in the ads. It establishes an idea that they girls are dressing that way just to get males attention and are just property to males, also that the idea of needing to glamour themselves up objectifies them even more than before.
Aaron Engebretson, P.3
I believe that younger kids are actually smarter then presumed by our society, but I also think that if a small child sees a hyena with a Hispanic voice as the bad guy then he/she will presume that the Hispanic is also bad. Kids can be shown and/or told something and they will believe it whether it is a Disney movie with hyenas that have Hispanic and African American actors showing that if the hyenas are bad then the Mexicans and Blacks are bad too. Another example of this would be an experience when I was a kid when my parents would go downtown or out to eat without us kids so our older brother would have to watch us. When a Tornado Watch or Thunderstorm Warning would come on the TV. my brother would look at me and say, “Well, Mom and Dad are going to die.” As a kid I was horrified. I would call my mom screaming and crying that my brother said they were going to die. Although he was lying it shows that at a young age kids will believe things told to them or showed to them.
I believe that it is true for most people that if you don’t have the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing then you will be outcastes from the “cool and preppy group”. As for me, if I can’t stand going into stores like that have all of that potent cologne and club music and spending $150.00 on a pair of pants when I can easily go to Wal-Mart and three pairs of pants, a couple of shirts, a pack of socks, and a pair of shoes for $150.00. It’s just ridiculous seeing all of these people going into those stores and coming out a changed person. Although there are commercials for Abercrombie and other similar stores showing a guy with his shirt off surrounded by girls or an attractive girl shown wearing the stores clothes surrounded by more attractive girls and buff guys with their shirts off a pair of pants can’t change a person into a more attractive person. If I go to Abercrombie right after school today and pick out a pair of jeans and a shirt I’m still going to be the same old Aaron with an overly large head, under bite and pimple makes most people laugh or look at me and wonder how I have friends. I can’t change who I am with a different pair of clothing.
Koens
Pd. 3
I do believe that children pick up on many subliminal racist and sexist messages. Children always do what you say because they don’t know any better. It is the same case in many movies. As children, watching The Lion King will see the hyenas as Hispanic and see that they are seen as bad in the movie. Seeing this throughout the movie kids will start to think that it’s just how things are in the real world. It is the same with the sexist parts of The Lion King. They show Males as king when we all know Nala or other female lions could take over just as easily. The Lion King makes it seem like females and males have specific roles in their life and they aren’t to be mixed. Children will also see this, they won’t know any better if they haven’t been taught different. Children go off of what they see and learn from other people. If children are exposed to racist and sexist messages in movies they will believe that is how everything is and should be.
Like The Lion King, Abercrombie sends out many subtle messages through their advertisements that teenagers see consciously or unconsciously. This picture shows a girl focused in and a guy, who seems to look very handsome, in the background. The girl portrays a cool, fun loving type of style. She seems to be happy because she has an expensive sweater. It also shows how supposedly if you shop at Abercrombie you get guys or boyfriends. Teenagers see these things in the advertisements and want to look like that or be that girl, hence they shop at Abercrombie and buy expensive clothes just to be like that boy or that girl everyone wants to be. Anyone can look or be just as good buying clothes from stores that are reasonably priced.
Koens
Pd. 3
I do believe that children pick up on many subliminal racist and sexist messages. Children always do what you say because they don’t know any better. It is the same case in many movies. As children, watching The Lion King will see the hyenas as Hispanic and see that they are seen as bad in the movie. Seeing this throughout the movie kids will start to think that it’s just how things are in the real world. It is the same with the sexist parts of The Lion King. They show Males as king when we all know Nala or other female lions could take over just as easily. The Lion King makes it seem like females and males have specific roles in their life and they aren’t to be mixed. Children will also see this, they won’t know any better if they haven’t been taught different. Children go off of what they see and learn from other people. If children are exposed to racist and sexist messages in movies they will believe that is how everything is and should be.
Like The Lion King, Abercrombie sends out many subtle messages through their advertisements that teenagers see consciously or unconsciously. This picture shows a girl focused in and a guy, who seems to look very handsome, in the background. The girl portrays a cool, fun loving type of style. She seems to be happy because she has an expensive sweater. It also shows how supposedly if you shop at Abercrombie you get guys or boyfriends. Teenagers see these things in the advertisements and want to look like that or be that girl, hence they shop at Abercrombie and buy expensive clothes just to be like that boy or that girl everyone wants to be. Anyone can look or be just as good buying clothes from stores that are reasonably priced.
Thelen 3
With sizes that only a child could fit into, and prices only someone as foolish as a child would pay for, what is about Abercrombie that could actually make you feel good when you leave the store? Is there a reason their clothes are too tight for women older than 17 and up? Perhaps it’s the fact they want to attract to young girls, train them young, and keep them in the mind set that, that is the only size you can be; once you are out of that size you are out of the “it” store. Why wouldn’t that cause women to keep themselves in the best shape so they can fit into those designer jeans, who cares if they cost more than you should be willing to say out loud without feeling completely embarrassed, plus the time you spent watching your carbs and working off that brownie at the gym just to squeeze into them. Abercrombie hires models, who happen to look no more than 16, if they even have reached that age. The women have no natural curves and the men have abs that look like a Greek sculpture chiseled them. With knowing these “people” don’t look realistic, why is it we still support them and strive to look like them? This store manipulates you at a young age with their young models because they look close enough like you that you might be able to look like them, yet they are better looking so you aren’t as good, so that maybe if you buy their ridiculously small and expensive clothes you will get the small frame, or the hard core abs. Has it happened for you yet, or are you finding yourself less satisfied with one hundred bucks less?
Nick Vigants
I do believe kids do not pick up all the sexist, racist comments and actions it the lion king consciously but subconsciously it is definitely possible that this makes them racist or sexist. For example they may learn British voice is bad/evil and when they hear a British voice they may put that same bad/evilness with them
This Abercrombie and Fitch Picture consciously shows an attractive lady that is flawless, her teeth are shinning white, her face is smooth without any acne on it. She is also wearing a sweater that costs an insane amount of money. But subconsciously this sweater is making her happy because it got her the guy in the background who is also wearing Abercrombie. You may also subconsciously think when you put on this sweater your more attractive, more popular, get any guy u want, become flawless like the lady wearing this sweater is who is flawless, got the perfect guy, and is portrayed to be happy because this sweater is allowing her to fill full all of her wishes and dreams.
Tayler Elster Pd.3
I agree that the Lion King movie does subconsciously make little kids racist because of how they portray the characters. Also they could become sexist or believe they are better than the lower class if they are in a rich family. They could incorporate the movie into real live situations and think that is how the world works. If they live in a family where the mom is a stay at home mom and the dad goes to work all the time, the child will think that men are better than women.
And when it comes to advertising I definitely agree that stores are intentionally trying to rip you off at the same time they are trying to make your self-esteem hit rock bottom. When you walk into a store like Wal Mart and get a pair of jeans that are a size 5 or 6 and then go into a store like Abercrombie and Fitch and find that you actually have to get to a size 8 or 9, that can make you feel fat or overweight and immediately feel bad about your figure. Even though you are in really good shape and the right size and weight. People are much better off just going to Wal Mart or Target or any other store that won’t make you feel bad about yourself for a ridiculous price.
Randolph 3rd I personally have to agree with what Matt Haase said about the Lion King having a subconscious effect on a child’s mind. Think, its one of the first influences outside of their home and it is telling them, maybe not directly, but showing them that the men are always the leaders… the kings and that the women are only there for companionship. I also have to agree that the voices used as the bad characters in the Lion King were purposely meant to be the sounds of a black of a Hispanic in the hyena’s voices. A good percentage of kids who first watched any Walt Disney movie were white and had never heard the accents in a black or in a Hispanic person. The first time they hear either one is when their voices are being used as a hyena or a bad character that is against the good character which of course kids want that good character to win. This does create that subconscious that black people or Hispanics are bad people. It is my personal belief that Walt Disney, even for all the kids movies he made, there is always some sort of sexist, homophobic, or racist comment or subconsciously visual in his movies.
Analyzing the Abercrombie and Fitch photo I would have to agree 100% that the store is advertizing there photos to show that she bought a 163$ sweatshirt but she really bought the guy in the background of the picture. It is a flawless picture that where she is having a great time smiling with a hot guy in the background waiting for her who has a nice face and nice body. What they are doing in these pictures is showing you a scenario where you wish you were that lucky person in the picture but in all reality there is no way that is possible without buying these way overpriced clothes.(sarcasm) The store itself is also that way. You walk in this store that has 20 different strong smells of good cologne and guys half naked on the walls wearing Abercrombie next to hot girls wearing Abercrombie. What else is a person supposed to think when they find that pear of jeans that are displayed in the pleasing picture above them when the price tag is 150$. It is all subconscious and mentally smart advertising and they do a very good job at it.
Martin-Pd. 3
I would agree with Matt Hause on his view of Abercrombie. If a girl were to see a half naked man, with a finely sculpted body on a bag, what is telling her not to want that, or to have this object be interested in her. Does this not make the girls want to have a body similar to the guys, aside from the bigger muscles and ripped abs, and have their bodies being constantly viewed at as desirable and lustful, and also the key to clothing sales, or would this change completely to making the girl out to be trashy, and something viewed less upon than a well built man. Also, this makes offense to the man in the sense that the man feels constant competition and eagerness to have the body of the man on the bag. If he doesn’t get there, he will not have women carrying him around, and showing off what can happen if only you looked this certain way. Is being a model the key point of getting what u want in life, be it the well sculpted model with the girl groping all over, eager for who knows what, or is it the model of life we see less smart, intellectual, and passionate for something that is empty, and simply wants the reaction of the dumbness of the mind for better sales on things that really would be better bought at a place for half the value, and better quality.
Aaron Engebretson, P. 3
To: Matthew Haase
I agree and disagree with Matthew. I agree that all children are introduced to racists and sexist subliminal messages and videos at an early age and throughout there whole lives. I also agree that when people see a model with a Ferrari you will automatically think that if you have that Ferrari then you will have the model to go with it. Pictures and movies do have lasting effects on all children. Some show a princess running away and living happily ever after with the prince and some little girls believe that there prince will come and take them away to a place where they can live out a great life with unicorns and ferrys.
I have also had a few shirts from Abercrombie and Fitch that I received on Christmas’s but I didn’t feel any cooler or try to portray myself as a greater human being. It was just another shirt for me.
Hanson, Pd. 3
The girl in the picture looks “average” but then you put Abercrombie clothing on her and all of a sudden she becomes popular and can get just get a guy? She’s portrayed as a nice girl that wants to be your friend but is probably a spoiled kid that always gets what she wants. It’s amazing how people spend ridiculous amounts of money for name brands. That’s basically all you are doing is paying for the brand name. You can get the same types of clothes at other stores, like Wal-Mart, but they just don’t have the Abercrombie logo on them. So what? Do you really have to wear clothes that are name brand to be “cool” and be “accepted”? Just because you buy Abercrombie and Fitch clothes, does that really mean that you can go out and get a guy/girl, just because of the clothes you wear? Name brands have a major effect on what people buy. Buying Abercrombie and Fitch clothes makes you look like you are higher up on the social ladder, but are you really? That’s what society has come to believe because so many people do it and that’s what they want us to believe. It’s like conforming to buying the most expensive clothes just to be like everybody else. In every ad the person always looks happy. Are they really that happy inside, or are they made to look happy just because they have the most expensive clothes and look “cool”? Some people are fortunate and blessed with the money to buy expensive stuff and others are less fortunate and can’t afford $80 jeans and $130 sweaters. Just because they can’t afford name brand, outrageously expensive clothes means that they can’t be “accepted”? People should not be judged by what they wear, and people shouldn’t conform to buying Abercrombie clothing because it’s the “cool” thing to do.
Greenhoff Pd.3
RE: Garner
I agree with what Taylor had to say about Abercrombie and Fitch clothing. The only people that buy the clothes are the ones who have extra money to spare and have a desperate craving to fit in. The advertisements they display are only taken to fit their perfect vision.
No one should be able to "afford" Abercrombie's prices. People are not buying clothes from there; they are buying self-worth and self-esteem. Right?
Dan Francis
pd.6
I believe that subconsciously after viewing The Lion King kids do become somewhat racist, sexiest, and bigoted. The reason why I feel this way is because there are a lot of hints toward the racism and how no one other then a white male should be in power. It also shows children that women should be objects and not be valued other then for the assets. Just like the movie these two advertisements have subtle hints of “we are better then you and buying this product will make you as good as us”. The girls are all cute and they have thee perfect smiles, which say to girls look at how cute and pretty these girls and what kind of guys they can get when they wear our clothing. The three girls that are pictured together are probably staring off into space wondering when they are going to be told to move. I don’t really know who leans together like that other then girls when they are telling each other secrets or staring at a hot guy.
I'm asking you to explore your subconscious mind--about The Lion King and about Abercrombie or other advertisers. A LOT goes on under the surface, subliminally, in our heads. Bryce Christopherson is right: there are experts called marketers sitting in skyscrapers plotting to leech our money in pretty vile ways.
The Abercrombie models' poses are to convey a fantasy of complete comfort, pleasure, contentment, happiness, bliss, narcissism, and conformed "beauty." These photos say a lot about how people with Abercrombie gear feel and behave; just pay waaaaaaaaaaay too much and you can lay around happily, languidly, waiting to be kissed by the sexiest people in the world.
Spencer Hallstrom Pd.6
I believe that if you view the lion king subconsciously and subliminally they all become racist, sexist, and bigoted in some way shape or form. The girl is portrayed to be in a happy mood and nothing is bothering her in a bad way at all. While the guy in the background is portrayed as a “hottie” and all of the girls in the world would want him. The way they portray it is if u wear these clothes u can become just like them which if u had a brain at all the clothes really don’t change u at all. They are just clothing to wear to school and around. Abercrombie advertises all of their clothes to make u look hot and wanted by the opposite sex. For the price that you have to pay to buy these clothes you might as well go to JCPenny or some other outlet like that and buy clothes much cheaper that are still deemed pretty cool to society. What you wear doesn’t dictate your level of popularity but the traits of how you act and what you do in your spare time does.
Shabino pd.6
I do not think that the Lion King makes kids racist or sexist subconsciously. At that age most of the kids are to young to understand that the hyenas voice is a black woman or that Nala could be king if should would fight scar.
Advertisements on the other hand are almost like subconscious warfare used to brainwash our minds into thinking we need their items, clothing, cars, and more. In this advertisement it shows a pretty but not perfect girl wearing Abercrombie clothing with a faded out guy in the background. She has a nice white smile appealing face but she also has bags under her eyes. Maybe not getting enough sleep our whatever. It can show that you don’t have to be perfect but when you are wearing our clothes you will have friends or a hot boyfriend/girlfriend. All you have to do is buy their clothing and have a perfect life.
The necktie I have on right now was four dollars at Savers. Goes great with a blue or brown shirt. It's one of my favorites, one I get compliments on, in fact.
I used to pay too much for Abercrombie & Air Jordans. Foolish. Could've saved or invested or given to charity. Better late than never for a lesson learned, I guess. I still like analyzing, which this class is all about.
Sam Rall Pd. 6
There are many themes to The Lion King that could lead one to believe that it would leave children bigoted, changed, racist, sexist, or just overall discriminatory. Even though no one can be sure that a child recognized what is going on it is hard to believe that their subconscious is not picking up bits and pieces. As a child you may start out as someone who has a superego that overpowers your ID but it is possible that this movie may start or aide in the changing of this. Many people could infer that it makes one think that they can get by only satisfying their ID just like Timon and Pumbaa.
The Abercrombie and Fitch picture can surely send subliminal messages to a person's subconscious. In the first picture it shows three girls gazing off into the distance while sporting Abercrombie clothing. They do this in an attempt to show themselves as deep, thoughtful, and interesting people to show others that this could be them if they buy the right clothing. In the second picture it shows a 'cute' girl wearing an over expensive sweatshirt with a big smile on her face as she looks relaxed and happy. Also a 'hot' guy is running or something in the background of the picture to indicate that wearing Abercrombie can equal 'hot' guys and 'cute' girls.
Shabino--The Lion King is not as powerful as a 30-second advertisement on television?
Murtha, Period 6
I do not agree with what Kelli says. I feel that even as children we pick up messages from things that we see and hear even if they don’t seem to affect us at the time. I can truthfully say that even though I wasn’t aware that everyone in the movie was a different race I could still tell that the hyenas didn’t belong and the lions were the best people and for that matter should be the only people to live. This is almost exactly the message Abercrombie sends when they don’t diversify their ads. Their models are either 6’2” males who do push ups every day and never seem to have any shirts on or females with a tiny waste and a cute smile. This only shows that if you want to be cool or good looking that you must get in with them and if you aren’t interested in that you might as well just leave. Abercrombie either puts you in a position where you are at the top or bottom of the food chain. These models are the lions and anyone who can’t fit in should just bow down when ever we bring in a new lion and never speak their true mind. Those who oppose this system are the hyenas; even if they try their best to become a lion the rest of the world will only see them as a hyena and for that they will never do more than what is expected of them and will never try to better themselves if no one else sees them for the lion they are.
Bri Matthies .6
Subconsciously the ads do make you feel like you have to be a certain way. When you see them you think “Wow, I wish I could be like that. I wish I could afford clothing like that because then I would live a carefree life and people would like me more.” When in reality most people can’t afford to wear forty dollar shirts every day. They make you think that if you buy the clothing that you will be able to date someone who is just as attractive as the person on the wall or the bag, and who wouldn’t want that? They set high standards and with the pictures make us think that we need the clothing because everyone else has it. It makes me think of how Russia fed information to the people of the country and said how great the country was when it wasn’t. People were embarrassed to admit that they were not as stable as others so everyone went on thinking that it was great. These ads work that way. The girl looks All-American and cute, you think that everyone wants to be that and that everyone is getting the clothes and you won’t speak out and say that you think they are over priced and hurt people’s self-esteem by setting impossible standards. I think these ads do put impossible standards up but I also think if you look at them with the right mind set that you will realize that you don’t need to look like that to be happy. The shopping industry is very superficial and it is sad to see how many people fall for things they do.
Vielmette pd.6
I think that kids subconsciously and subliminally will not become racist, sexist , and bigoted while viewing the film because kids don’t really pick up anything while watching the video. Kids just watch the movie instead of deeply thinking about the movie while watching it. Some kids might pick up on it faster than others but most will not pick up on it as fast as others. Advertisements have subliminal effects because the people that make the ad are attractive and what they try to do is reel you in to buy their product. By doing that you think their product is the best and you are reeled in to their product or service by just seeing something in a store or on TV. For example, Old Spice has Brian Urlacher do a commercial for them for Old Spice because if they see that he uses Old Spice, they will have the same results and the same swagger that he does. If attractive people do ads for companies, people are more willing to buy products from companies that don’t have attractive people that do their ads or commercials. Another example is the picture with the girl wearing the sweater looking at something and a guy is faded in the background of the picture. We can infer is that the guy saw the girl and he was amazed of the kind of clothing she was wearing so she got herself a guy which in turn the girl will get him to buy things from Abercrombie and Fitch as well.
Crowe, pd 6.
Advertisements are the epitome of subliminal messaging. While some advertisements are more straightforward than others, all have an underlying reason they are trying to push onto you. With the Abercrombie & Fitch pictures, they are trying to lure you into buying their products, of course. They chose to portray a sort of natural beauty image with one picture. The girl is very simple: freckles, simple hair, average size, average face. A&F want you to focus on what is making this simple girl stand out – obviously in this case, it would be the sweater she is wearing. It’s saying. “If you’re just another average Joe or plain Jane, buy our clothes and you’ll be more!” There’s also the guy blurred in the background. There’s clearly a reason for his appearance. Along with your newfound feeling of importance from the overpriced sweater, you’ll attract more good looking people.
The photo with the three girls gazing dreamily is portraying likely the same message. “Buy our clothes and you’ll feel good.” But this advertisement goes further into drawing more people in with the different races in the photo. There’s an African American girl and two Caucasian, though one is blonde and the other brunette. They’re showing that all types of females can be happy IF they purchase their products.
The ironic part of Abercrombie & Fitch’s advertisements is that they hardly actually show the clothes they are trying to sell. I think this is because they are using the clothing as a way to sell a feeling. They want you to feel important, sexy, confident, and happy when you buy their products. Who cares if it’s an ugly stitch sweater? The person who is wearing it is attractive and happy, so if I buy it I will be attractive and happy. This further proves my point in advertisements being all about subliminal messaging. It’s less about the actual product and more about the feeling you receive when buying it.
Hansen. 6
In “The Lion King” they have so many hidden meanings it can be difficult to understand what they are trying to tell you and what to think, unless you look deeper and try to analysis it. The can sway your kids to believe that if you have darker skin you are a bad person, like all of the “bad guys” or the hyena’s and scar and the stampede. All of there voices are rougher to the ear, they aren’t as smooth going and flowing as Cymba’s. The way the Hyena’s march is just like the Nazi’s! They already teach you who not to like before you can judge for yourself.
Advertising has drastic effects on almost everyone. They try to tell you who you should be and how you should look. Telling you if you wear their clothes you will become very hot and sexy and you will have to beat the women off with a stick. When you walk past the store you can smell their colognes and fragrances and they try to draw you in using a young and hip atmosphere with loud party style music. They tell the girl if you pay $80 for one sweatshirt that boy you like will think you are more cute and confident and like you back. They make you feel like the clothes that you already have aren’t cool enough or make you look good, so you feel bad about the way you look and have self esteem issues. Sure there clothes look good but is it worth hundreds of dollars just to put together one outfit? Will wearing there clothes really change anything about you other than slight surface appearance? There models always look so happy and comfortable but is that really how they are? Society will always tell you who it wants you to be and you can never live up to the standards they put on you. You can’t buy happiness from a store, happiness can only come from inside, from being yourself and being okay with who you are, you don’t need to spend lots of money to get that one guy or girl.
Olson pd. 6
I think, after viewing The Lion King through the lenses, some children will become a bit racist, sexist, and envious of power. They may not realize it but they are being taught all of this through the movie. The may watch this film multiple times and that only ingrains these feelings into their imposable minds. I’m not saying they couldn’t take away some good life lessons as well though. I can just see the obvious, bad life lessons. Advertisements are almost exactly the same. They try to trick you into looking at their professional picture and see your self as the highly paid models. Subliminally you are going to want to be that person. In the picture it looks as though they have no problems in life and everything they do is perfect. The picture is worth a thousand words. It says you could be this person, for a price. It tells you how easy it would be just to give out your two-hundred dollars and instantly be loved by everyone and have a worry-free, care-free lifestyle. By buying these clothes you are only satisfying your id. You subconsciously notice the guy in the background who also is id satisfied. This makes us believe that all we need is the sweater and everything else falls into place. In the real world things don’t work that way. Really the female model is doing this photo shoot, then is stressed out running to the next one, and in the meantime has to do her extreme exercise program to make sure she has the body for more modeling. But you don’t see that when you first look at this picture. You also don’t know if that sweater will look exactly the same on yourself as it did on her. The photographer made sure the sweater and the girl were complimenting each other. He had thousands of pictures that he didn’t show you because the sweater did not flatter her. Every little detail had to be perfect before they can even run the ad.
Sickler Pd.1
I would agree that this advertisement of the Abercrombie and Fitch model/girl would tell us subconsciously to buy Abercrombie. She looks like an “all-American-girl”, with her freckles and soft brown hair. This advertisement is also telling us that if you buy A&F’s very expensive clothes that we might (might because he’s foggy in the background) get the “man of our dreams”; the nice-looking, athletic, strong (all the physical qualities). I think by taking a picture of this girl for the advertisement sends us, the shoppers, the message that we’re like this girl; we can relate, so we should buy the same clothes as her.
The three girls all together, mesmerized by something (not sure of), gives us a sense that they love the clothes they’re in. These (expensive) clothes bring about automatic happiness and friendship. These girls also might be staring at the “hot guy” they all want, so somehow, subconsciously we think that if we dress in expensive clothing, we can get any guy, at any age. The age of these girls sends a message, not only to teenagers, but also to younger, middle school kids, (of which both are still trying to figure themselves out) that they should buy these clothes, because they make them “popular”.
These ads are very depressing almost, because they tell/show a girl how she is supposed to look/dress/act. When in fact, they need to be trying to figure out what’s good for themselves.
All advertisements have meaning, and a goal behind their being: to sell their product. Through a Marxist lens, first they must make the viewer be able to see themselves with that product, generating desire for the object. Through a Feminist lens, you notice right away, both positions the girls are placed in would be desired by most American teenagers and maybe even American women in general. They are young, classy, and averagely beautiful. Through a Freudian lens, the sweater its self gives off a coy pride for the girl with the blurred boy in the background. She’s outside, showing she’s active and out doing things like most teenage girls do, or strive to do. The picture of the three girls huddled closely together shows a vast sense of belonging. They belong to a group and all three are wanted there. You can also see a fourth girl’s arms, showing that they are not alone, and others want to be with them as well. Overall, all three lens give off the same message: this is what young girls should be like, to be liked and fit into American society.
Jessica Johnson pd6
Hauck pd. 6
Advertisements such as commercials by Abercrombie & Fitch try to portray a message to draw you to their products, to make you feel like you are in need of their products to be more popular, better looking and all around feel better about your appearance. Looking at this through a Marxist lens best helps to understand the message, although the Freudian lens takes an even deeper look. It is easy to see that Abercrombie and Fitch is trying to say buying these expensive clothes makes people see you as a rich, beautiful girl that is obviously popular and is happy as could be. It says you can get that guy, if you wear our overly expensive clothing line. Looking at them through a Freudian lens goes much more into the subconscious mind of the viewers of the ads. If you are a girl and see this advertisement or commercial, and are not the most beautiful popular girl in school, it can cause you to feel all the more self conscious or less liked. It can have a lasting bad effect in a teenagers mind or none at all. It all depends on how your mind reacts to the clothing, what you interpret you need to live your life how you want to. If you are extremely self conscious and think you need these clothes, then go ahead and spend all your money on them, if it’s what makes you feel good and liked. If you are mature enough to realize these are lies and rip offs, ignore the ads and keep on keeping on.
Larsen Pd.6
I don’t believe that the Lion King makes kids racist or sexist. They don’t have the knowledge enough of what is means to be racist or sexist fully. Just because the hyenas are a black woman, a Mexican, and a crazy person doesn’t mean the kid knows they are like this, they just hear a voice and don’t put a race with it. Subconsciously or consciously they don’t understand how to be racist or sexist. I could see how parenting or guidance can make a child feel a certain way about gender or race but the movie doesn’t tell them to. I do believe that the movie does have an affect on children in the manner on the difference between good and bad.
I believe This Abercrombie and Fitch advertisement along with many others out there do try to grab your attention in every detail obvious or non-obvious. They put many different emotions into the advertisement that most people want to have or feel. The models wearing the clothing are “pretty” or “hot” and I can almost guarantee that every person wants to feel this way so they get your mind to think ‘hey if I wore that I would look just like them’. The setting in which the pictures are taken is a calm almost relaxed feeling and many people want this type of environment around them. It’s a tricky way of emptying peoples wallets of all they have for some overpriced clothing.
Mitzel Pd. 6
I never caught onto the underlying themes in the Lion King. After watching and studying the movie, I believe kids do subconsciously become racist, sexist, or bigoted against specific things. Subconsciously we view everything in different ways. We analyze pictures, movies, books, advertisements etc. if we do not look just like them. Abercrombie & Fitch shows images of happiness, wealth, glamour, and love. It is telling you if you shop there that is what you will be come/have. Every girl and boy should try to be just like the models in the Abercrombie ads. Sadly, no one is just like the models. Models are specifically chosen to show off wonderful qualities. Advertisements say you have to be popular and gorgeous in order to get a hot guy or have a great life. For guys, the models have six packs and are extremely handsome. This is telling us that if we are that way to we can live ‘the life,’ you will get the girl, have the car, and be the sports star. If you have the body, the clothes, and the look, you will receive everything great in life. All advertisements are set up in this way. They try to sell you the product by making it seem amazing. The girl in the Abercrombie ad is flawless, happy, petite, friendly, and relaxed. Life is good for her and the other models. If you look at the other ad, you will undoubtfully see the hot guy running by in the background. This is no accident; advertisers do everything for a specific reason….sell the product! They will lower your self esteem, make you feel depressed, and ruin your image if you do not buy their product. Why then do we fall for these false ads and their ridiculous prices? We want to be noticed, feel important, and have the great life at all costs. There will be no time in life will we ever stop judging or feel criticized. Ads will always be around to persuade/influence our lives.
Selken
Period 6
Subliminally, I do think that we are taught from a very young age that there is a difference in people because of their race, and that the difference isn’t always a positive one. In the Lion King every kid wants to be the strong, wealthy, and powerful lion that all have white voices. While we know that we definitely don’t want to be a hyena who is poor, malnourished, and sounds Hispanic. Kids are subconsciously picking up on these clues that Hispanic people, or black people sound different, and aren’t as good as white people. They also start to pick up on the feminist roles that Nala and Sirabi are placed in. They were never considered to be the leader of Pride Rock, simply because they were women. So maybe the Lion King is also teaching young boys that women should never be in control, and are only needed to make children and get food.
In the Abercrombie and Fitch ads you always see a good looking girl who’s having fun, and wearing their clothes. She is thin, pretty and obviously wealthy if she is able to afford their overpriced cloths. The second picture has a pretty girl in it and in the background there is a boy. I think that all of these factors all help to make us want to buy their clothes. We will hopefully become pretty, thin, be carefree, and have a boyfriend. Their stores are plastered with men and women not wearing a lot of clothes and I think that once you go by that store their main goal is to get you to think that maybe if I go in there I will meet a cute girl or boy. Their clothing is ridiculously overpriced and maybe the only reason people buy them is so they can live the dream that the advertisements are selling.
Hanson, 6
In a movie as fabulous as “The Lion King” you wouldn’t think that there would be so much symbolism and so many messages. But when looking deep into the film I realize that it can sway a child of any age to be racist, sexist, or just hate on those people who may be are a little bit different from themselves. We are basically told to hate scar and his groupies (hyenas), but why do we have to hate him? We hate him because that is what the movie makers want us to do, so all the children that watch this movie will think in the same way, “hate scar and the hyenas, but love Mufasa and his pride”. They want us to hate them because they are different. They talk different, look different, and act different so they aren’t ‘normal’. But what is normal? Its society’s way of saying your not good enough; and no matter what you do to be normal, you never will be because society will always find something wrong with you. This can also be found within the Abercrombie & Fitch ads. The girl with the sweater and the smile looks so happy! She is pretty, stylish, and she is in a picture with a hot guy, so yeah, she should be! In the other picture with the three girls together gazing off into the distance, what could they possibly be looking at to be so happy and giggly? It could be a hot guy or maybe they are just happy because they have the clothes and money and popularity to get a hot guy. The ads are telling us that as long as we have good clothes, and the money to buy good clothes or other material things, we can be happy. But the truth is money doesn’t buy happiness, and you CANNOT buy happiness at Abercrombie & Fitch. As humans we have to accept the fact that society has expectations, like it or not, that we are constantly fighting. We are never good enough…we don’t live up to society’s standards, but we can still be happy. I can be HAPPIER without Abercrombie & Fitch clothing, because I like my individuality and their clothes are pressing everyone to be the same…the ‘normal’.
These advertisements have a deep and lasting effect on a persons mind, and how they look in certain clothes and how others look in certain clothes. At first you might be thinking that these girls are looking or thinking about their dream guy but I don’t think that’s possible! I believe that those three girls are gazing at a man that they would consider a hunk. But I don’t believe that the only reason that they are staring at him is because his masculine physique. OOOHHH NOO!!! These three girls are looking at that new polo that he is wearing! Or what about those jeans he is wearing? Do they fit around his body just like the girls want them to? Now how sexist is it to see three girls looking at a guy? Usually you see more of guys checking out women. So is this photo standing up for women, saying that they have physical attractions just as powerful as men do? Or are they simply saying that these girls are simply crushing… PSSHHAHW!
Niklason
Period 6
I think that The Lion King does have subliminal messages to children that they don’t recognize. They think whenever they hear a Hispanic voice of a hyena and they are taught through the film that hyenas are bad so wouldn’t they naturally think of Hispanic being bad at first thought?
I believe that Abercrombie & Fitch is able to get people to buy their clothes, even though they are overpriced, because they get people to think that if they aren’t wearing their clothes than they are not cool or don’t look good. They can jack up the price as much as they want because they know as long and some people can afford to spend money on their clothes, others will spend their money to look like them even though they should be spending their money on other things. They people who shouldn’t be buying the clothes have more important things to spend the money on but they want to fit in, look cool, or look like the models in the advertisements. People will think that if you don’t buy their clothes you will just be average and not appealing. Abercrombie & Fitch has built up a brand name and people recognize them as having beautiful models and popular clothes, but most people don’t think about how overprice they are when the think of Abercrombie & Fitch. A Marxist critic would say that in order to be able to categorize yourself in the “higher class” you would also need to look the part by buying expensive clothes and feeling like you look like the models in the ads and all the people that can afford the clothes.
Children do become racist subconsciously through this popular film, but I believe the film can only add on to what their minds have already picked up on. Their surroundings and people they are exposed to have more affect on them than a Disney movie would. I do believe that everyone is different and some children can pick up on more than others, but for kids to feel prejudice even subconsciously towards different people because of their voices would definitely have to come from previous experiences. Each child has a different situation and a different environment to relate to, which is why not everyone has the same feelings towards racism. Advertising affects people in different ways. Again, not everyone is the same and not everyone grew up in the same place. Advertisements are meant to make you want the product, but not everyone is going to have the same reaction towards them. Seeing an Abercrombie and Fitch sign with people who are thinner and considered pretty may make the consumer hate the place. People may even find a sweater similar at a different store for half the price and be just as satisfied as those who really needed the expensive version of the sweater. I do think that subliminal messages have a deep, lasting impact on the mind and whatever the consumers first reaction is will stick with them. Individuals will look at the advertisements for this store and interpret them in their own way.
Bly Pd. 6
Schlotman_6
I do in fact believe it was intended on making children think that if the hyena's voices are not white, then people are bad if they don’t sound white. I don’t, however, think it was intended to be sexist towards women. I think it was the director trying to make the movie more realistic by having to a limit of three male lions in the pride. I can see how someone could analyze that it is sexist, but really I believe it wasn’t intentional. The pictures of the Abercrombie girl is saying to you that if you want to be normal, cute, happy, and find someone special and good looking, then you should buy our clothes. I agree with Dan Francis on that for girls, if they want to look better, have perfect smiles, and am popular, and then our clothes will help you accomplish that. Aaron makes a good point, they are just clothes! They will not make you more popular or change the way you look. Seriously, people shouldn't even be able to afford these clothing. Thank you Mr. Christensen for that remark.
Cece Hamrick pd. 6
No, I do not think that little kids become racist, sexist, or bigoted. If they do, then their parents are the ones at fault. If they are raised in an environment where the parents teach them to treat those people differently, or believe sexist thoughts, or all of the other things we talked about, they would end up being racist, sexist, and bigoted. But on the other hand, if they are raised in a place where they are taught to treat everybody the same and that we are all the same, then they won’t be affected by the Lion King in a negative way.
In analyzing the Abercrombie ad you can see right away that they girls shown are pretty and happy with whatever they are doing. Through a Marxist lens, one may ask: “how does money function?” In order to be “happy” and “pretty” like these girls shown, you have to be wearing Abercrombie clothing, which is pretty spendy. If you have the money to buy the clothes advertised, then you have enough money to be pretty and happy, and have attractive guys too. And, if you don’t have money to buy the clothes, then consequentially, you won’t be able to be happy or pretty like the models depicted. Abercrombie and Fitch has built up a name for themselves that shows how powerful they are. They have to power to make or break peoples self esteems. It puts thoughts in your head. If you see someone who is walking in the hallway wearing an Abercrombie shirt on, you automatically assume that they are upper class and wealthy. People don’t see that it’s just a name. You can get the same quality, (if not, better), at any other store, such as Target. You could buy a shirt from Wal-Mart, and just stitch on the word Abercrombie, and no one would be able to tell the difference. It’s ridiculous that people have to judged by what they wear. They shouldn’t have to conform to the “Aberzombies” just to be accepted.
Cody Flier
Pd 6
I do believe that watching the Lion King as a small child could make a child sub-consciously racist and sexist. In the movie Mufasa is the most powerful of all the animals. Why? Because he has women, property, and respect which, in this movie, is a symbol for money. A child watching this will associate power and money as good things and will then learn to want those things. Women are shown as possessions to get respect and power and are also symbolized as money, which makes boys think that in order to get respect they need to have a lot of women. Women also get no credit for the things they do. It is stated many times thought the movie that it is the lioness job to hunt and find food. Yet the lioness gets no respect and the males get to eat all they want when they are done laying around and sleeping all day. The women in the movie are also much faster and stronger then all of the males. Nala pins Simba multiple times throughout the movie. Yet, Simba is the one that gets to be king in the end even though that Nala is much faster, smarter and stronger than Simba. Also, the main “bad guys” in the Lion King are Scar, who is voiced by Jeremy Irons, and the Hyenas who are voiced buy Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and a random crazy guy. In our minds as small children we associated the sound of the hyena’s voices as bad and that we should hate those voices and try to stay away from them, subconsciously making us hate blacks, Hispanics, and the insane.
The pictures in ads today are targeted at young men and women to make them feel bad about themselves to the point where they will want to buy anything and everything that will make them fit in. Our society today is brainwashing us to think that if you not in the “in” crowd you’re an outsider and we are then told that we don’t want to be an outsider. The ads for companies today try to make us think that we are much better off in life with the products that they are selling. They make us think that life will be better by putting images of attractive young men and women saying that they are attracted to the brand the person is wearing and not the person.
Re: Seth Olsen
I couldn't agree more with the points he made on The Lion King. This movie can definitely teach many kids to be so much more racist, sexist, or envious. It also shows very well what someone who is power hungry is willing to go to in order to satisfy his Id of wanting power rather than listening to his superego. It is also very true that it can teach us many life lessons that are good. I also agree with the comments about the Abercrombie advertisements. They can be terrible influences showing kids that they are not good enough unless they are wearing the right clothes or that they will have much prosperity if they do wear these clothes. The companies must work tirelessly until the ad is sending the exact message that they want it to send. If it is slightly off, then the ads are very much less effective.
Logan 6
Personally, I do not think that The Lion King makes kids sexist or racist. The kids that watch it aren’t able to think like we do when analyzing it. Children just look at the characters and listen to the music; they don’t know most of the meanings behind this movie. Subconsciously and subliminally, children’s brains are developed enough to understand how racist and sexist this movie is.
I do agree that advertising has many subliminal messages. Abercrombie and Fitch is a perfect example of this. This place and the people who work there have a certain image in their heads of what teens are supposed to look like; skinny, perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect everything. Some think that wearing the Abercrombie label will make you cool and belong in life. If I have to spend hundreds of dollars on maybe two pieces of clothing to fit in, screw it. There are people in Africa who don’t even have clothes and we are here buying a shirt for 40+ dollars which we might wear a few times before getting sick of it.
Seth Olson pd. 6
Re: Sam Rall
I agree with Sam’s comments about The Lion King. I never thought of the part about the movie helping the child to overcome a superego led lifestyle. I also agree with his thoughts about this because it really could change your mind about some things because as a child you may pick a character to look up throughout the whole movie. Next, I also agree with the Abercrombie and Fitch ad analysis. They three girls are purposely looking off camera to entice the viewer of the picture. It makes it more interesting. The ads are only put out to make us feel like we could be them. I think Sam and I share many of the same ideas on both of these topics. Another would be the part about how the guy in the background is there to indicate she got him because of her sweater. The sweater is the only reason a ‘hot’ guy would look and a ‘cute’ girl. The sweater she is wearing is so perfect that it changes the world around you if you wear it.
Niklason
Period 6
Re: Tayler Frisch
I agree with Tayler’s views on how Abercrombie & Fitch has built up a brand name. I also agree that the image is if you buy our clothes than you will be able to get a good looking girl or a good looking guy. Tayler’s opinion on the “classes” is exactly what I was think about also. If you wear their clothes and then you feel like you are better than people who don’t wear their clothes. In a Marxist lens only the higher class can afford Abercrombie & Fitch’s clothes and the lower class wants to be like the higher class and they try and do that by buying the same expensive clothes they wear and feel like the models in the ads. I also agree with his Freudian lens views because people know that they shouldn’t spend that much money but they do because their id wants to look like others and feel like they look better.
Vielmette
Pd.6
Re: Shabino
I agree with Ian because he is right about what advertisements do to kids. I think that advertisements entice us to spend more money because the only advertisements we see are the popular companies. The popular companies have expensive clothing which is the only clothing some people know how to buy instead of going to like Savers or Wal-Mart, they instead go to American Eagle, Abercrombie and Fitch, and so on and people get zoned in and there is no way out of it. I also agree what he said about the Lion King because kids know it may be a black person as a hyenas, and know that Nala could have been King, but don’t know that they were Hispanics. Also the fact that he says that clothing gets a girlfriend/boyfriend, and I would have to disagree with that because they may seem that if they have nice clothes, they may/may not be that nice of a person because I think people with nice clothes especially people that come from a rich family have a tendency to have their nose stuck up in the air, and end up not being the person who you thought they were. So, in the end don’t judge person by what they wear but instead judge them by how they act.
Mariah 6
I agree with Mitzel. Nobody can be as good looking as these models. The models aren’t even that good looking. They just have good qualities the photographer can go off of and edit the crap out of it until it is perfect. It makes people feel bad about themselves because if you’re not as pretty as the model, there is no way you can get any ‘good looking’ human being. Even though a person may look perfect on the outside there is no way everything is that perfect on the inside. That girl in the advertisement could be the meanest person you could ever meet. I think that as people get older they begin to realize how dumb this place actually is. People learn to realize that there are more important things they need to spend that money on other than material things. I have college to save up for and a sixty dollar pair of shorts is the last thing I would need.
Logan--There are people HERE who have nothing too (not just in Africa). Excessive greed is putrid, quite simply.
Phillips. Period 7
I agree with Matt on the Lion King. It gives women a bad representation of how we are to act and that we don’t have power. I’m not trying to bash men; some of my friends are really great guys, why do they think that we need protection? This is the 21st century and men should be more acceptable of the things we go through for men. Although I give much of my sympathy to some men who loose a family member as Simba did. Still woman are greatly repressed and “obliged” to do what a man asks us to on a whim. So indeed this may be the 21st century and we, as women, might have more political freedom but we have no more power then Nala did in movie. I only hope that in the next generation we don’t teach our future daughters to just be compliant but to stand up for themselves.
Right, Ms. Phillips! No mindless/robotic compliance from women! Be people; have voices. Make those voices heard.
Wilson Trent, period 7
Well...
I am positive that watching The Lion King at a young age does NOT turn a child into a racist. In no way does it warp their minds. I speak from experience: When I was young (younger), I watched this movie and all I focused on was -- as I was about TWO at the time -- the artwork and the adorable depiction of a lion that was Simba. I was entertained by the feel of "Hakuna Matata" but NOT the lyrics. I was two years old; why would I care?
As far as the advertisement goes, Abercrombe and Fitch is strikingly similar to the players of a Monopoly game: they are greedy and want to WIN. It's only natural that the only desire of the selfish big guys of the company would be MONEY.
They don't intimidate me. I shop at Kohls and Walmart!!
Neuberger-- Pd.7
I don’t believe kids become racist, sexist, and bigoted after watching The Lion King. Kids are smart. I’m sure some of them have picked up on those underlying facts, but it is wrong to say that movie is what has made them become racist, sexist, and/or bigoted. Society as a whole would cause such a thing, not one movie.
Advertisements are the same way. They try to get there message across with all of the underlying facts. Abercrombie and Fitch is the perfect example. Their ads make you believe if you wear their clothes you will be equal to all of their models. The models are tall, skinny, perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect clothes (of course), they are just “everything.” I know from experience that the company in itself strives for this. I work at Hollister which is a sister store, and we have so many specific rules you have to follow while you work to make you look as "naturally beautiful" as possible. It is a hoax and people fall for it. Why? I don’t know. I’m at fault. I can’t say I’ve never bought something or fallen for the advertisements. But who can’t? Right?
Mr. Flier speaks to groups about this very topic! How mass media negatively influences us, even brainwashing us to believe ________________. Stay alert. Stay aware.
Austin Hanson
Prd. 7
I think that all things people do or say they have some subliminal meaning to it. In The Lion King there are subliminal messages all over the place that include racism and sexism. I do believe advertising is quite similar to The Lion King.
In the Abercrombie and Fitch advertising they make you feel absolutely horrible about yourself. They use someone that most people could never get because they make them look perfect. They are the perfect size and perfect structure; they also Photoshop the people to look even more perfect than they truly are. Subconsciously you strive to be them because they are so “hot” that you will spend infinitely amounts of money to be like them. They are wrong in the way that they treat other people but they are very successful in doing so and make lots of money by making people feel horrible about themselves.
In the Abercrombie and Fitch picture of the three girls they are staring at something that makes them happy, interested, or attracted. They could be staring at a hot guy, money, or something flashy. These girls make you want to be the thing they are staring at because they are all quite attractive and make you subconsciously want to be with them. Also in the picture they all lean in that fashion because it could do a couple things: it could bring out their “best side” or maybe they put them that way to look innocent and more attractive.
I would like to believe that the little kids that watch this movie aren’t going to be influenced by the things that this movie is trying to imply, but in reality I have to accept that they are going to be influenced. In “The Lion King” there are a lot of little things that are going to influence the children like the voices of the hyenas. The Abercrombie and Fitch advertisement is going to have a similar affect on the children that look at it. They are going to look at the photo and say, “I want that sweater so I can be happy like her and have a boyfriend like that also.” The ads that corporate America put out today are manipulative because they are sending messages that many people wouldn’t even think twice about or maybe even notice at all that the ad was trying to tell them these things.
Bakken 7
When examining the Abercrombie and Fitch ads you will see that it appeals to a longer/cooler generation. When looking through the Marxist lens it shows that that if you have money and you want to be cool and look good buy these clothes. Everyone will look at you in a different way if you buys these clothes because you will be considered upper class. Both of the teenagers/young adults in this picture are quote-unquote hot and if you buy these clothes you will also be hot. And because the clothes are priced so high and people spend the money to buy the clothes, it may make them feel more important because it says ‘look at me I have enough money to buy these clothes, I’m hot/popular/rich’. The girl in the ad is looking very relaxed, have a good time, looking overall innocent and perfect. And it is also sending the message that if you are a girl and you wear these clothes, you can have a man that is that good looking without even trying, by just wearing our clothes.
Nicki Steffen prd. 7
I believe that children understand what they are watching. They watch all these Disney movies and like them because they have a story, a plot, and something that spikes there interest. Take Aladdin for instance, every child wants to be a king, a princess, maybe even a bad guy who wants to be with the princess. Sublimely movies do have effects on children.
Not all subliminal messages have lasting effects. Abercrombie and Fitch over prices their clothes so they can have customers buy them, so they can pay their employees who all look like the models in the pictures of the store. Everyone doesn’t look that way and no one should. There are some people out there who know that what they see in the ads and in the store windows are wrong. That is why some people won’t even go by the store. Abercrombie and Fitch most likely set up their store so that no one can see in it while walking past was to create a mystery. The store is screaming, “Hey! Look in here; you’ll spend way too much money on these clothes to think you look cool.” When in reality no one cares what you wear or how much you spend.
Engebretson, 7
Like most children growing, I was severely obsessed with watching The Lion King and singing along with all the songs. Not even slightly do I believe that I subconsciously became racist, bigoted, or even sexist. I do believe that while I was watching this I subliminally recognized that the hyenas did not sound the same as Mufasa and likewise with other characters, but did not think anything of it other than it was part of the movie. Before analyzing this movie in class, I didn’t even notice the little details we picked up as a whole, and even than I still don’t feel subconsciously racist, bigoted, or sexist.
Advertisements all together are single-handedly made to attract people into their store to by the latest and greatest hot item. However, I do agree that with clothing stores like Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister Company that a person walking by and seeing the enlarged image of a half naked person or even a mannequin can make a persons’ self-esteem disappear. Why else would they advertise their store, commercials, and even the purchases bags with these pictures other than to catch the attention of other people strolling past to get them to want to go to their store and buy their clothes? There is no one this planet that has a “perfect body” like those that you see in the pictures (not even the employees) unless they do some major editing/surgeries and even than it isn’t man made. Subliminally, if you see a dreamy guy walking a cute little puppy you automatically think, “Hey, maybe if I get that puppy I can get that dreamy guy,” but guess what… you won’t!
Zins 7
As a child watching The Lion King just seemed like a innocent children’s movie, but as I have watched it I now see all of the underlying symbolism in the movie. I believe The Lion King helps produce the children of this era to be sexist, bigoted, and racist because of voices, names, or pictures shown in this particular movie. Every time we look at anything we subconsciously analyze it and want to be like the person in it, have the things they have, or look the way they do. In these Abercrombie & Fitch ads, everyone wants to be like the models, they want the love, the money, and the happiness. Unfortunately, these are only ads and life really isn’t like the ads. In some people’s minds, buying Abercrombie & Fitch makes them feel “happy” and “beautiful” when really it is only showing how superficial they are to they think they can easily have a life like the models in the ad. If you wear Abercrombie & Fitch you will easily have the easy life and get everything you want/need, when, in reality, this is not so. Looking at these ads help lower a person’s self-esteem so they feel they need to buy the clothes to feel higher up on the social chain. In my opinion it is very idiotic to look at these ads and want to be just like the models, they look like they need something like a $210 pair of jeans to make them happy.
Cressman 7.
I think children are subconsciously influenced by movies like The Lion King. They don’t realize it at the time, but neurons are firing in their brains and setting precedents for their future thoughts. They hear all the evil characters speaking with voices of minorities, and this makes them think that anyone who speaks that way is also evil. How unfair. They could see how the lionesses just lay around and think to themselves that maybe that’s how women should be too.
Advertising is absolutely subliminal. You can take almost any advertisement and analyze it with the three lenses and your result is a completely different ad. If I see a picture of three girls leaning together, staring at something in the distance, I’ll probably assume they’re looking at a guy. Most likely not just a guy, but a guy dressed in Abercrombie apparel. This says to me I need to wear Abercrombie in order to have girls look at me. Abercrombie shows I have money to flaunt, and money makes me attractive. If I have money, I’m probably successful and high-up on the social ladder. You can’t blame Abercrombie for capitalizing on teens who feel as if they aren’t good enough. Capitalism isn’t a crime, or is it? Show them bodies they don’t have, and members of the opposite sex they think would never look at them. Beat their self-esteems then tell them how to be someone better than themselves. Buy over-priced jeans and tops. Tell them if the word “Abercrombie” is on their clothing then they’ll become more attractive then they could ever dream of being.
Angerhofer - pd. 7
I totally think that The Lion King is making many children become even slightly racist. In the movie, the bad guys are the hyenas. We know that hyenas are not “friendly” creatures and they are known to kill many other animals in the African wilderness. Children then associate hyenas with bad. I believe the thing that makes children think the way they do are the hyena’s accents. They are that of a black woman, Hispanic man, and a mentally handicapped man. All three of these are or were in the past somewhat looked down upon in our country’s history. Children then associate blacks, Mexicans, and the mentally handicapped with hyenas, bad guys, people that don’t fit in with our modern society.
Advertisements are the base for selling things. When people see something that looks good or see someone that looks good wearing what they are, they are attracted towards whatever it is they are wearing. Abercrombie & Fitch make people want to buy their clothing because they want to be like their models. It is all about looks. If you see someone that is good looking in a $128 dollar sweater, you are going to want it also because you want to look good just like the fake model showing the sweater off. They make people feel very self conscience about themselves and at the same time, burn holes in their pocket. Basically, they make you want to be like their models (happy, good looking, and wealthy.) I don’t think people wear Abercrombie just to wear it. They wear it to say “look at me; I think I’m better than you because I can buy a $150 pair of jeans.” It’s all about how people want to look.
Kendra Hatle period 7
The three girls in the picture are staring at something that makes them happy. Maybe such things as money, guys, new clothes; all these things make most girls happy. No one really looks at anything that way unless they are making themselves look at it with a specific “glare” or “expression”. Whatever they are looking at is making them all get the same reaction so it must be something that they all like or are “in love with”. In my opinion it’s a guy because most people who have seen Abercrombie ads know that the pictures include girls and guys wearing their clothes sometimes ½ naked and in a field or with a rough background making them look “better”. So if the picture only has three girls in it then you can infer that when the photo shoot was being done that there were some really good looking men standing around, there I think that the photographer had a guy stand there so they could look at him so they would all have about the same facial expression on there face. That is a look of happiness because if you wear what they wear you will feel how they feel and may possibly see what they see.
Through a Feminist lens they all look strong and confident. They know what they want and there looking at it. They are pictured as flawless and in nice clothing with a beautiful background… meaning if you wear that and are confident in it you will have all the beauty and happiness they have.
On the other hand Freudian lens he might say something to the point of look at what there looking at it has them mesmerized and overpowering their thoughts of what to do and how to act.
Looking through a Marxist lens, the picture of the lone girl with the guy behind her I notice that by wearing her outrageously priced clothing she has more popularity. This in turn gives her more power. This ad leaves people to believe that being the owner of an expensive product such as this sweater will cause people to be important and happy. It also says that people who don’t have these expensive items are subject to being miserable and “uncool.” This system is oppressive in the fact that it can cause depression in those that see this and don’t have the money to afford such an overly priced item. This girl is showing off her overly expensive product and making the lower class feel guilty, and they expect these people to purchase their product. This gives the person less freedom in what to buy because they will then have the feeling that if they don’t buy this they wont be happy or be with a sexy guy.
Edwards, 7
I don’t think little kids become racist, sexist, or bigoted while watching the Lion King. I don’t think they haven’t been exposed to society long enough to think that black and Hispanic people are bad. I also don’t think that they really think about that while watching the movie. They are more interested in the song scenes and other various parts of the movies. Later on when they are teenagers they may start to pick up on these things but they probably won’t when they are still small children. On the other hand though I think advertisements can have subliminal effects. A lot of people buy things just because they are that “one” brand and that will make them look a lot better because all the people in the ads look hot. They don’t care if there is another product that is basically the same and is a lot cheaper they will still go and buy the other name brand product just because of who makes it. Abercrombie and Fitch ads imply that if you buy their clothes you will instantly become the best looking person around and will have tons of hot people begging to be your boyfriend/girlfriend.
Kramer pd.7
Looking at the Abercrombie and Fitch ads I can see how someone would thnk if I look like that man/woman everything will just be great and life will be all that much better. Advertising techniques have put the thought into our minds that we need certain products or to look a certain way to feel happy. Not only do they make us need to have something but they rob you by charging outrageous prices, but again they have trained us to need that shirt or whatever so it doesn’t matter the price we have to have it. If you actually did some investigating it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that they are just as good quality or worse maybe than an off brand name of clothing. Through a Marxist lens you see that having a certain name or brand is what you are paying for not the product, wealth is a huge thing in everyone’s life it means you get what you want and buy what you want. That shows a lot about you and how you are perceived not only in first acquaintances but your reputation.
McKenzie Pd.7
I think that subconsciously the Lion King could possibly cause little kids to become racist. I think it would definitely have a bigger effect though if the kid had never seen a Hispanic or an African American than if they had never seen one. If they had met one and learned that they are good people then the movie would have less of an effect than if they had never met one. If they had never met one it would be easy for them to think that minorities and people that are “crazy” are bad. I’m not sure that it would condition kids to think badly about gays though because little kids aren’t likely to look at anything like that. They wouldn’t entertain the possibility of Timon, Pumbaa, or Scar being gay; they would think Timon and Pumbaa are friends and Scar was just wimpy. However, it is certain that kids could become racist because of the hyenas. We are supposed to hate the hyenas; we aren’t supposed to sympathize with the fact that they are just poor and desperate. We are supposed to think that they are bad and because we’re supposed to think they are bad kids learn that we are supposed to think that people that are different from us are bad. If the first experience of minorities a kid has is from the Lion King it could definitely make them racist.
Advertising however definitely is intended to influence everybody. McDonalds does this in their commercials all of the time. The commercials tell little kids that if they eat McDonalds they will have lots of friends and fun. It doesn’t tell them about the negative effects of eating McDonalds (see the movie “Supersize Me”). Abercrombie and Fitch appeals to teens by making them think that if they wear their clothes that they will have lots of friends, very attractive significant others, and will be unrealistically thin or muscular. Teens don’t have the mental ability to walk into a store and say they don’t need a $80 T-Shirt. They see the sign out front with the muscular half dressed guy and think that if they buy Abercrombie clothes that either they will be like that guy or they will have lots of guys with that type of body flocking to them. Lots of car commercials do this too. They show either an attractive woman by a car which tells guys that if they buy this type of car they will have attractive women; or it shows the guy giving his wife the car and making her the happiest woman alive. It is quite possible that if a guy got his wife a car she would be furious and not excited. A fairly recent Sunkist commercial also exploits the fact that everyone wants to be popular. In the commercial you see a bunch of people on a beach drinking Sunkist, which implies that if you drink this brand of soda you too will have plenty of friends and good times on a beach.
Phillips. Period 7 (Amberzombie and Witch)
The three girls in the first picture are probably gazing upon a young man with an incredible flawless face. They are probably thinking “Wow, I only wish I was wearing his brand name clothes, and then maybe he would look at me.”
This store is only to make you feel bad about how beautiful you really are. They make young girls want to look like their size two and 22 in’ wasted models hoping that one of the hot male models will look at them with favor. It makes young men hope that if they have a eight pack and dress in Amberzombie designer jeans that all the cheerleaders will fawn over them. When in all good honesty this department store is a death trap to make you feel useless and wanting to spend money on clothes that is not of good quality. $190 sweater is ridiculous and far too much for something that is only going to last a year and as soon as it goes out of style it’s to be discarded. Tossed aside, a waste of money is all that this is. They want young people to buy things of the brand because they make profit and then knowing you’re just going to drain the money away like water, price everything else even higher.
I feel strongly against those who are sucked into the stinky, nightmarish department store that does nothing but hurt and drain everyone.
How much do Ugg boots cost? How many sheep die for our foot fetishes?
Brian Fickbohm Pd.7
In my opinion, the movie The Lion King is sending some children a subconscious message to be racist and sexist. But, I also believe that it depends on the person who is receiving the message. For example, I loved The Lion King as a child, but I am not racist or sexist, I want men and women to be equal, and people of all races to work together. Though some people may have some racist and sexist feelings received by watching The Lion King as a child, it certainly doesn’t affect everybody.
I believe that Abercrombie and Fitch is using peoples own insecurity to try and sell their product. They are using the same technique that Hitler used to gain power in Germany, you have a problem, I am the answer. They trick people into believing that they have a problem using their perfect models. They show someone who is perfect in every way, wearing Abercrombie and Fitch clothing. That tricks people into believing that there is something wrong with them, then they trick you into believing that the answer is to buy their expensive clothing and products.
Moss-7
I personally have never bought a clothing item from this store. I have seen pictures, and wished I had a hot guy like the models, but I don’t let that get to me. I’m not going to break my back to buy and item of clothing that’s more than a pair of shoes! Why should I spend my time trying to look like the girls in the ads, when I should be wanting to stand out? This poster could have a huge affect on kids who have a low self of steam and who are poor. They could easily turn to hate or violence because they feel down in the dumps about not looking like the chicks or the hot guys they see on posters. To the company, it doesn’t really matter, because they are still going to continue to make money. I wish some teens and children would learn that you don’t have to be what you see on the TV. and in magazines. Why step out of your comfort zone to feel uncomfortable? Why please others when you should put yourself first?
Neuberger-- Pd. 7
Re: Thelen
Ms. Thelen is completely correct. I love how she refers to Abercrombie and Fitch’s buyers as nothing but children. It is so true. The company manipulates you so much you do turn into the child. There is absolutely no way anyone over 17, that hasn’t watched what they eat or been to the gym to keep in shape, could fit the “it” look Abercrombie and Fitch tries to sell. I do believe companies try to train kids at a young age too. I know for a fact when I was in middle school I wanted to be just like all those models. I shopped at those stores, and I can tell you I still don’t look like those models do today. Granted they did look like they were 14/15 years old. It is absurd that we do support such a cause, but so much of this is done subconsciously. You can’t tell me you don’t go to mall to buy cute clothes. No one goes to buy clothes that make them feel lesser of themselves. Many people that do have the money are willing to spend it on a $97 sweater. It’s absolutely ridiculous when you take the time to think of it.
Zins 7
I agree with Yoon because a lot of people buy the clothing for the A&F or the moose on their clothing, which is personally pathetic to think that buying a shirt for $50 dollars will help you climb up the social ladder. People buy the clothes because of the emblems because they think that if the “popular” kids see the moose or the A&F on their shirt, tank top, or sweater they will automatically be accepted into the “cool” social circle. Sadly, any one person can spend as much money as they think is needed on any article of clothing but it will still not help them become more “popular” or “cool”. Someone could easily go to Walmart or Savers for that matter and get a shirt that is one fourth the price, looks exactly the same, and is the same color and no one would care or notice what store it came from.
Henning pd. 7
Most advertisements these days have some sort of subliminal message. Pretty people are used to advertise the clothing for Abercrombie & Fitch because the pretty people draw other people’s attention to their store. The pretty girls on the bags make normal girls feel inferior and like they need to buy A & F’s clothes because then they’ll be just as pretty as them. The ripped boys in the ads make other guys feel like their not as buff or manly so then normal guys go and buy their clothes too look just as hot as them. The super expensive clothing makes people feel powerful and included. The clothes are so expensive that not everyone can afford to shop there. So if someone does go buy their clothes they feel as if they have some sort of power and status over other people that can’t buy their clothes.
MacKenzie Schwarz pd. 7
I think that the Abercrombie and Fitch models are portrayed as gorgeous, flawless people with out a care in the world. By being portrayed this way, they are trying to influence others, like future customers to buy their product. Showing that everything is perfect, like their clothes, hair, complexion and life in itself is encouraging for their product to be bought. If you wear the brand name clothes, your life will turn around into the perfect way you want it to be, just like those models. Your self-esteem will rise, and with the rising self-esteem, your popularity in life will as well, the solution to all problems, popularity. If you think about the teenagers in high school, most of the time how you define popular would be what you’re wearing.
The Feminist lens is to be seen as that the 3 girls in the first picture with their expensive clothing take over the rest of their peers that maybe can’t afford the “nice” clothing that they wear. It shows that if you own the shirts that are two sizes too small you’re in the “in” crowd. But, the girls or even guys who don’t wear the designer clothing subliminally think that it isn’t worth it to spend that much money on clothing, especially if they aren’t even done growing yet. Abercrombie and Fitch even has a store for the younger kids as well, knowing well that in a couple years, even months they will just out grow it and have to buy more of that special type of clothing/
Subconsciously, little kids that watch the Lion King might think that the voices in the movie are different for a certain reason, but don’t think hard about why because all they are thinking about is just watching a Disney animated movie to enjoy. But, if you study and analyze the movie, you dig deeper than you ever would imagine in a “kids” movie. If I wasn’t taught to analyze and think about hidden messages and symbols in this movie, I would still the think same way as I did when I was younger. The other students the AP English classes when I mention the things I’ve learned they don’t even think to think about this movie in any other way. Taking College Bound English has taught me so much in just the first weeks of school than any other English class taken in the past and I am thankful for taking it. It has taught different views as to seeing things differently and in a whole new, creative way.
Erks 7
In “The Lion King” I don’t believe it influences kids to be racist or sexist. I, myself didn’t even notice the voices of the hyenas as minority voices until taking this class. Kids don’t pay attention to the voices of characters they pay attention to what’s happening and what is going to happen. They care about what’s on the surface, not the reality of the film. In the songs for example, kids don’t listen to what they’re saying, they listen to how catchy the rhythm is. They look at good and bad PERSONALITIES not voices.
I do, however, believe there are subliminal messages in Abercrombie advertisements. The people in these ads are always the typical gorgeous/handsome “perfect” young girl or boy. By always having these types of people in the ads is setting an “expectation” for everyone else to have to be like that also. Subconsciously or consciously the people that waste their money to buy clothes from there just want to be like the models. They look at them and think “if I dress like them, I can be good looking, flawless, and rich and be with someone of the like. The advertisements for A&F are really just fake. They make people feel the need to be someone they can never become. It makes life seem like a fantasy.
Edwards, 7
I disagree and agree with Ryan Angerhofer’s comments. I don’t think that children will become racist just by watching the Lion King movie. They probably have black and Hispanic friends at school already. For example I watched the Lion King when I was younger and I’m not a racist or in the KKK. I don’t think a movie by itself can make someone racist or sexist. Combined with other things though like racist parents, I think the movie could be potentially harmful. On the other hand I completely agree with Ryan that advertisements do make us buy things that are extremely overpriced. I also think that, like Ryan said, people buy expensive clothes just because they see someone that they want to look like wearing them. Or maybe they always see celebrities wearing certain clothes, so they go buy them to look like them. They think that if they wear a certain brand of clothes they will become happy and have lots of friends just because they wear the same things as hot Abercrombie models.
Skich-7
I like the way Wilson made his Lion King argument. Wilson said, ” I was two years old; why would I care?”. That statement would support the argument that the kids are too young to analyze the story the way we do. In regard to the hyena with the Hispanic voice, when one is very young they do not know the difference between different accents of people speaking our language.
With the advertisement, the owners of Abercrombie are just trying to get as much money they can from the people, I would, wouldn’t you? They have “the poised, petite, comfortable, confident, cute girl”, a way to attract both men and women. This once again puts more money into their pockets. Unfortunately people are gullible. They get sucked into the advertisements around them and they MUST FIT IN. Not all advertisements are bad. That new Glasses of Shards commercial, for example, is about quitting smoking.
Menefee Pd. 7
I personally do not believe that “The Lion King” would make a child become racist, sexist, or bigoted. I don’t think that just because a child, especially one of elementary school or younger, watches a cartoon with voices of different races I don’t think it will make him racist. I also don’t think a little kid would get anything sexist out of the movie either because I never thought of it as sexist until this class because that is the way lions actually are, and yes I know you will say,” Since they give the animals voices it makes them no longer related to animals” but if they didn’t give them voices there would be no story.
I do however believe that advertising has subliminal effects on people. I think that, yes, because of a certain way something is advertised or because of something in an advertisement it can make people want or think they have to have a certain product/brand. I have seen clothing stores tear friends apart because you were only cool if you wore a certain brand, I have seen people not date other people because their cloths weren’t good looking or expensive. Though I also believe that it has a lot to do with each individual and their beliefs and what they stand for. Such as I am not pushed to buy expensive brands nor do I feel like a loser because I don’t have whatever is in an add because I know it isn’t important and I know that if people don’t like me for who I am but just for what I have then they probably aren’t worth trying to impress anyways. So yes I do believe it effects people but I believe it effects each person differently based on that person.
Batzler 7th
The Lion King is such a popular movie for all ages because it is a movie about talking, singing, powerful animals, I believe that there are many hidden ideas behind the movie but I don’t think that children are affected my the movie in a negative way. Kids may see Scar as the evil brother but not as the weak, less attractive, British guy who is inferior to everyone except the hyenas. Girls want to be like Nala because she is strong and smart but they don’t see the movie as sexist because she is not in charge although so does deserve to be.
We may not realize it but ads are all around us sending specific messages, we may think that we only see a pretty girl and a hot guy in a picture but there is way more to it. What the ad is really is, is society telling us how we should look: everyone wants what they cannot have this is why stores like Abercrombie have been so successful in their sales. Advertisements at Abercrombie are not focused on the clothes the models are wearing; they are trying to show us that if we wear these clothes we get the perfect body, guy, and life. Bet what they don’t say is that perfection is impossible and that clothes don’t make the person, people make them who they are. These clothes are degrading and would make anyone feel inferior to these models, even a size zero girl can feel the pressure to look more like these models, the sad think it is that even knowing the truth about these advertisements people are still buying these clothes because they feel the social pressure all around them to look this specific way. There will always be stores like Abercrombie and Fitch around to make people feel poorly so maybe it is up to us to realize that there are more important things in life to worry about than what we are wearing. So, if clothes don’t make the person then why doesn’t every shop at TJ max of Kohl’s instead of spending $183 on a sweater at Abercrombie?
I agree with Makayla when she says that pretty people are used for advertisements, I have never seen a store advertising their products with unattractive people. Everyone wants to believe that what they are buying will make them more attractive in some way; that is why you never see unattractive people on their ads. Also when she says that the rich clothes make people feel rich and powerful, that is so true. If the clothes are super expensive then why wouldn’t you feel like you are wealthier or more important because you are able to afford their overpriced clothing.
MacKenzie Schwarz pd 7
-Response to Kayla Sorensen
I completely agree with Kayla on the advertisment of the Lion King and the way Abercrombie and Fitch lures others in. The Lion King does show that if you act a certain way towards your fellow peers, you can "rule" over them in anyway possible. If you recieve the genetic lottery, then you will be popular. If you recieve the environmental, you will get the attention you want. Abercrombie and Fitch does use their perfume as bait to get people to come into their store and see what their products include. The better smelling the perfume, the more customers that store is likely to get. Another way to intrigue people into the store is by having the good looking guy and the "hot" girl with barely any clothes on. When you walk by the store, you cant even see inside it, all you see is that one poster. The way the quality of your clothes is determined is by the emblem on the shirt, or the design on the back pocket of the jeans. If you have that one symbol, like the Abercrombie and Fitch moose, people automatically know, from past engravings of that symbol in your head, and think, "hey, that girl has the moose in the corner of her shirt, she must be popular from how much money she spends on her clothes". I personally think that it's rediculous to buy something so expensive, even more so if you only wear that one sweater once, because it "went out of style".
MacKenzie Schwarz pd 7
-Response to Kayla Sorensen
I completely agree with Kayla on the advertisment of the Lion King and the way Abercrombie and Fitch lures others in. The Lion King does show that if you act a certain way towards your fellow peers, you can "rule" over them in anyway possible. If you recieve the genetic lottery, then you will be popular. If you recieve the environmental, you will get the attention you want. Abercrombie and Fitch does use their perfume as bait to get people to come into their store and see what their products include. The better smelling the perfume, the more customers that store is likely to get. Another way to intrigue people into the store is by having the good looking guy and the "hot" girl with barely any clothes on. When you walk by the store, you cant even see inside it, all you see is that one poster. The way the quality of your clothes is determined is by the emblem on the shirt, or the design on the back pocket of the jeans. If you have that one symbol, like the Abercrombie and Fitch moose, people automatically know, from past engravings of that symbol in your head, and think, "hey, that girl has the moose in the corner of her shirt, she must be popular from how much money she spends on her clothes". I personally think that it's rediculous to buy something so expensive, even more so if you only wear that one sweater once, because it "went out of style".
Sperlich_6
Shopping at Abercrombie and Fitch personally makes me feel as if I don’t fit in. Or fit into their sizes for that fact. I don’t understand the girls and guys that would want to feel this way. Abercrombie makes sure you crave that overpriced outfit. They know that little girls or even teenagers desire and need to believe as if they fit into a social circle. If you can afford to buy their clothes, you are cool or good enough to be a part of the popular group at school. Making girls and even boys feel “better” about them, is not what Abercrombie and Fitch is trying to do. They are just hoping people buy their clothes in order for them to get money. The writers, designers, photographers, and anybody that works for Abercrombie doesn’t want to sell you a “solution” to your depression or to your negative self-esteem, all they want is money for their clothes they design and awful perfumes they sell. Girls shouldn’t be happy with what they wear or whom they are with, but the facts are, they do. No matter what any girl says, girls want to know they matter and to know that somewhere out there they truly belong to something.
Post a Comment