Stereotyping and Judging.

The original thing that is stereotyped for when you're baby is born, starts with the colors. Pink is for girls, and blue is for boys, says the media, says parents, says many people, continuing the tradition thats been happening for centuries. Who says that your baby girl cant wear blue? Whats wrong with a boy wearing pink? Does that make them gay? No. Colors are colors, and we have the rights to choose, but we just continue to advertise them in a certain way for our children. Blue for boys, pink for girls. I know when I was a child, I loved blue. I loved all colors, thank you very much, but my mom did dress me in pink often.

When your married, the typical thing for someone to think nowadays is; women work in the kitchen, and play housewife, and the men get the jobs, work all day, then say "Make me a sandwhich" to their wife. Where did that come from? I dont know, but its advertised everywhere. In television shows, the internet, and even my friends say it, and laugh. Go make youre own sandwhich you lazy bum.

Nowadays, stereotypes are everywhere, and its taking over. My own friends, my mother, everyone I know, give in to sterotypes, and it leads to judging people. For example, a girl who has a bellybutton piercing. My mother doesn't like that idea, my dad would say "If it was meant to be there, there would already be a hole.", and my best friend, who wants a tattoo, has a tongue piercing, and many other things, says "Oh she's a slut for having one, if you get one Meghan, I will rip it out of you." Does having a piercing make you a slut? No. Even if you were one, the piercing doesn't make it so. We all have free will and rights to get a piercing if we want. Maybe we think it looks pretty, have you ever thought of that? Well I hope so, thats why we get piercings in the first place. Media and gossip has spread the rumors, and we have started to believe them. If you wear a belly shirt, or a mini skirt, are you a slut? Are you having sex with every guy you see? No, maybe not, maybe you just want to feel beautiful.

Yesterday, a quite scary "gangster" looking guy came up to me, and said "Excuse me, you dropped your phone." I was speechless, picked up my phone, and said "Um, thank you!" Smiled, and continued on into a store. I was shocked, he looked like he could attack someone, but he was polite, and a good person. Most people would have picked up the phone and took it, but he told me I dropped mine. The way you look doesn't affect your personality all the time. Just because someone dresses like their ganster doesn't make them a creep, maybe they want to fit in. Or someone who dresses goth, they may just like black, and the style, and they may be the sweetest person you have ever met. Stereotyping makes you unaware of these things.

A popular person at school, may have the most friends, the best clothes, and the most stuff, and they may be very pretty, but they could be the nicest girl you have ever talked to, I know this by experience. You would think most of the popular crowd wouldnt be nice to you if your not popular. Some people who look nice and innocent, are the MEANEST people you've ever met. You will never know if you sterotype. Take a chance, and ignore the sterotypes nowadays.

Some stereotypes are there for a reason, and thats because of what you see, without looking deeper into the details. Though, some sterotyepes are kind of horrible, yet sometimes true. They say, and when I say they, I mean a lot of people, including the police, think black guys are always looking for trouble, and to steal things. Then they actually go and get arrested, and the stereotype becomes more true. Then you have some really nice black guy, who would never dream of doing any of that, and that stereotype will hurt them. :( Stereotypes are awful. The big one nowadays would be directed to all teenagers. We don't know anything, we dont understand money, or work, or anything about love, its all lust, and all we do is have sex, and get pregnant, and we dont know the dangers of the world, we just make a mess, steal things, and dont care, we make a fool of ourselves. Uhhuh. Suuuree, all teenagers are DEFINETLY like that. Totally, because I've TOTALLY had sex and gotten pregnant before, and got arrested for shoplifting. NOT. :( Adults nowadays stereotype teenagers the most. Its kind of saddening to those of us who actually stay away from trouble as a living. I don't like people like that, and I dont cause trouble, so the fact that my mom doesn't trust me because of that stereotype, hurts.

Some stereotypes are common, like this;

"Asians are super smart and get straight A's"

"Black people are violent and criminals"

"Indians want everything for a penny"

"Men are the workers"

"Women are the housewives"

"Goths are all scary and evil"

"All old white men are pedophiles."

These aren't always true. Especially the last one. HAHA, but yeah, sterotypes are everywhere, and I suggest you look a little deeper before you judge. :) Thank you.

"She has acne, not because she wanted it. She is overweight, she didn't choose that, maybe she has a medical condition that makes her that way, or something else. She wears too much makeup, maybe she wanted to feel beautiful because she has insecurities. Think before you judge."

Trying to make it big !!!

as a musician i know whatit feels like to struggle on my way to making into the music buisness. since i was 7 years old i have known that music is what i was meant to do!!! i have always taken every opprotunity to get my name into the field of music, when i was 15 i tried out for the popular YTV show "The Next Star" and got cut justbefore the top 16, but to be honest im soooo thankful that i didnt get in, that show isnt about having tons of talent, its about being the most marketable !! now 2 years later i am 1 week away from performing at the waterfront festival in the top ten of "Mississauaga Future Stars" a competition for up and coming singer/ songwriters ages 15 - 25. i am super blessed to have gotten this far, but of course winning is in the back of my mind !! the winner recieves $2000 cash, recording time, a chance to preform at Canadian music week and much more !!!

the thing about the music industry is that you cant just have talent .... alone it wont get you anywhere, you have to be able to take judgments and you have to have the drive ...... so no matter how many times you get pushed down, you haveto get right back up ready to preform and be prepared to get knocked down again. thats why so many people give up on music, because many dream but few make it !!! in the momments that i have been pushed down i always think of somebody who has been exactly where i am ...... Alicia Keys is an amazing musician known worldwide, many people dont know that alicia keys audition for over 50 competitions and pretty much everybody told her she had no chance of making it !!!!! but she never gave up and then one time...... just one ...... somebody took a chance on her and look where she is today !!!!!

all im trying to say is ..... the media may potray that talent is all you need but it is far from that, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you are not willing to work and sacrifice ....... you will get nowhere ....... and i am one of those people who is willing to fight for my chance to make music !!!!

The New Cool

May I ask why your people care so much about personal image, about what is "cool"? Every day, the meaning of cool changes. The names of the most popular musicians change. New fashion trends develop and become popular, while others are banished to the back of the closet. What does it mean to be "cool" and who decides it? And if something is "cool", does it make it more important than everything else?

I have seen on my journeys a type of people that are viewed with more importance then most others; they are more popular then the rest. They dawn the most expensive garbs, they possess the newest technology and are the most social among you. They can be seen where ever an area of social gathering exits. Your places of learning, the local indoor market; as well as the television, on billboards and all over the Internet. You crown them as the leaders of society and strive to be like them. You do as they say, buy what they tell you, all in hope of becoming like them. But here is where I wonder, do you need to be like them?

You empower those that think they are better then you; you allow them to lead and abuse you. What is the definition of "cool" anyways? I always thought it meant that something was frigid to the touch. You need not be the the slaves of the cool tyrant. Be an individual do, what you want to because what ever you do is the coolest thing around.

Who's message is it anyway?

Have you ever felt like a walking billboard?

You might be thinking, "um... what?"

Have you ever noticed how many advertisements surround you on a daily basis? Take a moment to look up from your computer screen, look around the room, are you

at home in your room with posters on the walls, at school with your bag on your desk and you're staring out the window or even just look down at your t-shirt.

Is there a logo or symbol of some sort?

I bet there is.

We no longer seem to care if we are being used by a company to sell their product for them. How often do you look around on your way through the halls at school and notice a brand name sprawled across someone's chest?

Which one's do you notice the most?

Do they look different...

Or the same?

The part that is really amazing is how often products are the same, the only difference is the brand name, whether it is aero postale, abercromie or holister people go out of their way to purchase clothes that look the same as the next the clothes at the next store over.

It is as if people are settling for a brand name instead of choosing to create a personal style. It is everywhere, on your t-shirts, on your jeans, even on your bags. Have you noticed your shopping bags lately, the new reusable bags with large spread logos as an upgrade from a regular plastic bag with the logo in giant letters. It is even on your pants, mainly women's pants with giant labels across the booty of the pants because companies have determined the back side as the most noticed part of the female body, only when you are walking behind them of course. Once you see them from the front the strategy changes to focus on the chest of a person. Does this demonstrate a positive outlook on our bodies? That you only get attention for a few reasons one being what brand you wear and two for what you allow others to see. That isn't a positive image for anyone.

Even the messages on clothing can be taken to the extreme

What does this tell you?

That you're a cool kid when you spend a Friday night at home with a cup of tea and a good book or that you should be out drinking until you can't think straight. Which option sounds more appealing and exciting.

Now think it over a second time, which one will you regret the following day and which will you remember. If you hadn't thought about it a second time, what would you take away from this t-shirt.

Are they all the same answer, for some it might be and for others it may change.

Think about this, is it right for us to be wearing someone else's message; is that any different from putting on a mask.

You be the judge, but judge carefully.

Harry Potter vs. Twilight

It has come down to this question: Are you a pothead or are you a twihard? We are talking about two of the biggest phenomenons here in pop culture history: Harry Potter and Twilight. People today are having difficulty deciding where their loyalties lie. I however, have no trouble choosing my side. Boys and girls, I think we can all agree here that Mr. Potter wins this battle. Twilight fans may beg to differ, but I assure you; after reading this post your views are bound to change. Now before Team Edward decides to bite me (or Team Jacob decides to rip me to shreds), I will admit that I am not completely against the whole Twilight franchise. I mean I've seen the movies and read all the books, but that of course does not make me a fanatic. But then again, that makes it fair game for me to compare the two series...

First off, J.K. Rowling is an exceptional writer, and a much better one than Stephannie Meyer at that, because her books are more rich in detail and much more believable (as far as fantasy goes). Even Stephen King said: "The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephannie Meyer can't write worth a [darn]." Now that's a little harsh, but at the same time completely true in some ways. I don't want to spoil Breaking Dawn (the fourth book in the Twilight series) for anyone who hasn't read it, but the ending is a complete waste of time especially after reading 700 and something pages in order to reach it.

The Harry Potter series is better aimed towards both genders as an audience. There is a good mixture of humour, adventure, mystery, and even sometimes a love story on the side. It is also better than Twilight because there are morals in the story worth following by. I'm talking about: courage, sacrifice, love, good conquers over evil, the power of friendship, and that all heroes have flaws. It is harder for me to find morals in the Twilight series (except love I guess). Another point is that I for one find Twilight quite sexist in terms of the characters because Bella is always the damsel in distress and she is constantly relying on Edward to save her. It is particularly annoying in New Moon when Bella is practically a zombie due to moping her head off just because the so called love of her life leaves the town. On the other hand, Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series, is a clever young lady who is able to take care of herself without clinging to Harry or Ron every minute of the day. Hermione is a character that girls should look up to, not clingy Bella.

Now let's talk about the film adaptations of the two books and the actual talent involved. I'm not saying the young actors involved in Harry Potter are the Clint Eastwoods and Meryl Streeps of our generation, but they sure are better than the Twilight young actors. The audience was able to grow with them throughout the movies because the characters had so much depth. Although maybe I should cut the Twilight cast some slack; it's not their fault they have to follow a cheesy script. I hate how in the Teen Choice Awards (which isn't even a legitimate awards show in my opinion) Twilight wins a countless number of times just because they have good-looking actors. But then of course Twihards will argue that the Twilight cast is actually made up of talented young actors. Oh really? What are the acting qualities that teenage girls find exceptional in the Twilight saga? Is it Taylor Lautner's forced intense expression, Robert Pattinson's beady eyes, or perhaps Kristen Stewart's constant frowning and lip biting? I didn't think so.

Now I don't mind if you enjoy the Twilight saga because of the plot and characters, but if you prefer the series over Harry Potter just because "they have hotter actors," then that is despicable. Choose what you want to believe after reading this post, but Harry Potter will always be the better series in my mind. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, vampires and wizards; my work here is done (for now). Mischief Managed.

Monday Night TV date

On a Monday night, with little homework and nothing to do what is your first instinct? Most teenage girls will turn on the tube for eight o'clock, switch to Much Music and sit down for a two hour date with Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. Both shows are filled with a world most of us could only dream of, but why? Why would we dream of a world filled of lies, betrayals, secrets, cheating and stealing?

Pretty Little Liars is built off of the concept of a small town, rich families and dark secrets. Secrets centered around the death of a girl who appeared to be as innocent as the average 7th grader, but as the story progresses all the personal information she knew about her so called best friends begins to unravel. Everything from student and teacher affairs, stealing your sister's boyfriends to questioning your gender identity. These scenarios on their own sound unbearably delicate to handle and would most likely make the lives of teens today unpleasant and stressful. PLL has become so captivating because of the way these deceptions are presented. Remember the small town and rich families mentioned above, families willing to keep secrets private to avoid humiliation and foreclosure, family members committing similar acts and parents that are unwilling to accept their children's true identity. The young ladies with these secrets are constantly decked out in the latest fashions,surrounded by expensive shops and cars. Not only this, but they also seem to luck out when you feel that the last few threads of the web of lies will come undone. Someone or multiple people that the girls only know as A seem to have control over their lives because some how they know the details to all of their secrets. The main thrill to watching the show is the race to see if you can guess who A is before they tell you. The show being wisely thought out, leads you in different directions to keep your interest.

A parallel to this is Gossip Girl which has the same general scheme, connected through family and friends, relationships and lies. GG has had more deceptive turns than you can count and many more in store for the future. GG also has a secret identity, an internet blogger unidentified to all, who updates Manhattan's elite young adults with each other's secrets. Again this show holds the ideological messages that are in PLL.

The similarities between the two television programs are endless, hidden identities, rich, beautiful, happy, glamorous people all trying to keep their status. The pair both shed light on the latest in peer pressure issues among teens, such as sexual orientation, drugs and alcohol giving both the "positive" or fun side and the negative down side to each issue. They also give the audience the opportunity to choose their own meaning. The best example of this is attempting to determine the identity of both A and Gossip Girl.

Even with all of these details both shows are still captivating, thus being able to keep rating high and keep viewers interested. Don't believe me? keep an open mind and tune in next Monday.

The “Video Game”! Good or Bad?

The Video game has affected many of us on earth. Video gaming is like a hobby, just like reading, fishing, or playing sports, it's a form of entertainment. The problem is that video gaming has imprinted a negative impact in society.

Numerous studies show that people playing video games for a long period of time, especially ones with violent content show the following behaviours:

· Tend to be more aggressive

· Are more prone to confrontation with their teachers

· May engage in fights with their peers

· See a decline in school achievements.

This shows that media had ideological messages. The violence in the game influences the gamer to become more violent and aggressive.

Academic success can be negatively associated to over-all time spent playing video games. Studies have revealed that the more time a kid wastes on playing video games, the poorer is his performance in school.

Playing video games has many health affects, leading health issue is Obesity. The longer one is sitting and playing video games the higher risk of getting obese. Some other health issues include:

· Overuse injuries of the hand

· Obesity

· Muscle and joint problems

· Eyestrain

This shows that media has ideological messages. The violence in the game influences the gamer to become more violent and aggressive. Media also appeals to all five sense, that’s why it’s so addicting. The media use techniques to plead your senses making one play for a longer period of time, which cause drop in academic success and higher the chances for one to be obese .