Just one small point I feel the need to put my opinion on, although this has nothing to do with the post. Nick, from the movie thank you for smoking in passing said something I strongly believe in, although I do not promote children, or anyone for that matter, to smoke. He said his motivation is for population control. Not throwing in numbers to keep this short, smoking and cancer in general kills a lot of people each year, let alone each day. Think of we cured cancer. Population is already a problem in the United States, and with all the survivors of cancer, we would find this earth a much harder place to live on. With science advances today, I strongly believe we are very close to a cure for cancer, or may have even reached it. In finishing this part, I DO NOT want people to think I am promoting smoking or trying to call out medical researchers, I just want to say although this may be a very tragic thing, it is better for everyone else who still has to live on this earth. My grandfather, for one, had a major heart attack from smoking and is lucky to survive. I will never smoke or even try it for this reason along with many others.
Furthermore, on to the topic of discussion this blog is supposed to be about. We look in magazines, stop and stare, and even think to ourselves “Man, he/she looks so cool doing (blank)”. Right away, sex appeal or “coolness” will grab out attention. A supermodel wearing a small bikini can sell something that may have nothing to do with the clothes she is wearing or even her for an extent, such as a phone or some drink. Sex sells, end of discussion. Another advertisement that sticks out in my mind is for salem cigarettes. A man in the center of a page….dark background….dressed nice….pool stick in his hand, table in view…and in the other hand, a salem cigarette. I even find myself, who is not a fan of smoking, going “Damn, does he look cool.” Many companies focus on either the “sex” or “coolness” factor when making these advertisements, they need something that will quickly grab our attention and make us want to read the rest. However, there is something else I strongly disagree on.
Movies, although this has died down, have shown “cool kids” smoking. This is a horrible thing for our future children. It only takes to hits off a cigarette to become addicted. For someone with even the smallest curiosity in the matter of cigarettes, they can in the end be paying the biggest price for such a simple mistake, their lives. Advertising either in passing in movies, or deliberately in magazines can have a rather negative effect on anyone who looks at them. “Oh, this guy looks so cool and he’s drinking, I should drink too!” over time, we have an alcoholic. “Oh man, my favorite actor smokes, so should I!” once again, over time, we have someone who may die of cancer. Although these are both “extreme” views, they are getting closer and closer to a reality. With society as a whole going down the toilet, things have become easier for our children to quire. Underage drinking? It’s a reality. Underage smoking? Also, quite the reality. These advertisements can have a bad effect on our children and can easily influence citizens of America for those who are trying to be “cool”. I strongly believe advertising as a whole needs to change to maybe be a little clearer on what they are selling.
(Sorry, this kind of ran on a little bit, probably should stop here)
-k0Zm0|2
OK, K. Points well taken. If we have time in class, we’ll talk about future population trends.