Price of Slavery

Something to think about:

When you're at Hollister buying your $63 hoodies, or at the shoe store buying $173 high-tops, do you ever wonder who made them? Or the difficulties people who made them had to endure? All in the pursuit of making you look good...

When we are buying our favourite brand name clothing, we don't think of these things, but I'm starting to think we should. While we're walking around looking great, there are people in third world countries working their asses off in squalid conditions, getting only measly cents per work day, sometimes contracting diseases, and not to mention risking injury, once again, all in the pursuit of making us look good. This is completely unfair... So why can't we stop buying? My guess: We're all too caught up in following the latest trends, or keeping up a certain image, to notice what other people go through.

In my opinion, looking good does not justify slavery. We can look good without contributing to sweatshops by not purchasing major brand names like Hollister, or Nike. Maybe if the workers had better pay, breaks, and better, cleaner, and safer working conditions, we could buy without feeling the guilt (not that any of us actually think about the people slaving to make us look good). If any of us said we were going to stop buying brand name clothing, we would be lying to ourselves, and everybody else. Buying from sweatshops is nearly completely unavoidable.

To Be Continued...

In General.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stereotype



"I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT I DID NOT CREATE THIS LIST BUT MERELY STARTED THE SIGGY THINGY.

I'm EMO, so I MUST cut my wrists.

I'm BLACK, so I MUST carry a gun.

I'm HISPANIC, so I MUST be dirty.

I'm ASIAN, so I MUST be smart.

I'm NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, so I MUST be a loser.

I'm JEWISH, so I MUST be greedy.

I'm GAY, so I MUST have AIDS.

I'm a LESBIAN, so I MUST have a sex-tape.

I'm ARAB, so I MUST be a terrorist.

I SPEAK MY MIND, so I MUST be a bitch.

I'm OVERWEIGHT, so I MUST have a problem with self control.

I'm RELIGIOUS, so I MUST shove my beliefs down your throat.

I'm an ATHEIST, so I MUST hate the world.

I DON'T HAVE A RELIGION, so I MUST not have morals.

I'm REPUBLICAN, so I MUST not care about poor people.

I'm DEMOCRAT, so I MUST not believe in being responsible.

I'm JAMICAN so I must smoke weed.I am LIBERAL, so I MUST be gay.

I'm SOUTHERN, so I MUST be white trash.

I TAKE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS, so I MUST be crazy.

I'm a GUY, so I MUST only want to get into your pants.

I'm IRISH, so I MUST have a bad drinking problem.

I'm INDIAN, so I MUST own a convenient store.

I'm NATIVE AMERICAN, so I MUST dance around a fire screaming like a savage.

I'm PREPPY, so I MUST shun those who don't wear Abercrombie & Hollister.

I'm a CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be a stuck up whore.

I'm on a DANCE team, so I must be stupid, stuck up, and a whore.

I wear skirts a lot, so I MUST be a slut.

I'm a PUNK, so I MUST do drugs.

I'm YOUNG, so I MUST be naive.

I'm RICH, so I MUST be a conceited snob.

I WEAR BLACK, so I MUST be a goth.

I'm BLONDE, so I MUST be a stupid ditz.

I'm a WHITE GIRL, so I MUST be a nagging, steal-your-money kind of girlfriend.

I'm CUBAN, so I MUST spend my spare time rolling cigars.

I'm MEXICAN, so I MUST have hopped the border.

I'm NOT A VIRGIN, so I MUST be easy.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH A MARRIED MAN, so I MUST be a home-wrecking whore.

I'm a TEENAGE MOM, so I MUST be an irresponsible slut.

I'm POLISH, so I MUST wear my socks with my sandals.

I'm ITALIAN, so I must have a big peter.

I GOT A CAR FOR MY BIRTHDAY, so I MUST be a spoiled brat.

I'm PRETTY, so I MUST not be a virgin.(is this stuck up or just self esteem?)

I HAVE STRAIGHT A'S, so I MUST have no social life.

I DYE MY HAIR CRAZY COLORS, so I MUST be looking for attention.

DRESS IN UNUSUAL WAYS so I MUST be looking for attention.

I'm INTO THEATER ART, so I MUST be a homosexual.

I'm a VEGETARIAN, so I MUST be a crazy political activist.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF GUY FRIENDS, so I MUST be fucking them all.

I HAVE A BUNCH OF GIRLS WHO ARE FRIENDS, so I MUST be gay.

I HAVE BIG BOOBS, so I MUST be a whore.

I'm COLOMBIAN, so I MUST be a drug dealer.

I WEAR WHAT I WANT, so I MUST be a poser.

I'm RUSSIAN, so I MUST be cool.I'm GERMAN, so I MUST be a Nazi.

I hang out with GAYS, so I MUST be GAY TOO.

I'm BRAZILIAN, so I MUST have a BIG BUTT.

I'm PUERTO RICAN, so I MUST look good and be conceited.

I'm SALVADORIAN, so I MUST be in MS 13.

I'm POLISH, so I MUST be greedy.

I'm HAWAIIAN, so I MUST be lazy.

I'm a STONER, so I MUST be going in the wrong direction.

I'm a VIRGIN, so I MUST be a prude.

I'm a FEMALE GAMER, so I MUST be ugly or crazy.

I'm BLACK, so I MUST love watermelon and fried chicken.

I'm BI, so I MUST think every person I see is hot.

I'm ASIAN, so I MUST have a small penis.

I'm a GUY CHEERLEADER, so I MUST be gay.

I'm SKINNY, so I MUST be anorexic.

I'm PREP, so I MUST be rich.

I dont like the SUN so I MUST be albino.

I have a lot of FRIENDS, so I MUST love to drink and party.

I wear tight PANTS and I'm a guy, so I MUST be emo.

Im adding some I couldn't hurt a FLY, So I MUST be a pussy.

I support GAY RIGHTS, so I MUST fit in with everyone.

I hang out with teenaged drinkers and smokers, so I MUST smoke and drink too.

Im CHRISTIAN, so I MUST hate gay people.

I have ARTISTIC TALENT, so I MUST think little of those who don't.

I don't like to be in a BIG GROUP, so I MUST be anti-social.

I have a DIFFERENT sence of HUMOR, so I MUST be crazy.

I tell people OFF, so I MUST be an overcontrolling bitch.

My hair gets GREASY alot, so I MUST have no hygiene skills.

Im DEFENSIVE, so I MUST be overcontrolling and a bitch.

Im a NUDIST,so I MUST want everyone to see my boobs.

Ones added by other peopleI read Comics, so I MUST be a loser.

I hang out with a FORMER PROSTITUTE.. So I MUST be a whore myself.

I'm TEXAN so I MUST ride a horse.

I’m a GOTH, so I MUST be a Satanist.

I’m a CROSSDRESSER, so I Must be homosexual.

I draw ANIME so I MUST be a freak.

I am a FANGIRL so I MUST be a crazy, obsessed stalker.

I WATCH PORN so I MUST be perverted.

I'm an ONLY CHILD so I MUST be spoiled........"



http://invaderzebra.deviantart.com/journal/9182122/

Stereotypes are all around us: On T.V., at school, on the radio, even when we hangout with friends. When we stereotype, we are generalizing a culture, or in some cases, individual people (mainly teenagers), based on the way they dress/act/speak. By doing this, we are setting standards for these people, and changing other people's ideas about them. For a cultural example, media displays Arabian people as terrorists, and nothing else, all because of the whole 9/11 ordeal. This makes majorities scared of Arabs, which is completely unfair. Another example, but for individual people, is the label "emo". Nobody actually seems to know what this means. Some say it's derived from "emotive hardcore", others say it is short form for "emotional". Either way, the stereotypical/negative characteristics of an "emo" kid are both hurtful and childish (wrist-cutting, wanting to die, writing sad poetry, wearing dark clothing/make-up, etc.) I honestly think that all types of generalization should be diminished, because they are warping our minds into believing all of the negative things about certain people, or minorities.

In a way, stereotypes do matter, but not in a good way. What I mean is that we should recognize them, but not neccessarily believe/agree with them. I think stereotypes are derived from lack of knowledge of people's cultures, or people as individuals. Perhaps if we knew more about a person's culture/background, we could relate to them, and start treating people as what they are: just people.

Due to these stereotypes that the media displays, people go out of their way to "fit in" with that group of people (ex. Preps [all wear Hollister and American Eagle crap, get really good grades, are all extremely popular, attend the sickest parties, etc.].) If the media did not stereotype, I think there would be way less bullying, not to mention fighting, in schools, because kids get really stupid about who should be wearing what, and who should be acting a certain way, etc.

The media, in my opinion, should mix it up a bit some time... Like, instead of the prettiest girl being a cheerleader or whatever, maybe the quieter, not-so-attractive girl (or guy!) could be head cheerleader. Maybe the asian could be a heroin junkie who is failing school, and the African-American girl could be a salsa dancer! Ooooooooor, instead of the jock-type being straighter than a friggin' ruler, maybe he could be gay for once! Reverse roles! I think that could work... Or it could not. Either way...

These stereotypes have a fairly negative impact on society. Certain characteristics associated with certain minorities can be hurtful, and untrue. They also change the way we see these minorities, and lead us to believe that everybody in these groups of people act/dress/speak in those certain ways. Another problem could be for kids in these minorities growing up. If they see how they are supposed to act, then they will most likely start acting that way. Depending on what the stereotype is, that could either be bad or good (usually bad, though). People in the media should just accept that humans are humans, and we all have certain ways of acting, not as a group, but as individuals. Life would be so much easier if this was the case...

p e a c e ♥

Tables Turning?

Good morning/afternoon/night! Okay, so after reading the articles "Quebec to tackle issue of ultra-thin models" - The Canadian Press, and "German magazine swaps thin models for real women" - The Associated Press, I was actually very shocked, but in a finally-they're-doing-something-about-it way. Although this news is fairly refreshing, I also found it somewhat unfair that models who are too thin are being banned from the catwalk. I believe, considering the state in which these models are in is not usually their fault, but the fault of the people running modelling agencies for tellin them that they are not the right size, and need to lose weight, they should not be banned from the runway, but maybe temporarily replaced in order to get help from a professional to put an end to their eating disorders. To ban the models completely seems very unfair, as well as unneccessary, because most of these people have probably worked very hard and payed large amounts of money to get to where they are career-wise. I also find it ironic that, at first, plus-sized and even normal-sized people were, and still are, being rejected from modelling agencies, and pretty much discriminated against for how they look, and now the stick-figures are being booted from the runways. It's nice to know that the sick models are getting the help they need, but to be forced out of doing what they love is wrong, in my opinion. But on the bright side of this ordeal, there will be real people modelling! Maybe this will encourage product sales if we see average-people modelling, or I could be totally wrong, who knows... Anywho, it really seems that the tables have turned in the modelling world. I can see this being either very good, or very, VERY bad...

Link:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091005/mag_thin_091005/20091005?hub=EntertainmentV2




p e a c e ♥