Killing Us Softly 4

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Killing Us Softly 4 In “Killing Us Softly 4,” Jean Kilbourne argues that in our day and age female bodies are scrutinized, objectified, derided and just overall dehumanized by advertisements. Prior to watching the documentary I never had a particular opinion or view on the matter at hand, even though we’re subjected to an average of three thousand ads every day. Following the showing of “Killing Us Softly 4,” my eyes were opened to the countless ways women are truly are degraded in the advertisement world of society today. The evidence supporting Kilbourne’s argument clearly shows her view on the topic. These ads take women and create a near impossible body type, set a double standard, and show racism and violence. They sell values, images, and concepts of love, sexuality, success, and normalcy. They tell us who women are and who women should be. Women of color are generally considered beautiful only if they approximate the white ideal: light skin, straight hair, and Caucasian features. Black women are often featured in jungle settings wearing leopard skins as if they were exotic animals. In all kinds of advertising, women’s bodies are turned into “things” and “objects.” Kilbourne believes this objectification creates a climate in which there is widespread violence against women. Women’s bodies are often dismembered in ads. Just one part of the body is focused on, often the breasts. These are all clear examples supporting Kilbourne’s view on how advertisements in modern society are becoming worse by further dehumanizing women. I completely agree with this documentary and Kilbourne’s view of what advertisements are doing to women in society today. Just as it’s difficult to be healthy in a toxic physical environment, with poisoned air or polluted drinking water, it’s difficult to be healthy in a “toxic cultural environment” that surrounds us with unhealthy

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