Jean Kilbourne And Bell Hooks Analysis

Jean Kilbourne and bell hooks agree in their writings that the media often distorts what we perceive as reality in one way or another. Film, television, and advertising shape our ideals and what we believe should be true. Kilbourne focuses on the distortion of gender, particularly the distortion of the female gender in society in the excerpt from her book included in From Inquiry to Academic Writing, whereas hooks analyzes the misrepresentation of the impoverished and homeless in the excerpt from her book. Despite their differing foci, both authors would likely agree that the TV show Dance Moms is a prime example of the underlying themes of gender and class distortions that the media commonly portrays. The ongoing series Dance Moms is a reality TV show that depicts the lives of several young female dancers. These dancers are extremely privileged, as the dance classes, costumes, and
hooks mentions that, “Television shows and films bring the message home that no one can truly feel good about themselves if they are poor. In television sitcoms the working poor are shown to have a healthy measure of self-contempt…” (495) Because the poor are dehumanized, they feel as though they are not capable of being happy, or at the very least, that they should not be happy because they are not wealthy and do not meet the ideals of today’s society. In regards to the abuse imposed on women from the media, Kilbourne also adds that “…it hurts, it does damage, and it sets girls up for addictions and self-destructive behavior.” (508) Both authors concur that the media wreaks havoc on the self esteem of girls and the poor alike. Dance Moms in particular negatively impacts both groups, and causes for unnecessary self-loathing by holding girls up to extreme and impossible standards of “sexiness” and material