Jean Kilbourne Killing USftly Analysis

In Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women, Jean Kilbourne (Jhally, 2010) focuses primarily on the effects of media on women and attitudes towards women. The objectification and dehumanization of women can be seen in many advertisements, with images portraying disembodied parts (often breasts), images juxtaposing women with objects, and images portraying women as literal objects. Kilbourne argues that the proliferation and saturation of unhealthy images circulated by ads in daily life creates a toxic environment in which a company profits from the sacrifice of an individual’s personal well-being (Jhally, 2010). The average American is exposed to over three thousand ads a day, seen everywhere from buildings to vehicles to food, resulting in a non-stop stream of information that is difficult to escape (Jhally, 2010). These advertisements sell not only products, but values, ideals, and concepts like normalcy, love, and success; many feel as though they are not personally affected by advertising, and that their attitudes and beliefs are not …show more content…
If one doesn’t believe advertisements affect everyone, that beliefs can and do stem from media, it is impossible to increase media literacy and thus transform attitudes informed by such. When one is cognizant of underlying messages in media and able to critically examine advertisements, it’s possible then to challenge harmful attitudes and values engendered by media. Challenge can come in the form of saying something when someone echoes harmful sentiments propagated by media; participating in activism, whether attending marches or participating in boycotts; and educating others on the harmful potential of media. The ideals and beliefs propagated by advertisements are deeply embedded; as such, change must be an ongoing effort towards constant