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Showing posts from October, 2018

The Gender Gap in Advertising

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From the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 to the first celebration of International Women's Day in 1911, to the wave of women's suffrage that swept a plethora of countries in the 20th century, the last several hundred years have unquestionably brought about significant advancements in the international campaign for women's rights. While these must and should be recognized, they should also not be seen to the exclusion of contemporary, 21st-century persistence of sexism and gender inequality. While often more subtle now that a hundred years ago, gender dichotomization and unequal portrayal of different genders play a significant role in media and advertisements. Take, for instance, the Gap campaign for children's clothes advertising boys' clothes marketed as for, "The Little Scholar" and girls' clothes for "The Social Butterfly." Immediately, a difference arises between the framed audiences of the ads. The boys' clothing line is geared

What is happiness? Can we measure it?

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Hello, friends! Have you ever thought about what makes you happy? There are so many little things that seem to make a difference in one's mood, such as chocolate, good books, and fun conversations. There are also the more personal influences, like caring family and friends. Then there is the less personal but still impactful influence of work, education, and government. Do these affect people's happiness? If so, how so? Many things make me happy. Spending time with my family, reading books, and participating in a discussion in history class are just a few examples. I think that I am at my very happiest when my mind is completely engaged in learning. Over the years, I have found that I am most satisfied in life when I am in a challenging academic environment because I absolutely love knowledge and education. However, that is just my opinion on happiness as a single individual. Equally interesting is the agglomeration of happinesses that comprise a collective national happiness