http://www.fitsugar.com/Digital-Body-Morphing-Tool-Cool-2540620
How does the image or media convey the idea that the human body can be treated in the same manner as digital systems?
The article discusses how Michelle Trachtenberg used a site called weightview.com to create an altered image of herself in a photo of her on the red carpet. This article appeared in Life and Style Magazine and discussed how she was able to create a visually slimmer version of herself knocking off fifty pounds with the usage of the body altering tools available on the site. The article continues to point out how this tool could create negative effects also, because woman may use the tool to see themselves “fifty pounds lighter” and create a personal goal to actually achieve this type of weight lose, even if it in an unhealthy amount of weight to lose. This digital imaging sets goals for people that may not be healthy, and these types of goals may not fully be believable without the assistance of such digital altering tools.
Do you feel that the image / media is objective, or is it using cultural expectations of scientific media to advance some initiative?
I feel that the media is objective because it discusses the pro of weightview.com, which is that the tool can be used to see yourself slimmer and could create positive expectations and goals for weight lose, but it also discusses the negativity of creating unrealistic weight loss goals for people that are already very slim. In ways it has pseudo references to scientific media in the essence that it implies that the weightview.com tool could create motivation for weight loss that would include dieting and exercise which entails scientific processes and comprehensions to effectively work.
Discussion #2
What are the effects of this type of advertisement speaking directly to consumers rather than medical personnel?
For the past couple of decades pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to market their products directly to the consumers and since the FDA is also relaxed about this advertisement method, the spending on such promotion has increased. The ads suggest the use of various prescription drugs for just about any medical condition that the viewer might experience. It is irresponsible of pharmaceutical companies to encourage self-diagnosis and unnecessary medicating. Practice among pharmaceutical companies in the use of online video and websites aims to raise awareness of a particular disease or condition often without clear disclosure of sponsor relationships. Designed as educational sites, where individuals can share their experiences with various treatments for certain health issues sites such as cymbalta.com or viagra.com are also useful to pharmaceutical companies. Perhaps most alarmingly, marketers have developed applications that allow companies to eavesdrop and analyze conversations by and among health consumers, taking advantage of users’ networks of friends to orchestrate peer-to-peer brand promotion. These new surveillance tools monitor conversations among social network users to identify what is being said about a particular issue or product. Increasingly, advertisers are using Facebook’s marketing apparatus, which is largely invisible to its users to develop a brand presence on its pages so companies can strongly connect to the social communications of a very large pool of consumers.
How do the abstract promises made by the pharmaceutical companies impact both the people they claim to help as well as medical personnel?
The advertisement of prescription drugs to the consumer and to the general public creates a need for a problem that isn't really there. By asking questions that are so vague (i.e., are you tired, not feeling like your old self, etc.) a consumer will ponder these thoughts until they have convinced themselves that there really is something wrong with them. This isn't fair to the consumer as well as to the medical doctors that are feeling the pressures of prescribing things that aren't needed.
Is promoting the use of drugs outside of a medical context ethical? Why or why not?
The viewpoints about the use of these ads are divided. Some feel that the ads provide medical education for the public, which may not be provided in another way and show the viewer other options that are available for their illness. Others feel that is unethical because the ads are encouraging people to use the drugs and request them from their doctor when they might not actually need that particular prescription. In addition, some doctors receive financial benefits for prescribing certain drugs when they could and should use something more suited to their patient.
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