Essay redraft

These two statements are arguing the two contrasting points that culture is either being infantised or sacrificing childhood. While the first argument states we are living in an 'infantised culture' and people aren't taking responsibility, the second believes we are making the children of today grow up too fast. These two arguments both have valid points, but I agree with Argument B as it believes we're raising the younger generation too quickly and forcing adult practices on them, which I believe to be true.

From a post colonial perspective, modern culture is raising young people with adult beliefs and the media is used to force certain standards of appearance, especially on young girls. Westernisation plays a part in this as growing up the media tries to raise us to 'convert to the customs and practices of Western civilization'. For example,girls are encouraged to play with barbies from a young age as this doll fits the American conventions of the 'perfect' woman. Our culture places a lot of value on us all being similar, and media uses their power to influence the way young girls 'should' look. This tied in with Barber's theory that we're living in a 'sterile American monoculture' as we're all taught to fit in to the norms of American culture. Barbie is a stereotypically 'perfect' girl - she has a small waist, blonde hair etc. She is portrayed as having a perfect life so when girls play with the dolls they aspire to be like her and it creates unrealistic expectations for these girls.

In this commercialised culture young girls are having social expectations forced upon them, meaning they have to learn to grow up faster. Living in a patriarchal society means women are seen as the inferior gender and certain stereotypes are placed upon them in order to make them suitable for men. They are objectified in adverts and music videos and are portrayed as sexual objects, and this representation in the media influences young girls' beliefs about their purpose. It is believed women's role is to take care of the cleaning, cooking and looking after the children so if young girls are being fed these beliefs they may have to start growing up from a younger age as they'll be expected to help out with responsibilities. Andrea Dworkin examines the roles of women in fairy tales and she suggests that the women in the stories always have to be saved by men and only live to find a husband. These expectations are being shown to children through the Disney franchise and a lot of young girls call Disney princesses their role models. This means their views on their role in society will be adapted from a young age and they will start trying to grow up in order to be desirable to men.