Bashing on TV by Michael Abernethy and Wonder Woman by Gloria Steinem Essay

At first glance, the articles Male -Bashing on TV by Michael Abernethy and Wonder Woman by Gloria Steinem would not seem similar at all. However, if you take a much closer look at these two articles you will see that they are similar in many ways as well as different in several others. Comparing and contrasting is import because it illustrates ideas about the article that we may not have noticed before. In the article Male-Bashing on TV, it discusses the use of media and the affect that it has on our society. This article’s purpose is to expose the way the media portrays men. The media describes men as sluggish, dumb, and no good. These views have an extreme way of impacting society today. Abernethy’s article reveals various television shows that have male characters in them suggesting that men are useless without women. According to Gender Issues in Advertising Language, â€Å"television portrayals that help create or reinforce negative stereotypes can lead to problems with self- image, self- concept, and personal aspirations. † In the article Wonder Woman we see how the comic super- hero Wonder Woman was a revelation for women around the world, and a new way to represent women. Although, the question seems to remain whether or not her character was symbolizing was something that negatively affected our society or helped women to identify themselves. This article also stresses the importance media and entertainment has on people and how these images help mold and shape the characters of people today. Wonder Woman was seen as an ideal independent and strong woman who never needed a man. Steinem exposes Wonder Woman as a character that was used to sway women into accepting women’s liberation. Steinem notes that, â€Å"women get a rare message of independence, of depending on themselves, not even on Wonder Woman. You saved yourselves, as she says in one of her inevitable morals at story’s end. I only showed you that you could. † These two articles have many similarities. For example, they both bring to attention the affect that media has on our society. People all around the world are looking to these shows/ characters and idolizing them. They are using exactly what the media â€Å"feeds† them to build their own beliefs and morals. Also, both of these articles expose important issues in the world many people seem to disregard or not notice. Male-Bashing on TV and Wonder Woman are both articles that expose the truth and the media for how it has an importance on how we, as humans, behave, believe, and interact with others. As well as the similarities, these two articles differ in many ways. Male- Bashing on TV discusses how men are portrayed on television and Wonder Woman talks about how women are identified as strong and independent. They almost are complete opposites . The article Male-Bashing on TV notes that men are described as nothing without women. They are looked at by society as pathetic and silly. In Wonder Woman it talks about how women do not need men, and how women are independent without them. It is almost amusing how these two articles use each other’s extreme stereotypes to make their points. In closing, I would say that comparing and contrasting really reveals how the author might have looked at the issue and also shows us, as readers, the differences and similarities between two articles. Despite the differences among these two articles, they are more similar than people may confer.