Week 7 & 8: Reading Response 3

GOODMAN/The Culture of Thin Bites Fiji

1. What is Goodman’s argument? How does she build it around Becker’s study while not limiting herself to that evidence alone?

Ellen Goodman’s argument is “eating disorders are a cultural byproduct.” The study she used and built her essay around was by using other similar situation consequences such as the Columbine High massacre that gives the audience more to think about other than just body images. She speaks to other harmful ideas that may influence the way we think or may desire to become. The argument that harm doesn’t come from television is proved in these two examples. She does well in her transition in what we learn and how we learn it as well as considering the significance in what we absorb through the television. The way we look, act, and portray our own self sends a presuppose message or the stereotype perceptive.

I liked that she showed a picture along with this article. To me it portrays the significance of such a sacrifice to become thin. Well, to see a beautiful woman who obviously may be suffering from an eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia is sad. I remember learning a little about these disorders and they are real and cause death. I wonder why some people are more apt to them versus others. Certainly the images that are displayed on the television, and the successes of the people, send a message to the young especially what is considered the norm. The reality is we all share in receiving some sort of message or messages being sent from television. Whether it’s a commercial trying to entice us to purchase a new fangled item or indirectly as Ellen Goodman presents in her essay.