A New Man Has Emerged

A fresh image of the perfect man has emerged in our society and the media is largely responsible. Popular culture is an always changing phenomena and the changes influence most of us, if not all of us. A perfect example of this is the new and improved man. This new and improved man is toned and ripped but weighs only 150 lbs. A good looking man has no hair on his body and rocks a spray on tan. This new look is a far stretch from the rough and tough men that were considered desirable by society just a few years ago. As a male, I find this issue fascinating because I notice the changes in friends and their appearance. The media certainly influences most of us in one way or another.

Hollywood pictures and stars do their part for pop culture. It seems that the days are largely gone when young stars were considered for their individual charisma (Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson). An on going trend that started just a few years ago has become so widespread that we are now blessed with icons that all look, act and talk alike (Ashton Kutcher, Jake Gyllenhaal and Zac Efron). "New male beauty" is a precise and exact thing. Sexy is now a specific look thanks to the media. Ten years ago a chest full of hair (David Hasselhoff) was driving women crazy. Men wanted to maintain that rugged look which meant having strong features. It is the exact opposite (softer features) today. The "new man" is everywhere.

In class we are constantly discussing the media and how it effects our culture. With major corporations comes advertising and marketing is very influential on our society. Personally, I don't know to many people that shape their images as a direct result of popular culture but I do notice it with friends. Just over the last two years I have become aware of the "new man" look. Some of my 30 something male friends shave their chests because it is cool. Ten years ago that type of grooming was unheard of. This illustrates the fact that media can and does effect society. Popular culture shapes our world.

My posted photos demonstrate the difference between the "new man" and a good looking man ten years ago. The differences are clear with little to no similarities. This is a direct result of our ever changing society and popular culture. In ten years the image of a desirable man will evolve again. The media is and will most likely continue to be influential on our society and popular culture.

-Scott Baker-