Blog #4

The first article argues that over time the design of male action figures has become increasingly animated, and sometimes these action figures cause men to scrutinize their own body features. This scrutinizing can lead to anxiety issues such as body dysmorphic disorder and muscle dysmorphia disorder.
The authors of the article cite actual measurements of old and new action figures and compares their heights and width measurements of various body parts. The media is illustrated in the article as the body responsible for the new modern portrayal of the male action figure. The second article argues the exact opposite, saying that the figurines should be thought of as toys and not as actual ideas of what the male body should look like.
Franke-Folstad writes that a superhero is supposed to look unrealistically large and not like normal human men. The tone in the first article is very professional, supported by facts and limited use of first and second person. The second article is very opinionated and has a very sarcastic tone, created by the use of comedy and wit and rhetorical questions such as, “But a plastic doll?”
As far as my own personal assertions about the articles, I have very little opinion about them because both arguments have valid points. Personally, I hated barbies as a child and they only interaction I had with them was blowing them up on the fourth of July with my brother. I don’t know if I have as much of an issue with their size as I do the way that the Barbie and Ken dolls look and the gender roles that they instill in children.
I don’t think that children should play around with barbies that wear the tight miniskirts and tube tops because I think that lets kids think that dressing like that is appropriate. Nobody will ever be able to have the body of a Barbie, but I don’t think it’s an issue to make barbies the way they are made because they are supposed to be fictional characters, not a portrayal of actual characters.