In her essay "Disability," the author Nancy Mairs argues that depicting "disabled people in the ordinary activities of daily life" threatens advertisers and each of us by revealing to us that "disability" is normal. Express your own opinion as to whether you agree or disagree with Mairs' argument and why. Take into consideration your own experiences with someone who is "disabled" and share them as part of your answer.
Please make sure that your response is thoughtful and responsible given the difficult nature of the subject. Moreover, it should incude AT LEAST 10 sentences to explain your reasoning. There's not a right or wrong answer on this and we're not looking for a perfect essay. The key is for you to take some time to offer your own personal reflections in a more formal way.
I think that having a Physical Disability is a bad thing because Physical Disability is a thing that stops the human body from doing physical things or activities that the body is made to do. I guess the author sees it as something normal because she's not the only that has it and has seen others in the same situation as her.
ReplyDeleteI believe that disabled people can be like normal people at times, but their disability may also cause them to have to do things differently than people without disabilities. I think that depicting disabled people doing normal activities depends on the disability that the person has and what "normal" activities are considered as. For example, the author says that she "drives a car, talks on the telephone and eats pizza" like any normal person, but some disabled people aren't able to do many simple things; a blind person or someone without the use of their limbs wouldn't be able to drive a car, a deaf person wouldn't be able to talk on the phone. Also, although it might not be considered a disability, when people age, they become less physically able than younger people, and aging is definitely a normal thing. To me, disability is too broad of a subject to say that being disabled is normal or not normal, because some disabilities are closer to normal than others.
ReplyDeleteI think that the depiction of disabled people in advertisements as not disabled people but normal people should definitely exist, but to a certain extent. My friend’s sister has mitochondrial disease, a disease that affects her mitochondria’s ability to produce energy for her body. She can’t walk or talk very well and doesn’t have a lot of control over her muscles. She is in no position to drive a car or motorcycle, so she should not be depicted as a potential consumer for those things. However, she would be a wonderful model for clothes companies.
ReplyDeleteI believe people with disabilities should definitely be in ads for ordinary activities, and I do agree that having a "disability" is normal. There are so many people with disabilities, but people just seem to ignore them and pretend they're not there. I think this is because a lot of people feel uncomfortable when they are around people with disabilities. They feel uncomfortable because they aren't used to seeing people with disabilities, and so they don't know how to react to or treat a person with disabilities. If they saw more people with disabilities on TV, for example, they would get used to seeing them and when they saw them in public they wouldn't feel so uncomfortable. In Norway, there are a lot of people, mostly with Down syndrome, that work in grocery stores. At first when people get their groceries bagged by them, they don't know how to react and are afraid they'll do their job wrong. But once they get used to having them there and realize they know how to do their job they stop thinking its strange, and they treat them like they would anyone else, which is how it should be.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, a disabled person, even though they can often not function as well as an average human being with certain tasks, should be able to be shown as ordinary human being, doing ordinary every day tasks. In fact, I've seen some instances where I couldn't tell that someone was disabled until I was told so and therefore if their state of able-ness was never revealed, they would be treated completely normal. There are cases where someone is incapable of completing most tasks by themselves, but the cases are quite infrequent. My sister has mitochondrial disease, which is where the mitochondria fail to properly burn food and oxygen for energy, and she can't do certain things, such as talking and driving, but she can almost dress herself and she loves to helps put things away. With the things she can do, she could easily do certain things or certain jobs like any ordinary person and do them just as well, and in some cases, maybe even better. Maybe as she ages and becomes more responsible and mature, she could even have a job, just like an ordinary person at a place such as a grocery store. My cousin also has autism and he has trouble with social skills but other than that he's perfectly capable of everything an average human being is. Unless you interacted with him, it's possible that you wouldn't know he had autism. I do not think that disabled people should necessarily be depicted doing tasks that they are not capable of, it would be like having a 5 year old rather than an adult as the model for a car commercial, which would not portray what the advertiser wants to, but if someone is capable of doing something just like an average human being, even if they're disabled, there is no reason why they can't be shown doing that.
ReplyDeleteFirst it was difficult for me to get past how someone who has an auto immune disorder treats their body so badly by smoking (and eating fast food). One of my close family members has an auto immune skin disorder and I found this hard to understand knowing what we know about lifestyle and how it relates to autoimmune disorders. Also I disagree with Mairs that people with disability or visual differences are not used in advertisements, I believe this has changed from when she wrote this in 1987. My grandmother was a social worker at a school for severely disabled children, and I spend time there with her when I was little. Although I was younger than most of the children, I was able to do more things than they could. By spending so much time with them I became more comfortable being around people with disabilities. I believe if they where shown in more mainstream advertisements then people would be more aware and less likely to feel uncomfortable or out of place.
ReplyDeleteI Don't think advertisers refrain from using disabled people because they remind us of our fragility but because they are a minority. Being a small minority and an easily recognizable one it's harder for people without disabilities to approach. It's sad but it is just business. I found this essay semi relatable because although it is not external I have a congenital disability with my sight, and it's not normal. No one else I have met has my problem and although I am my own person and do normal things not disability related it is still a big part of my life that I can't deny.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mairs makes an excellent point when saying that disabled people should be portrayed doing day-to-day activities. Disabilities are common and normal and not portraying them regularly in the media is perpetuating the stereotype that they're not. Since the majority of the population is not seeing that disabled people can do day-to-day activities, they feel uncomfortable and try not to notice disabled people in real life. I have many friends who have a variety of disabilities. Some of my friends who not only can't eat many foods but have a tube in their stomach as a way to eat, are able to participate normally in many activities. Showing them in an advertisement eating at a restaurant might not be accurate, but they could be portrayed doing other activities like playing games. I think a large issue is that people who are disabled in some way are always pointed out a lot. You usually can't tell by looking at my friends that they have a disability. One of my friends had played on a baseball team for a long time and then finally told his coach about his disability since it slightly impacted his playing abilities. Just knowing about it made the coach single my friend out more and then finally kick him off the team.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that people with disabilities should be portrayed in media doing things that they are capable of doing. Having a blind person in a car commercial would be impractical in the same way that having a 10 year old in a beer commercial would be impractical. However it's not as if all disabilities keep you from doing all human functions. For example a person who is blind might not be in a car commercial, however they could be in a commercial for a grocery store because they still need to buy food. Last year there was a girl in my class who was born deaf but in the first year of her life started wearing a cochlear implant which allowed her to hear. Today she can do everything that a person without disabilities can so there is no reason that she couldn't be featured in an advertisement. I think that people with disabilities are rarely featured in advertisements in the same way people of color are less often shown in advertisements. I also think they are portrayed in a similar way to LGBTQ people because if they are in the media there character doesn't just happen to be gay or just happen to have a disability, it's as if their entire life centers around this one characteristic. I think if people with disabilities were shown more often in mainstream media then it would show how they can still lead semi normal lives and how they aren't defined by their disability.
Nancy Mairs is correct about the idea of disabled people being normal threatening the media. The media have a picture and a idea of what people should be. If you look on one of the fashion or cosmetics magazine you will see a beautiful woman or a man with his shirt on. Movies with action heroes are usually ripped, violent, handsome, and they seduce a girl to get what they want; an example of that would be James Bond. Although, the media does show disabled people to an extent. Commercials of those elevating seats for staircases include feedback from disabled people who have a hard time walking, and this is practical because it gives potential customers of the product positive feedback from another customer who has first hand experience. The media is being logical about doing something like that, yet they can't put a disabled person in a Gatorade commercial. Gatorade has many commercials saying, "you have to sweat it to get it" or it has singing that says, "hard work, work" but only with people like Calvin Johnson, Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter or Russell Wilson. Most of them, especially the recent ones with Derek Jeter and Russel Wilson, they are telling the stories of passion and hard work to get to where they are today. I personally have not seen a commercial where a disabled athlete or person has talked about there story. Possible because similar to what Nancy Mairs said it will ruin the media's idea of normality.
ReplyDeleteDisabled people are people no matter what. The word disabled can range from handicapped because of a broken leg to being blind permanently for life. That doesn't mean they aren't people. That is why I believe that disabled people should be portrayed equally as non-disabled people in media and in general. The example that Mairs gives, "We don't want to give people the idea that our product is just for the handicapped," demonstrates the ignorance, greed, and closed-mindedness that some non-handicapped members of our society embrace. I believe that this demonstrates ignorance because non-disabled people cannot understand what it is like to be disabled from their own point of view. My great-grandfather, who passed away last year, was so week that he was disabled for the last few years of his life. Even pushing him through the store in a wheelchair, I could feel people staring. I felt like they would be thinking, "what's wrong with him? Why is he different?" This brings me to the point that image matters to people. When someone is different or not "the ideal, flawless human" people notice, and it's noticeable when they notice. I'm not saying that I don't occasionally catch myself staring, but it does happen because were people and people are curious beings. One cause of this, possibly, could be that handicapped people are often hidden from society, as the quote above shows, making people more curious about why they aren't "normal". If that's the case, then this problem could be fixed.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people with disabilities should be in ads because, as Mairs states, people with disabilities do normal things too and that anybody can have a disability, but that doesn't affect who you are and what you have interest in. It may affect to what extent you can do those things, but you still have some ability to show interest or make an impact on those things. Disability is a normal thing, many people have disabilities or will developed them in time, so disability should be depicted normally. Sometimes you can't even tell that so done has a disability until you are told, so obviously people with disabilities can function to the most part like a non-disabled person would depending on said disability. I also think people without disabilities and people with disabilities should be shown together on television and in ads so we don't separate the groups. We are all people and that is all that really counts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mairs that advertisements shouldn't shy away from having disabled people act in them. Especially in commercials for things such as dog food, which disabled people are just as likely to buy as non-disabled people. At the same time I understand a corporation's logic behind not portraying disabled people in their ads. Disability is a very touchy or awkward subject for a large majority of people and having them in your commercial can give it that same uncomfortable feeling. It's not that having a disabled person in your commercial will make people think a product is only for disabled people, or that using this product would make you disabled, it's that people are more drawn to things that look or seem desirable. It's not specific discrimination against disabled people, it's just that companies will most likely cast beautiful people to make their product seem more desirable. In an advertisement oftentimes everything is more exaggerated than is in real life, rays of sunshine and vibrant colors, or ridiculous accidents and talking animals both leave a lasting impression in someone's mind, whereas the masses are more likely to block out an awkward moment. Advertising companies know this so their ads have amusing characters or constantly smiling people having a great time, as if to say "by having our product, you will have a great time." Why they don't understand that disabled people can have great times is beyond me and I completely agree that it's wrong not to have people with disabilities in commercials because they represent a portion of the population, even if it's a relatively small one. I'm Sorry if this was too frank or harsh, like I said it's a touchy subject and it seems like there's a fine line between frank and offensive.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mairs' opinion that disabled people should be portrayed more than they are currently in the media. She states that disabled people are just as capable as those who aren't, then goes on to list examples to support her case. I, however, have never felt the way that she speculates society feels, which is the denial that disability is normal. If I ever happen to see a disabled person, mentally or physically, walking down the street, I don't avert my eyes and try to forget the image, like Mairs' implies. Instead, I usually smile or give a slight wave, knowing that they may have gone through an ordeal to just stand on the street. I do not pity, though, as there is a fine line between empathy and pity.
ReplyDeleteI do think that improvements have been made in media, such as Artie, a handicapped student, in "Glee", or the protagonists in "The Fault in Our Stars". But, the instances are far from realistic. As I read in an article recently, Hollywood has begun to sugarcoat these diseases or illnesses as something that doesn't affect you mentally, but that is not true, as often times illnesses or disabilities shape your personality.
Last year I did an extensive project on FDR, one of my heroes, and learned a good bit about how his disability affected him as a person. Although FDR came from a wealthy family, he had a way of connecting with the "common man". I believe that that ability came from his recognizing that no matter what class, everybody is human and can fall to disease, disability, or old age.
I disagree with Mairs' argument in some ways. It is undeniable that people with disabilities are not shown in the media commonly nowadays. However, I do disagree about Mairs' reasoning for disabled people not being shown in the media. Mairs states, "To depict disabled people in the ordinary activites of daily life is to admit that there is something ordinary about disability itself, that it may enter anybody's life." I do not think this is the reasoning for disabled people not being shown in the media. I think advertisers commonly want to make commercials that people can relate to. The unfortunate truth is that the majority of people are not disabled and relate better to a commercial of a non-disabled person rather than a disabled person. While Mairs presents a fair and intelligent argument, I think that ultimately her idea is not what advertisers are actually thinking about. They are simply thinking about their business and what would appeal to the masses. Sadly, this does not include disabled people.
ReplyDeleteI believe that disabled people should have the same treatment that everyone has. They should be treated as normal and distinguished members of society. I have the utmost respect for the disabled and their struggles in life. However, I believe that a company should not be required to include disabled people in their advertisements. Advertisements are usually tailored to a target audience. For example, if you are advertising baby products, your target audience would be new parents. I think that companies should be able to choose how they want to market to their target audience, and that the companies should be able to choose with what people they should represent that with. Now, onto Mairs' argument. I believe that she is incorrect when she says that disability is normal, because to be frank, it's not. This does not mean that disability is a negative thing, it is just not a typical experience in many peoples' lives. It is comparable in a diversity standpoint, not a life standpoint, to having say a certain color of eyes with a certain color of hair. This is not to say that having a certain color of eyes with a certain color of hair is comparable in scale to a disability, I just believe that they should be treated similarly.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Mairs is right about the way companies portray disabled people. She tries and spread the reality that companies don't show and try to hide disabled people. Disabled people are rarely shown on commercials, and there is a reason to this. I believe that Mairs is trying to say that the media feeds us the false reality about disabled people. I think that the media doesn't want to show disabled people because they are a minority and not many people can relate to being disabled. The media thinks that if they show a disabled person on TV, magazine, ect. that means that whole segment will be on disabled people. The sad part is that we as a society have been taught to pity on disabled people and not treat them a same a ordinary person, and not as some helpless creature. I think this is what Mairs is trying to tell us through this essay
ReplyDeleteI don't think advertises consciously choose not to use "disabled people" in their ads. They do, similar to what Mairs argued, advertise what you think is normal. And the truth is, disabled people aren't the "norm." The majority of Americans, aren't disabled. So, since advertisers do advertise what they conceive as normal (people without disabilities) then if we were to advertise disabled people, then we must view them as the norm. I guess that makes Mairs right. Like I said before, I don't think advertisers or people in general are actively aware of this. When we think about a person/human, chances are we're going to think of someone that doesn't have a disability rather than the opposite. As I don't have one (unless you count something like asthma) I can't speak for someone who does. All in all, technically, I think Mairs argument is correct.
ReplyDelete~~Jaliwa Albright~~
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Mairs says because becoming disabled is a fear that many people have. In society today, disabilities are ostracized and viewed as weird things that don't happen to "normal" people. I think that advertisers feel if they show how "normal" people with disabilities actually are, people without disabilities that see themselves as "normal" might get a subconscious fear of that product. When someone gets a disability by some kind of injury or accident, that person feels different from how they were, they feel like their entire life has changed. The reason for this is in our society, disabilities are seen as "life ending". By this, I mean that when someone has a disability, it is assumed that they cannot continue life as they knew it. I think if advertisers started showing more people with disabilities, some people might get scared, but a lot of people with disabilities or people who know someone with a disability will be inspired to buy the product. Consumers are sometimes influenced to buy products based on what they see in the add. This means that if someone sees a beautiful woman in an advertisement, they are more likely to get it. Also, if someone with a disability is depicted in an advertisement, the company could have reason to think that their consumers would subconsciously fear getting a disability by buying the product. Although I'm not sure if it is true that advertising using people who are attractive actually helps companies sales, if it does, advertising people with disabilities could possibly hurt sales. That may be the case, but like I said earlier, even if they do lose some sales, advertising people with disabilities as "normal" people will gain support from many people, which could help boost sales. In order for advertisers to do this successfully though, America needs to get rid of its fear of the normality of disabilities.
I believe that, of course, a disability isn't a good thing physically, but things happen. Most disabilities cannot be reversed, so I don't really think they should be the defining factor in a person. This is not to say that they are any small burden, but they can't be changed back so I think that the general population just needs to understand that it's part of somebody's life, and it could become part of your's if you're not careful. I also believe that the advertiser's argument is invalid because nobody is normal and by trying to make it so that everyone looks "normal" then you marginalize all the people who don't fit into the status quo. Marginalizing people for any reason isn't okay, especially something that already is an unchangeable part of their life that makes doing some things more difficult than someone without a disability, but to say that they don't lead normal lives is wrong. Their lives might be a little different physically or mentally, but that doesn't mean that someone with a handicap, physical or mental, doesn't feel the exact same things you do, breathe the air you breathe, feed their dogs, etc. Ignoring those facts instead of portraying handicapped persons as doing things that everybody does it creates a fear that they are different, which when it comes down to it, everybody's human, so get over it. We all go through our lives and then we die. Don't make the in between harder than it already is.
ReplyDeleteIn third grade I broke my leg and had to use a wheelchair for several weeks before getting on crutches. I recognize that this is not life-changing, but it gave me an idea of how this makes life more difficult for people. I had several weeks during which I had trouble using the bathroom, climbing stairs, and taking showers. I had to leave the classroom separately from everyone else. I agree with Mairs that people with disabilities should be depicted more often in commercials, since they are normal people too, even with difficulties surrounding disabilities. However, the idea of advertisements is to make a product look enjoyable, and something most people would buy. When people see someone that looks different from them, it will be harder for them to say, "He's enjoying that, so maybe I will too". This is the way advertising exists, and the point of business is to get money, not to discourage stereotypes.
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