America's "Role-Model" Tendencies
Kimberly Ayres
WRIT 1301
Position Statement
Time magazine puts very brilliantly when referring to Margaret Bourke-White, “Unlike most photographers, she was as famous as her pictures,� (Gray 1). Americans are thrilled with the idea of a sexy, intelligent woman parading the globe with a camera in her hand. We like the image of a Marilyn Monroe-esque photographer who is at the gates of all of the world’s catastrophes and phenomena. Margaret Bourke-White provides a Hollywood stereotype with an aptitude that actually influences the entire world. She fits perfectly into the glittering, glamorous lives of the movie stars in Hollywood. Her life story after her death promotes an intriguing curiosity to those who study her. But among all of the fascinating, intelligent photographers of her age and many ages before and after her, why do we fail to recognize them and keep Bourke-White so fresh in our minds?
Bourke-White was a woman who surpassed the barriers of the innovative new profession of photojournalism. Aside from that, she was a woman lengthening her pictures to fit the events of the entire world. She played the role of an American heroine throughout her life as a photojournalist. As said before, her life represented those of movie stars and celebrities that existed beyond the silver screen. When I first heard about Margaret Bourke-White, I tried to compare her to a figure that exists in this era.
John F. Kennedy was liked for his Roman Catholic morals and his idea of promoting an American Dream to the United States during his presidency. He was known for portraying a youthful president with contemporary ideas that would help the U.S. America loves the idea of having a young, intelligent figure to guide us out of the existing discrepancy in our country. Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, was a movie star who got elected as the governor of California – home of Hollywood. Or publicly, Jesse Ventura, a former wrestling star was elected governor of Minnesota a few years ago. Does this represent how our nation has turned completely into the hands of the media? Did you ever see the t-shirts or hear the saying “Our governor can beat up your governor,� marketing Ventura?
As Americans, it seems as if we will abandon our standards to vote for someone who is prominent amid the rest because of fame and recognition rather than experience and intelligence. For example, in the upcoming 2008 elections, I have heard through the grapevine that Barack Obama is compared to JFK for being very charismatic, being young, and for having many innovative ideas for our country. He stands out by the fact that he promotes a new, refreshing idea of an African-American president; the idea is similar to John F. Kennedy’s youthfulness that was a very new idea for a president. My point? Americans love innovative change.
Branching off of the innovative change that we, as Americans, seek is the fact that we also like to be impressed. A woman photojournalist, a young president, a famous governor, or an African-American president – all of these people have spawned an original, edgy modification throughout different eras in the United States’ mundane society. Our media today is what advertises these people as dazzling and fascinating.
It is not only the public that comes up with the alluring titles that all of these famous people pursue. The media gives citizens of the U.S., as a whole, an image that portrays their stereotype. For example, whenever someone asks me about Margaret Bourke-White, I picture a photograph of her with a camera, clad in a feminine, chic dress, and showing her pearly whites against a contrast of red lipstick. The media presented an image of her that made her popular as well as her photographs.
Whether it is the leader of our country or an important role-model, Americans tend to depend on someone to make a change in our country for the better of that era. JFK’s American Dream image was what American citizens needed during that time in history. Or for a more current reference, Barack Obama’s diverse image may be what Americans seek for a presidential figure. Many factors play a role into our standpoints. The media highlights a specific quality or stereotype that Americans may be influenced by. Margaret Bourke-White stood out amongst her competition for being such a talented, beautiful lady that was a great role-model for all women during that time period. It is represented throughout history that fame does demonstrate popularity within the United States’ culture.
Works Cited
Cox, Patrick. The Digital Journalist: Margaret Bourke-White History Making Photojournalist and Social Activist. January 2003. 2 October 2007
Gray, Paul. Time Magazine: Fortunate Life of Margaret Bourke-Whie. 2 June 1986. 3 October 2007
Comments
Kim, I agree with you on your article about Margaret Bourke-White and America‘s role model tendencies. While Bourke-White’s picture were sharp and innovative, what was it that made her and her pictures so famous and memorable compared to similar photographers? As you said, Bourke-White surpassed the barriers of other photographers and women of her time. She was young and fresh which helped give a new outlook towards photography. Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that she was not homely. Which got me to thinking how important are looks to power and fame. But while it may seem that Bourke-White advanced herself with her looks, I actually believe it was the opposite. Women are taught that in order to be taken professionally they must not flaunt their looks. Bourke-White embraced her femininity in a masculine field, and was not ashamed of it. She actually became more powerful by that fact that she was able to become a talented professional, but still remaining proud and true to herself. By doing so, they media may have loved her while criticizing her, but through this she became a great role model. That a women can be successfully achieve greatness in her field all the while remaining fresh and youthful.
I also liked when you said “As Americans, it seems as if we will abandon our standards to vote for someone who is prominent amid the rest because of fame and recognition rather than experience and intelligence.� Now I don’t believe this is completely true towards politics, but I think it works perfectly towards media figures in general. If you look now at a majority of our famous personalities, you will find much more controversy and scandal to be recognizable than experience and intelligence.
Posted by: Rachel Stangl | October 8, 2007 9:05 AM
Kim I really enjoyed reading your position on Margret Bourke-White. I felt the same way about Bourke-White. Hearing about her in class really interested me. Don’t get me wrong I think she is a good photographer and I liked the pictures I saw of hers but no more or less then Walker Evans. What interested me in Bourke-White was that she was a successful woman at the time. She was beautiful and smart and in all the pictures of her she is happy and has that “it� factor, that flare, that movie stars today share. I liked how you showed different examples of people in our society today and related our leaders and figures of “importance� now to that time frame. It is interesting how society knows about certain people who are famous and supposedly important when in reality there are probably many more important and brilliant people in the world that never become famous or well known to us. Our culture would rather be entertained and views interesting as what is popular at that particular time. What I did not agree with in your essay was that Americans like change. I believe change scares Americans and although some things like fashion and music. I agree Americans like new ideas and it excites many however I believe people fear what will come from the change and the consequences of new and different. Overall I thought your paper was informative, interesting and enjoyable to read.
Marissa Weatherhead
Posted by: Marissa Weatherhead | October 8, 2007 8:26 PM
I really like how you took the time to look not only at the photographs, but the person behind them. As you state in your paper, Margaret Bourke – White was different than all the photographers in her era. The main thing that separated her from the rest was the fact that she was a woman. Not only was she a woman, she was a glamorous woman. She was a beautiful, young woman with a life that not many had seen before. She stretched the boundaries that were previously set for woman in her era. It seems as though this is what America needed at the time. Such, as you say, JFK during his presidency, and today with Barack Obama. Sometimes we just need a change, and we need a person to lead us in that change.
Although having “movie star type� people as America’s role models can be beneficial, there are times that the fact that they are so glamorous falters the way we should really see the person. As you state, this can alter the way we vote for our president. I just hope that America is smart enough to vote for who is truly qualified.
Margaret Bourke – White was a huge role model in her era, as she should be. She brought something new and innovative to the world, not to mention her pictures were some of the best of her time. She is a great example of what America looks for in a role model, in her time era, and even today.
Posted by: Molly Murphy | October 9, 2007 8:48 AM
I agree with Kim in that people tend to pick people that they want to be like. When you brought up Kennedy. It is amazing to think that he might not have won the election without the debates being on TV.
When people vote movie stars into office I think they forget that they are real people that have hidden pasts like Arnold. Know one wanted to think about his digressions but only how he played the role of the hero in his movies. When they see him play the hero they think he is the same person because it is what they see.
Margret Bourke- White was used in the same way because she was a good looking woman she could use it to her advantage and play towards the men she covered. Maybe this is why she is so popular and had movies that include her.
Posted by: Justin Boike | October 16, 2007 12:23 PM