Are You Toying With Me?

1. "Evolving Ideals of Male Body Image as Seen Through Action Toys"
Harrison G. Pope, Jr., Robert Olivardia, Amanda Gruber, and John Borowieki

This first article analyzes the possible effects of producing immensely-muscular-looking action figures on the male self-image. The article goes into depth about how common eating disorders are - not only in females, but in males, as well. It is usually the women who get media coverage or big hype over their body image issues because magazines - with super-skinny, absolutely gorgeous models grazing the pages and covers - are everywhere. But men have body image struggles just like women do. This article suggests a possible cause is action figures. Over time, action figures, such as G.I. Joe and comic book action figures, have been sporting bigger and bigger muscles: giant biceps and twelve-pack abs, to name a few.

Men that are constantly scrutinizing their bodies have something called body dysmorphic disorder. However, within that sect are men who constantly scrutinize certain aspects of their bodies, specifically their muscles, and they have something called muscle dysmorphia. Sufferers of muscle dysmorphia are obsessed with their muscles. They may spend hours every day at the gym, remain on strict protein-only diets for unhealthily long periods of time, and even take steroids to get a body with the 'perfect' amount of muscle mass.

This article suggests that a possible cause for this is the fact that action figures are made to look too muscular - so muscular that it is not humanly possible for any man to ever look like the 2008 G.I. Joe figurine. As young boys are growing up and playing with these action figures, they somehow come into the mindset that they are supposed to grow up and look just like that. That, of course, is a false "cultural message" (Male Body Image, par. 19) that American toy companies need to stop projecting to the youth.

G.I. Joe's Big Biceps are Not a Big Deal
Kim Franke-Folstad

This article rebukes the allocation that big-muscled toys are encouraging boys to bulk up. A toy is a toy and they are not meant to be taken literally. The whole point of having a toy is to enable a child to use his or her imagination. If a child can use their imagination when playing with the toys, then toy-makers should have the right to use their imaginations when making the toys.

2. The first article's tone was informative. It was more of a Logos appeal. A perfect example would be the huge list of references. This shows the reader that the authors obviously know what they are talking about and they have reputable sources and concrete examples to back up their information.

The second article is mostly opinion; the article is written in the first person. With phrases like, "So what?" and "Will this foolishness never stop?" the reader senses a defensive tone from the author, who is simply trying to get her opinion across.

3. My reaction is somewhat indifferent. Yes, of course I played with Barbie dolls, I had tons of them. She was my favorite because she was so pretty. I don't have a perfect body and I would love to look like Barbie...but I don't, and I've come to accept the fact that I never will. I can understand how a toy might influence a child's view of something, whether that be how babies are made (I use to have a toy stork and always thought babies were brought by the stork) or how they are supposed to look like. But those who grew up and developed serious confidence issues or body-image obsessions are probably suffering from something more, caused by something deeper.