Social Media: Helping to End Stereotyping

I thought that the TED video we watched in class last Wednesday brought up some really great points regarding the changing media and how advertisers view people in society. I think that maybe because of Facebook and other social networking sites, advertisers will finally start seeing people as individuals and not just easy-to-predict and stereotypical. I think that it is great that personal taste is now being respected, like what Johanna Blakley was talking about. It is important for advertisers to realize that each person is different. Race, gender, class, age, etc. are things which do not necessarily determine what an individual person likes. Any person can like the "Twilight" series. I know guys who really liked the "Twilight Saga" movies. I know a lot of girls who really dislike the movies and think they are "lame" or "cheesey." Many women over 50 read the "Twilight" books. Same thing applies to everything else in life. I am a girl but I really enjoy listening to heavy metal and playing video games like Guitar Hero. I even play racing games sometimes! It just depends on my mood, and I think this applies to everyone. Each person is different with different, unique tastes and interests. I do not believe that people can be judged and predicted based solely on the idea of demographics. I really like the idea of "Taste Communities" in which people bond and connect over common interests like TV shows, sports hobbies, etc. But I think advertisers still are trying assume what people like by putting us into little boxes and specific categories. Luckily, with social media, hopefully views of gender, age, race, and economic background will change for the better. I really do believe this is a step in the right direction for our society. I agree that it is creepy that advertisers will "monitor" our tastes, but at least they will think of us as individuals and not judge us by our ethnic background, age, or in other incredibly discriminatory forms.