Miscellaneous: Birth Control Ad

In 1960, the pill was approved for contraceptive use, and by 1962, millions of women in the United states were engaging in family planning. In this specific ad, the author appeals to logical faculties of the American public. This poster is intended to persuade men to encourage their significant others to use birth control. The central focus of the poster is the pregnant man, and the headline "Would you be more careful if  was you that got pregnant?". The image alone would have been somewhat shocking to audiences, but beyond that it encourages some serious thought. This poster puts the idea of pregnancy in a man's head, and forces them to think from an alternate perspective. If they were the ones getting pregnant, wouldn't they want to use birth control? The bottom of the ad reads "Contraception is one of the facts of life", and fast forwarding today it would certainly seem so.

- Megan Prass + Mari L'emmie

Miscellaneous: Playboy and the Sexual Revolution

American citizens did not randomly discover that human beings are inherently sexual creatures. As is true with all major historical events, the Sexual Revolution was aided by an array of important happenings. Somehow rock and roll, birth control, relaxed censorship laws, medical breakthroughs, and student protests led to a new way of thinking about sex. Hugh Hefner , the founder of Playboy Magazine, also added quite a bit to the nationwide discussion about sex and sexuality. "Sex is for recreation, not just procreation" is the main tenant of Mr. Hefner's philosophy. His intention was not to create a pornographic magazine, but instead he sought to relay the message that sex is nothing to be ashamed of. Playboy Magazine took sex from the background and quite literally thrusted it into living rooms all over the country. However, critics argue that Hefner's Playboy philosophy is to blame for the continued objectification of women in America. For better of for worse, Playboy Magazine served as the unofficial publication of the sexual revolution. As such, it altered social norms and led to the sexually expressive society that we live in today.

Logos for Syphilis

Before a cure was found, syphilis infected thousands of people and was becoming a major problem in the United States. To publicize the newly found cure and ensure people took action against the disease, advertisements like this one were made. Though this ad strongly appeals to emotions, it also appeals to logistics. The author uses the dinosaur picture to imply that syphilis has been around for an incredibly long time. Also, by making the headline “As Old as Creation, Syphilis is Now Curable”, the author was making the point that it is only logical to obtain treatment for syphilis. Now that there is FINALLY a cure out there, wouldn’t it only be rational to seek freedom from this terrible disease? 

The author also has a very logical statement on their poster, “Consult Your Physician”. This is not only the most logical course of action if one has contracted syphilis, but by having this on the poster, it gives the audience a first step. If the audience feels the poster is giving them logical reasons and directions, they are more likely to listen to what the poster is saying and get treatment for syphilis. 

Logos of Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin was a true artist. She put her emotions into her work and didn't think twice about it. In Joplin's "One Night Stand," she did not appeal to logic. The point of her music to share her personal emotions and thoughts with the audience and evoke emotions as well. The song "One Night Stand" is more like her stream of consciousness during a night in a town she doesn't even know the name of. She expresses her feelings of freedom by exploring sexual relations with someone who she will probably never see again. She also explicitly tells the other person that they will never be anything more to her than a one night stand, which shows that she does not care about who the person is or what they think of her, she only cares about being free to feel.

Joplin and One Night Stand Visual and Sound Appeal

Joplin’s appeal to sound in the song One Night Stand is very empowering. It’s bluesy and melodically backboard makes it very easy to listen to, giving a sense of suave freedom. Joplin’s soulful and powerful voice throughout the song makes it feel like she is strong and unfazed by the one night stands she has with no emotional attachment, reminding the audience that she doesn’t need a relationship to feel whole.

Joplin was also known to sexual her live performances, creating a whole other way in which she pursued her sexual freedom. She often told the press that singing for a crowd was like “falling in love twenty times” and “making a baby”. This further enhanced the meaning in her music by being a visual channel for the lyrics.

She gave a visual aid to her music in her constant personality. She was very free with her demeanor and presentation on stage. Her frizzy hair and unique sense of style also added a sense of rebellion as she did not care to put on makeup, only further proving that she was perfectly content with herself and not hiding away in modesty or trying to fit a 50’s man’s idea of a perfect housewife.