The Pin-Up Years

The mid-20th century was the time of pin-ups. You couldn't imagine bedrooms of teenagers without posters of their favorite people, sportsperson, movie star, fashion model or political heavyweight. It was the time girls went gaga over the latest in hairstyles, make-up and cosmetics, clothes, accessories, dietary habits, lifestyles and the latest moves of their 'heroes' were all keenly followed and some even styled themselves on the lines of their 'icons'. And boys wanted to have the kind of macho body that rippled through clothing on the posters, the gelled hair that set neatly over the forehead and the clothes that fit like second skin! You could bet that no wall, bedroom door, bathroom door and practically any flat surface that would hold life-size pictures was left bare.

Transport yourself to the electronic age. Posters may be declining but wallpapers and screen backgrounds in 3D imagery have taken over the world.

Superheroes in animation

Every child in the modern age has grown up reading comic books filled with images of their superheroes, in various costumes and disguises doing superhuman feats. From the era of the animated Phantom, Flash Gordon, Batman, Spiderman and Superman with their distinct get-ups to the earthier Tin Tin and the fictional spy James Bond 0078 or Cat Woman and Super Girl for that matter, every superhero won the battle with his mind (of course, minimum force is a must to be more effective) thinking strategies and ways with which to defeat an opponent. The bottom line of the tales woven around their heroics is that 'good always wins over evil', a lesson that is easily absorbed with visual impact, especially in a young and tender mind.

Even here, superheroes have undergone a massive changeover with technology. The overt use of force and power bordering on the deeply offensive in the modern version of computer games is a matter of grave concern to parents, educators and medical professionals. As more and more young people get familiar with tech operations and start handling electronic gadgets at a very early age, the downside of visual impact can only be estimated.

Heroes and Icons

What is it about 'heroes' that evokes such mass fan following or intense worship, leading to friendly banter sometimes fierce arguments between friends and peers who had their favorites clearly cut out? The answer may be deep rooted in the human psyche, as scientific and psychological studies point out.

There is the innate desire in almost each one of us to have a 'mirror' to hold up to; a perfect imagery of how we would like ourselves or the larger public to perceive us. There are many sociological and psychological angles to this issue; studies are largely inconclusive on whether this overt dependence on Han external source of inspiration to style one's life is beneficial or not. While parents of young children and teenagers may view this with increasing concern, psychoanalysts argue that there are several positives to gain from this, provided of course the iconic figure is not representative of any anti-social group or organization, or part of a cult that usually draws in gullible people.

Healthy lifestyles and mindsets

With the veritable explosion of information and easy accessibility over the Internet, the prospect of too much information or 'misinformation' that can easily misguide gullible minds is a hot issue that is debated and discussed at many platforms across the globe. Since the advent of the Internet, everything is out there in the public eye for everyone to see and limitations and regulations are hard to set. Particularly in the pre-adult development years, there is a large likelihood of young people basing their dreams, goals and aspirations on 'superheroes' who hold iconic status only by virtue of their images. Going by the hundreds of websites and web pages that promote instant diets, instant fitness, instant makeovers and instant money, it takes a very keen mind and sense to sift the real from the phony.


There is tremendous impact of the visual media on a developing mind; hence there is a constant battle between responsibility and result. Many quick-fix products that promise quick results cash in on the craze of a new generation that expects 'instant gratification with minimum efforts'. Imagine the effect a 'how to gain muscle mass' depicts a well-toned body endorsing a food product that promises 'six-pack abs' in two weeks without sweating it out in the gym.

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