Research Paper on:
Western Cultural Visions and National Geographic Magazine

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Geographic often feel that they are being informed, intelligently, about other cultures and events which involve other cultures, as well as being informed about animals and other biological realities around  the world. However, it is becoming more and more obvious that many are arguing that National Geographic actually only presents us with an image that further emphasizes Western ideals. We  do not see the real images that depict the people and the cultures, but rather offered very tame and very compliant images of cultures from around the world. And, much  of this image is presented to us through the photos that subliminally emphasize Western ideals. In the following paper we examine this aspect of National Geographic, relying heavily on the  work of Catherine Lutz and Jane Collins, "Reading National Geographic." National Geographic As mentioned, we who look at National Geographic magazine are often intrigued by the photos  which seem to bring us cultures from all over the world. More often than not we would not see such intense pictures or depictions anywhere else save in National Geographic.  However, also as mentioned, it seems that National Geographic seems to bring us photos, as well as stories, that glide over real conditions, only offering us a look at cultures  in manner that applies to Western ideals. In fact, it seems as though most of the pictures and stories only inform us about how the different cultures are coming closer  and closer to a state of "civilization" such as is seen in the United States. In the opening of Lutz and Collins (1993) book "Reading National Geographic" we note  the following which further emphasizes these conditions: "While these photographs and stories of curious and exotic practices can be perused and marveled at by readers in the privacy of their