Over the past few months, I've been examining myself and my identity as a woman. I've been looking at what I naturally value for myself, what modern culture expects from me, and what traditional values state. I'm a regular follower of the website Feelin' Feminine be it that I am not Christian or Jewish, and on the flip side I've watched videos by lacigreen and such on youtube for the opposite point of view, so I think I have a pretty good idea of both sides. I think I've got myself sorted out for the most part.
While, I'm not the most patriarchal person, because I've been given reason not to be, I do believe that men who actually do their job behaving like men and take on the responsibilities of men deserve to be recognized for their actions the same way women are emulated in the public world. I believe that if more positive messages were being given out to boys and men, telling them that being a man involves taking responsibility for women ei. not just sitting on the couch, possibly after a 9-5 workday, and demanding sex, then there would be less chaos in the private world. Reversely, I believe that women who "do too much", work a full day, take care of the kids, cook, clean, tend to their husband/boyfriend, aren't helping the situation either, because if they assume responsibility of everything, then the man isn't going to just suddenly becaume a chivalrous knight in shining armor for no reason.
I also support modesty rather than the "if you got it, flaunt it" mentality. Modesty makes me feel comfortable and secure in myself. It takes more than the right set of genitals to be a lady, and in the same way it takes more than a generous set of fabric over one's body to be modest. Modesty is more about drawing attention to oneself in a positive manner rather than a vulgar one. There is much more respect shown to a kind girl who can be percieved as beautiful without being outright sexual, rather than an outwardly confident and loud girl who makes use of nothing but her carnal appeal.
When it comes down to it, femininity is really a matter of perception. From every side of the spectrum, everyone's calling each other oppressed, overworked, undervalued, underappreciated, and asserting themselves sole as the "free" women of the world that don't face the plights that other women do. The best thing is to just evaluate the options, go with the most reasonable one, and ignore the backlash of different societies calling you crazy.
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Why?
I really don't get it.
Shows like America's Got Talent, Hell's Kitchen, X-Factor, etc, why are they so popular. They have an indiscriminately negative effect on all pop culture and whatever mediocrity of genuine talent, intelligence, and good character that happens to stumble upon these consumer-driven wastelands is killed off while mindlessness is honored.
In fact, I don't even know how they get their auditions. After watching the show for half an hour who would want to be associated with it? Sure, there is the one in a hundred million chance of being a Susan Boyle, but apart from that they encourage the decline of class, manners, courtesy, and general work.
Fame comes from being recognized for achievement, charisma, genius, and luck. It requires years of hard work for those who earn it and isn't a "fair" shot that can be brought upon by an audition or an application. What is being popularized on these television shows a fantasized notion of celebrity. Why are these people the people this culture is paying attention to? What is so remarkably fascinating about them to begin with. Some do have a knack for playing pretend and some have been genuinely or artificially blessed with faces and bodies that look well after a couple layers of makeup and a couple hours of photoshop, but after that what is there of substance? Why aren't surgeons, volunteers, nurses, priests, engineers, teachers, people doing things that help the lives of people and help propel the great age we live in into greater success being honored with the same sort of fanaticism being allotted to Beyonce or Justin Beiber?
Shows like America's Got Talent, Hell's Kitchen, X-Factor, etc, why are they so popular. They have an indiscriminately negative effect on all pop culture and whatever mediocrity of genuine talent, intelligence, and good character that happens to stumble upon these consumer-driven wastelands is killed off while mindlessness is honored.
In fact, I don't even know how they get their auditions. After watching the show for half an hour who would want to be associated with it? Sure, there is the one in a hundred million chance of being a Susan Boyle, but apart from that they encourage the decline of class, manners, courtesy, and general work.
Fame comes from being recognized for achievement, charisma, genius, and luck. It requires years of hard work for those who earn it and isn't a "fair" shot that can be brought upon by an audition or an application. What is being popularized on these television shows a fantasized notion of celebrity. Why are these people the people this culture is paying attention to? What is so remarkably fascinating about them to begin with. Some do have a knack for playing pretend and some have been genuinely or artificially blessed with faces and bodies that look well after a couple layers of makeup and a couple hours of photoshop, but after that what is there of substance? Why aren't surgeons, volunteers, nurses, priests, engineers, teachers, people doing things that help the lives of people and help propel the great age we live in into greater success being honored with the same sort of fanaticism being allotted to Beyonce or Justin Beiber?
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