How the media failed women in 2013

[lewisnotmiller]

Consumers are not responsible for the narrow range of women on the screen. Shows featuring realistic female characters (Orange is the New Black, or BBCs Bletchley Circle, for example) are a huge hit, there just aren't that many of them.

Yeah, there are some pretty pointless magazines for both men and women that often reinforce gender roles and stereotypes. To me, Maxim is just as bad as Cosmo. I don't know why anyone reads or writes either. The folks I know are Adbusters / National Geographic / Scientific American / Mother Jones types, so I can't speak to the mentality of gossip rag readers. Even when I'm in the mood for some extreme trash, it tends to be News of the World, and having to find out the latest on the Kardashians while I wait in line for groceries actually makes me angry. I should not have to know the first thing about these people. I shouldn't even know their names.

Hmmm...I don't get it. I agree with you. My wife, who is generally a very grounded and sane woman, will chill out to E!News and I'll generally leave the room. Not as a protest, she can watch whatever she wants. But I find the mindlessness ****** me off.

My mindless entertainment is watching and playing sport, or video games, so I'm not about to claim I don't indulge in mindless entertainment. I just find gossip mags as almost self-destructive, and can never quite understand the psychology of it? I mean, it fills a need somewhere, in some people, right?

I ask my wife, but she tells me to get over myself and stop over-analysing things...lol

 

[Sunstone]

I just find gossip mags as almost self-destructive, and can never quite understand the psychology of it? I mean, it fills a need somewhere, in some people, right?

I think it traces back to the fact we're a social animal. It's in our blood, so to speak, to be curious about others -- especially those others who are high status (because our ancestors would have learned how they themselves could become high status by paying close attention to those who were, among other things). The importance of paying attention to others is not lost on those of us who pay little attention to celebs. We are still highly likely to pay close attention to others in our own environment, and perhaps to high status politicians, or to others, who are not in the entertainment industry.

I don't see the attention paid celebs as necessarily a bad thing, although I personally find it more frivolous than masturbation. Masturbation, at least, has proven health benefits.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I think it traces back to the fact we're a social animal. It's in our blood, so to speak, to be curious about others -- especially those others who are high status (because our ancestors would have learned how they themselves could become high status by paying close attention to those who were, among other things). The importance of paying attention to others is not lost on those of us who pay little attention to celebs. We are still highly likely to pay close attention to others in our own environment, and perhaps to high status politicians, or to others, who are not in the entertainment industry.

I don't see the attention paid celebs as necessarily a bad thing, although I personally find it more frivolous than masturbation. Masturbation, at least, has proven health benefits.

Hmmm...okay...I'm going with this as my default explanation in my head until someone can develop it further. At least it makes some sense to me.

And like I said, I'm not claiming moral superiority. Just confusion. I watch plenty of celebs, but they tend to be sporting stars, and I can understand why I watch them. But Kim Kardashian, as an example, seemed to confuse the heck out of me. Well, not...not her. Those who follow her, and seem to at once delight in ridiculing her, and watch what she wears carefully.

 

[Sunstone]

And like I said, I'm not claiming moral superiority. Just confusion.

Well, I'm not claiming moral superiority either. I consider it totally frivolous but jeebers! I engage in a whole lot of totally frivolous things.

As for the confusion, yeah, it's like watching pretty much any group you don't belong to and do not identify with in some way. It's always confusing to some extent. Or, perhaps, the word is puzzling. It's always puzzling why folks get into things that we don't. But maybe that says more about how often our capacity for empathy is limited. I hate to think that, because I count myself rather empathetic, but wouldn't we be less puzzled by someone's participation in something we don't participate in if we could muster more genuine empathy for them? Not sympathy, just empathy.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

But maybe that says more about how often our capacity for empathy is limited. I hate to think that, because I count myself rather empathetic, but wouldn't we be less puzzled by someone's participation in something we don't participate in if we could muster more genuine empathy for them? Not sympathy, just empathy.

Worth considering. I tend to think of myself as pretty empathetic too. In some cases, I even think it's true. But when I 'turn my empathy on' to the gossip mag thing, I don't tend to like the answers it gives me, so I prefer to think I'm wrong (entirely probable) than assume anything from a position of arrogance.

Hmmm...been a long day (workwise). I'm not sure if I even understand MYSELF at this point, so excuse the ramble.

 

[Sunstone]

It's just something that always bugs me. Gossip rags are generally consumed and written by women, but seem key reinforcers of stereotypes? Not for a second suggesting women can't be reinforcers of female stereotypes, I just find it harder to understand.

Hey! I've wondered about that, too. It just seems weird.

Near as I can figure, money can corrupt anyone -- and often in surprisingly small amounts. I imagine you can buy some pretty good editorial and creative talent for relatively little money. Talent that will largely do what you tell them to do.

 

[Sunstone]

...I prefer to think I'm wrong (entirely probable) than assume anything from a position of arrogance.

That is precisely where I've observed you go wrong time and again, Lewis. This modesty thing of yours; it's appalling. Simply appalling. I've not once heard you seriously over-inflate your ego while you've been on this forum. Jeebers! Are some delusional mentally and emotionally confident individual with a weird and incomprehensible desire to maintain his mental and emotional health? I mean, what the hell is wrong with you?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

That is precisely where I've observed you go wrong time and again, Lewis. This modesty thing of yours; it's appalling. Simply appalling. I've not once heard you seriously over-inflate your ego while you've been on this forum. Jeebers! Are some delusional mentally and emotionally confident individual with a weird and incomprehensible desire to maintain his mental and emotional health? I mean, what the hell is wrong with you?

It's funny...most people who know me in real life would suggest I have a somewhat more than healthy ego, but have found the secret to massaging it myself to the point that I don't need to seek outside approval...

 

[Sunstone]

I
As for male aggression, males are biologically more aggressive than females. This is essentially a fact but I have not the slightest clue of how to conform this into a society without it being destructive.

Or come on. Parents can teach their kids not to channel their aggressiveness into dangerous or unnecessarily antisocial courses. And when they can't there's always the help of outsiders like teachers, counselors, and psychiatrists. After which, there's prisons and mental institutions for them sorts that can't take a hint. You could greatly improve all of those, and that would stop a lot of violence.

 

[Sunstone]

Feminism has becoming increasingly more blind and aggressive over the years and sadly it is over the wrong things. The opinions of females cannot be changed because as a whole I view women as exceedingly petty. Not because women are women but because the society I live in teaches women to be petty and they actually fall for it. Parents raise daughters and sons to be morons and shelter them from the benefits of right and wrong along with common sense. Religiosity has hunkered down to shelter children more while progressive values is teaching our young society to hold no boundaries and run through life like am elephant on stampede.

The complaints of feminism in regards to society has no been reduced to "men view as as petty so obviously all faults are with men". Instead of coming to the conclusion that that women are doing stupid things. If you go spinning on a stripper pole you will be treated like your moralistic values, same for any other action. Women now choose dumb men to satisfy their low self esteems. I myself get wrapped into this as well simply because of my biracial background.

If you wish to benefit society and improve female conditions in America and abroad I recommend you join NO MA'AM .

Drivel.

 

[Alceste]

Hmmm...okay...I'm going with this as my default explanation in my head until someone can develop it further. At least it makes some sense to me.

And like I said, I'm not claiming moral superiority. Just confusion. I watch plenty of celebs, but they tend to be sporting stars, and I can understand why I watch them. But Kim Kardashian, as an example, seemed to confuse the heck out of me. Well, not...not her. Those who follow her, and seem to at once delight in ridiculing her, and watch what she wears carefully.

Yeah, being interested in sports is kind of unfathomable to me as well. It seems as frivolous as fashion. Granted, fashion can sometimes be very artistic and creative and athletes can sometimes accomplish incredible feats, but most of it is just white noise to me.

If you take a moment to scan the headlines in the gossip rags, a lot of it is kind of malicious. Celebrities cheating, getting divorced, getting too fat or too thin, going on a bender, etc. Even the fashion parts of gossip rags can be malicious - like "the ten worst dressed celebs of 2013" or something. IMO, people like to read this stuff because they're insecure and their own lives suck. They like to know other people - especially celebrities - also have bad hair days and sucky lives. Otherwise it's too painful. That's my theory anyway.