One of the first things when something goes wrong, and when something in society has gone wrong is to point the finger at something or some people. Blame. The reality is there IS something to blame. But it's not just one thing. We in 2010 live in a culture where it's immediate gratification. The music videos are slick, the movies are so glossy and polished, anything in the media world that has an imperfection is mocked, as if imperfections are inexcusable; no further thought, we'll just use the airbrush because being human is no longer good enough. The girls in the music videos are provocatively dancing, dressed, singing about a man or mooning after a man. Look at the Sugababes; feisty and empowering?
It isn't just the media. But the media is an INCREDIBLY strong way to communicate and that is what makes it so powerful.
Some people say it has as much power as you give it.
Of course, you can become an outsider and be isolated from the majority who are influenced by the media. Whilst I personally don't follow Cheryl Cole's style or Lady Gaga's (but then, who does and I applaud her for that), I know when I see a truly strong woman. Someone who isn't afraid as much. We're all afraid as humans and I scoff at those who talk "street" and strut their stuff, because I think it's an act. After 28 years if you can't see through it, something needs sorting out in yourself.
Men's magazines have now had to say they do take age into account and they follow the rules. Isn't that sick? It's shocking..up until you really think about it. When you log into myspace or facebook or check out after reading your emails, when you search for something on google, when you drive through a city centre, when you turn on the television, when you read a newspaper, there's no escaping sexy. And what has sexy become? Imitations, pouting, dressed in pink, tight white top preferably a bikini type, lots of tan make up. Sexy has become sexual availability. And of course we wouldn't have blood running through our veins if we didn't react to that in some way; whether it's with disgust or lust or perhaps both.
But no where does sexual availability match the definition of sexy straight away. "Tending to arouse sexual desire or interest." Now, when I read that I thought okay so that basically means sexual availability. But it doesn't. It's just BECOME something people mix up. Arousing sexual desire or interest can be done slowly, can be done through the sensual, a slow burn, a confidence that can't be faked, it could mean one of those rather than having to look hotter than all the other girls in your class and attracting the attention of certain types of humans. What if sexy was valued?
Because when girls say they want to marry a footballer when they are older or do topless shoots in exchange for money ..sexy is cleary NOT valued. And anywhere where something is made worthless and cheap and throwaway, it's probably because it's given to us too quick and too much. And it's going to cause big problems in the next generation of women. We've got problems already? Things have barely got started. I think there's going to be many scandals, many girls and women not just confused but with rage inside of them and we're still going to be talking like this in 50 years time.
Do you blame the parents? Do you blame the media? Do you blame society for putting too much value on the media? Or is there just something "wrong" with that child? But when the time comes, what do you do about it? If you analyse and don't have any form of a solution, then you can blame yourself too. So here's my solution. USE the media. Talk A LOT but know what you are saying. Put the message out there that something needs to be done in this rotting culture and society. I'm not interested in "this is how things are" and "that's how things have always been" and that "in some way we have made improvements." None of those words interest me. What I want to see is honesty, then communication and then I want to see change. The day a girl can watch an MTV video of the Pussycat Dolls and balance the good and bad in their act, and learn there is a time and place and level of responsibility.. and know that a female is much more than what is wrongly "represented" in these videos, that is the day we can finally say...okay we've moved on.
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