Essential support for under 25s
Essential support for under 25s
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What on earth are you on about?
That's my favourite astrological read ever. I make a point of living by it. It is to astrology what Atkins was to dieting. A really profound read (honestly) and an eerily accurate giggle. I suggest you all read it. Especially you Aries and Pisces bastards (just joking but they get the most scathing write ups!)
This is the main problem that I have with the media in general, and particular with the lads mags.
They are presented as a bit of fun, and superficially they are. They're a good laugh, birds, beer, footy and cars. All fun hobbies.
But the message behind them is a bit more sinister, IMHO. They do objectify women as just another accessory- got the Stella, got the Predator boots, got the TVR, got the bird with big tits. They market themselves as respectable reading material but they are more pornographic than many "top shelf" magazines.
Superficially they are just a good giggle, but if you scratch the surface you find something that perpetuates women as just another accessory. In its place that's fine, but my concern is that it teaches boys who are very suspetible to media propaganda that it is acceptable behaviour to consider women as just another must-have accessory. They teach that its important to be seen with the "right brand" of woman, and I think that's really unhealthy.
As much as they undermine women, they also undermine men. If a young man is repeatedly told that only one type of girlfriend is acceptable, and only one type of relationship is acceptable, then quite quickly the unrealistic fantasy becomes an unrealistic ambition. If you have unrealistic ambitions of what relationships are like, you're on a one-way road to depression and disullusionment.
1983, I don't think it is "square" to be concerned by the messages that come along with the laughs.
All "laddism" does is create an "us versus them" attitude between the genders.
The objectification of women makes men depressed and unhappy.
Bollocks. Men want the best looking woman they can get. Always have done, always will do.
Unrealistic expectations abound on this I do agree. It's a general fault with people. Perfection is not only seen as desirable, but actually normal, and anyone who doesn't just do everything perfectly right away is somehow "wrong". It applies to all fields in our culture, not just the media.
The point is defining beautiful in such a narrow and unrealistic way.
Lads mags, and the media in general, go beyond saying "this girl is pretty". They market women as an accessory, and to be a proper man you have to have the right brand of woman. That isn't healthy, as you say yourself.
I didn't get your point.
That was your fault.
Try harder.
One week: "Top 50 Bikini Babes!!!"
Next week: "Top 50 High-street Honeys!!!"
Next Week: "Top 50 Blondes!!!"
You get the point.
What a load of repetitive shite, and yes, they do objectify women.
That said it's a bit hypocritical of me, as theres always a copy (bought by flatmate) on my bathroom floor to mindlessly flick through while relaxing on the throne.
I think that once you take your eyes of the page and look out of your window you can't help but see the world isn't like the one the magazines purport to. You see that every women isn't some perfect 10 air brushed beauty and that the interactions you have with people every day don't even nearly compare to the lifestyle image that is promoted in the mags. It's a little bit of harmless escapism as far as I’m concerned. I find women beautiful and if the girls in question are willing to show their bodies off for my viewing pleasure I certainly don’t need my fragile little mind protecting from visual pleasures of the flesh.
If the argument against them is to protect people from warped perceptions of reality then IMO you are patronising people and insinuating they are unable to think for themselves. I don’t particularly like the Daily Mail, but I also credit people with the ability to make judgment calls.
I won’t argue it wouldn't be nice if I walked out to go to work one day and some buxom beauty was liberally soaping herself (and my car if she was going to do a decent job) up, but I also live in the real world.
I'm just trying to say just because lads look at mags that objectify women doesn't actually mean the lads are going to objectify them themselves.
I'm not saying its wrong to like looking at gorgeous women in bikinis, or that a bit of escapism is unhealthy, but what magazines do is go beyond that.
The point isn't showing off some fit bird in her birthday suit. To argue that it is misses the point entirely.
Although, a lot do. Go to any town centre on a Friday or Saturday night. Talk to your female friends - all of mine have stories to tell of lads thinking its OK to grope them or make comments on how they look.
Yeh but they're just conforming to some sort of "lad culture" that I bet in reality aren't really like that, it's like a load of "chavs" walking about in chav clothing, they're not really hardmen.
The people that do this sort of stuff are more than likely the same people that'll end up meeting their future wife in a pub and she'll not be some blonde bimbo but a normal bird, and I'm sure the same people will treat that wife with respect.
I already said, lad culture. It'll pass I'm sure.
Lad culture which objectifies women.
It was happening a long time before the rise of "lad culture" in the 90's.
And girl power which demeans men, just a phase.
Are you trying to say there's a direct correlation between lads mags and women being groped without permission or something
happens both ways - strangely people only complain when they dont find the person the best looking......
its wrong yes, but a slap sets most pervs off from my experience
Yes.
And if I'm picking up on your suggestion that I use it for other purposes then you're mistaken. I rarely even look at the girl pages, just the mindless readable pub fact type stuff.
How so?
No.
Granted. However, presenting women as sex objects first and foremost, denying that they have subjective experience is not healthy.
Absolute crap.
What about a woman who isn't confident enough to slap? Or has been sexually abused in the past? Is that OK?
So you've never seen a group of girls mouth off about how bad men are and saying all that "girl power" stuff.
What "girl power" stuff? You mean the Spice Girls? Come on...