I apologize for the unannounced hiatus, but there were some things going on in my life that left me without much time or the whatsis to blog. One, I have school and I had to do stuff for that - I wouldn't be a good person to listen to if I didn't at least sometimes put school first. Two, some stuff was going on that was really making me angry. I don't want this to turn into an angry, ranting blog, and other people were saying more on the subject in better words than I could hope for. Then spring break happened and I wasn't really around the computer all that much - probably all to the good. To sum up the hiatus:
And... on to the meat of today's subject! Female role models.
This comes from a semi-conversation had in the Barnes & Noble with my brother when he came to visit for part of spring break. The conversation turned to Disney starlets, particularly Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez. I, personally, would like to go on-record and say I'm not really much of a fan, but I'm not going to give anybody else a hard time. The discussion didn't last long, because we got hooked on looking through books of show-tune and Disney sheet music. This morning, though, I woke up thinking about it, especially with what I talked about with my mom over break.
Does anybody remember the Vanessa Hudgens nude picture scandal? Yes? No? Didn't care? Well, I remember Dane Cook's response to that. I'm terribly sorry, but that was funny... Anyway, a bunch of people apparently got all up in arms because of some things that some Disney starlets did. Miley Cyrus had that whole "oh, let's count down to when she's 18 and see what she does" crapstorm. I'm sure there were other issues that I never even had flip across my radar screen. Made me kind of think, though, after that talk with my mom...
Um, why are we counting on actors and actresses for role models? I do get it - ever since Annette Funicello's days as a Mouseketeer, young ladies working for Disney have had a squeaky-clean image. America's sweetheart and all that mess. Well, I think it's crud. You know what these people are? They're actors. Their job is to get in front of a camera or on a stage and pretend to be stuff. It might be a hooker, it might be an ingenue... Might be a squirrel, for all some directors care! The majority of them, we will never meet or know as people. Why the hell do we want them for role models?
I'm sure some of these actors are awesome people. I'm sure some of them are total jerks. In my mind, that kind of isn't the point. If you are a parent, shouldn't YOU be trying to be a role model for your child? I do get that it's important to be aware of what your children are watching and interacting with, but when "scandals" happen, you know what that is? That's a teaching moment. That's a chance to sit the child down and say "Vanessa Hudgens isn't actually a singing high school student. She's a real person with her own life and the freedom to make her own decisions." Whether or not you agree with what a performer does in their personal life, it's a good chance to explain characters vs. people.
I am not a parent and I never will be, but some things stand out to me. I think that children need real people as role models - preferably, people in their own lives. Me, I look up to my mom and Katie and my brother Jareth and so many other people who are actually AROUND me. People might have a lot less to complain about if we ALL got the character/live person difference through our heads. It is ridiculous to expect Miley Cyrus to behave like her character all the time just like it would be nuts to expect Sir Patrick Stewart to ACTUALLY control people's brains via superpower. Actors are people who happens to live their lives in front of cameras. I mean, that's a whole different can of worms - how much we hear about these people's lives.
My point is that if you want people in your life - your children, your friends, your family, whoever - to have a decent role model, try being one. Try living the way you would like to see other people live. Really examine how much something another person is doing is affecting you specifically - if it's "not at all" or "really not that much" you might want to just let it go. If you have children, teach them yourself. Not "OMG BAN TELEVISION" - actually sit them down and talk to them about what is on the screen. Oh, and my guess would be your average High School Musical-obsessed nine-year-old wouldn't begin to even know that Vanessa Hudgens took some pictures without her clothes on. If they found out, it was probably because some adult freaked out about it.
I'm not even going to go on my whole "It is entirely her business what to do with her body/who to take pictures for/whatever" spiel. Y'all have heard it in various forms already on this blog and Criminal Minds is about to come on. I'll spare you... this time.
Marigold, still in her pajamas after noon, wishing everyone a happy Tuesday with lots of love!
- School gets in the way of doing fun stuff... but I think I probably have to say "Do it anyway."
- I stand with Jane Doe in Steubenville (Stupidville), Ohio because there is no excuse for rape.
- World of pain. Two words: mechanical bull.
And... on to the meat of today's subject! Female role models.
This comes from a semi-conversation had in the Barnes & Noble with my brother when he came to visit for part of spring break. The conversation turned to Disney starlets, particularly Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez. I, personally, would like to go on-record and say I'm not really much of a fan, but I'm not going to give anybody else a hard time. The discussion didn't last long, because we got hooked on looking through books of show-tune and Disney sheet music. This morning, though, I woke up thinking about it, especially with what I talked about with my mom over break.
Does anybody remember the Vanessa Hudgens nude picture scandal? Yes? No? Didn't care? Well, I remember Dane Cook's response to that. I'm terribly sorry, but that was funny... Anyway, a bunch of people apparently got all up in arms because of some things that some Disney starlets did. Miley Cyrus had that whole "oh, let's count down to when she's 18 and see what she does" crapstorm. I'm sure there were other issues that I never even had flip across my radar screen. Made me kind of think, though, after that talk with my mom...
Um, why are we counting on actors and actresses for role models? I do get it - ever since Annette Funicello's days as a Mouseketeer, young ladies working for Disney have had a squeaky-clean image. America's sweetheart and all that mess. Well, I think it's crud. You know what these people are? They're actors. Their job is to get in front of a camera or on a stage and pretend to be stuff. It might be a hooker, it might be an ingenue... Might be a squirrel, for all some directors care! The majority of them, we will never meet or know as people. Why the hell do we want them for role models?
I'm sure some of these actors are awesome people. I'm sure some of them are total jerks. In my mind, that kind of isn't the point. If you are a parent, shouldn't YOU be trying to be a role model for your child? I do get that it's important to be aware of what your children are watching and interacting with, but when "scandals" happen, you know what that is? That's a teaching moment. That's a chance to sit the child down and say "Vanessa Hudgens isn't actually a singing high school student. She's a real person with her own life and the freedom to make her own decisions." Whether or not you agree with what a performer does in their personal life, it's a good chance to explain characters vs. people.
I am not a parent and I never will be, but some things stand out to me. I think that children need real people as role models - preferably, people in their own lives. Me, I look up to my mom and Katie and my brother Jareth and so many other people who are actually AROUND me. People might have a lot less to complain about if we ALL got the character/live person difference through our heads. It is ridiculous to expect Miley Cyrus to behave like her character all the time just like it would be nuts to expect Sir Patrick Stewart to ACTUALLY control people's brains via superpower. Actors are people who happens to live their lives in front of cameras. I mean, that's a whole different can of worms - how much we hear about these people's lives.
My point is that if you want people in your life - your children, your friends, your family, whoever - to have a decent role model, try being one. Try living the way you would like to see other people live. Really examine how much something another person is doing is affecting you specifically - if it's "not at all" or "really not that much" you might want to just let it go. If you have children, teach them yourself. Not "OMG BAN TELEVISION" - actually sit them down and talk to them about what is on the screen. Oh, and my guess would be your average High School Musical-obsessed nine-year-old wouldn't begin to even know that Vanessa Hudgens took some pictures without her clothes on. If they found out, it was probably because some adult freaked out about it.
I'm not even going to go on my whole "It is entirely her business what to do with her body/who to take pictures for/whatever" spiel. Y'all have heard it in various forms already on this blog and Criminal Minds is about to come on. I'll spare you... this time.
Marigold, still in her pajamas after noon, wishing everyone a happy Tuesday with lots of love!
Couple of comments: first, ticket scalping is an excellent example of supply and demand economies, and the fact that a scalper can get six times face value for a supreme court decision is just a reflection of how landmark this will be. You say people suck, I say people are kinda damn smart. Second, I totally agree with kids needing you about kids needing real people as role models. Actors, sports figures and the like will always be heroes. And yes there needs to be a known difference between heroes and role models
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