So, the chicken came first because the egg had to be laid. But, for chicken to exist it would have had to be born from the egg? And so on, so on, so on. The same debate could be applied to a lot of scenarios: did the artist make the art, or did the art make the them an artist? Do we shape our opinions, or do our opinions shape us? Does the mirror show who we really are, or do we only see what we want to see when we look in that mirror? Yet, I find the most provocative chicken-egg debate now is surrounding the media’s influence on society, or maybe, society’s influence on the media.
The media has always been a part of our community; with developing communication comes a developing media - from printed scrolls to what is now streamed on our television and mobile phones, there has always been that underlying force providing us with surveillance. Its much like how we have always had our own views and opinions on certain affairs within our society, but along with the rapid advancement of the media has come partnered with the rapid growth of our confidence to voice and share our views – and with developments such as UGC (User Generated Content) with our blogs and our personalities we portray on Social Media, it is very difficult to argue against the idea that we are an active audience and the media has little influence on us. However. Our eagerness to argue that we, as a community of individuals, are the overriding force in society against the media is actually fuelling the argument that the media will always have an effect on us. We feel that to establish our importance and to have our opinion accepted, it must be presented through the media. And because of this dominant force, we remain to be an active audience, but in a thick bubble of hyperreality that hinders our ability to think past what the media is presenting us daily. So, does the media reflect society? Or does society reflect the media? Baudrillard says so. Through the media’s efforts to captivate and entertain a mass audience, certain identities and certain social situations are exaggerated to the point we have become unable to distinguish that difference between the simulacra and reality. This is common in the younger generation and celebrity culture; a devoted follower of the Kardashians then indulges in expensive brands, promoting curvy figures on Instagram and releasing sex tapes just so they can live the life of a hyped celebrity, but what are they missing? Undoubtedly, a lot – intrusive paparazzi and media figures, restricting lifestyles and pressures of filling a certain role to please the public. The spoilt, the “extra” and the glamourous we are exposed to when “Keeping up with the Kardashians” is a prime example of a simulacra us audiences choose to endorse. But whether the media is attempting to reflect society is ambiguous. I find it a somewhat terrifying thought that the cultivated representation of a mental illness is madness, instability and depravity, or that our News channels continuously roll the same theme of world terror and extremist violence, is subsequently painting a biased image of society and is making people fear what is outside their front door and corrupting their morals. All this is resulting in an increasing lack of social mobility among our budding generations as they fear to venture further into a “cruel” and “sacrificial” world. I would never go the extent of saying we are a wholly passive audience – I believe with the educational opportunities and benefitted upbringings most now have access to, especially in our culture, our innate sense of what is right and what is wrong is brought to book. But am I believer that the media is massively controlled by a one-sided, powerful force? Most definitely. Our open and progressive society has also remained to be a very materialistic one, that Marxist theory has proved to be exploitive on the behalf of the wealthy and prosperous. With cultural imperialism favouring especially the US as a media superpower, the working classes are submitted to false consciousness of capitalism; we are blindly accepting the “norms” of a society divided by wealth, class, race, religion, and so forth, and endorsing this inequality by consuming its media. The chicken or the egg debate will still remain unanswered for me, but I am confident that the media will always be a dominant force in our world as much as we want to believe we have progressed into a more empowered community or as much as we want to deny it. It’s difficult, especially with it being so prominent in most values of society (entertainment, education, forming and maintaining relationships, enforcing law), for it not to have such effect and it is it’s growing effect that we should be wary of.
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3/17/2018 1 Comment The Bigger PictureDoes anyone else get into those moods where they feel like running away? Those moods where they feel like leaving behind all responsibilities and issues and starting fresh somewhere new? Maybe somewhere hotter? (especially with this 'beast from the east' blessing us with blue hands and black toes). Maybe somewhere more exciting? Maybe somewhere filled with more opportunity? But, most of all, somewhere different, where we are distracted from all those 'responsibilities' and 'issues' we once had. Like the teenage drama queen I am with raging hormones and mood swings, this last week has consisted of me being in that mood. Right now, I would love to run to a hot little Greek town and stroll around of the sight-sees in a bralet and shorts, marveling at my Polaroids drinking cocktails in quaint little outside bars. Care-free. Get me away. But, despite how much we anticipate running away and leaving all behind to be the most idealistic response to our little life traumas, leaving behind our issues doesn't make them no longer issues and running away from our responsibilities doesn't make them no longer our responsibilities. Below, is that little Greek place I would love to be right now, by the way... Why I feel 'low' sometimes: feeling 'detached' from my family (acting like a hormonal nuisance to my parents and feeling isolated from some of my siblings); feeling like an 'add-on' to my friendship group (worried that I'm an inconvenience or cautious over offending anyone with my verbal diarrhea); losing friends; insecurities over my appearance (not wanting to inflict harm on to my body but also not wanting to become unhappy with it again); feeling inadequate or 'second best' to people who seem to have lost interest the more they have gotten to know me; concerned that the University and the course I have chosen wasn't the best choice; worried about failing and getting stuck into some Sisyphean capitalist lifestyle where I work unhappily all my life just for my life to end with no worth. As you can see, they get a bit far-fetched. And most of the time, as I woefully sit here writing blogs and listening to depressing Snow Patrol songs, I just give myself excuses to feel sorry for myself. When I should just... Okay, so times are a bit stressful at the moment. The older and the wiser may read this and think that such 'problems' are so meaningless and minute - which is probably true. But they are like little building blocks which sometimes get a little too much. There's no doubt that getting a little stressed sometimes is possible at the age of 17. I'm at an age where I'm being pressured into thinking about what the heck I want to do with my life - trust me, I thought I knew, and that was until someone asked me to set it in stone. And it's not like any industry is easy to get into nowadays, despite what experience or qualifications you have. Living in our world is painted out to be like a competition and schools are preparing us for this 'survival of the fittest' game - who will go the furthest and who will have the mostest?
Now, that is a big responsibility and a justified reason to stress. So, with that in tail, everything else happening in your life will seem just as big and important, when it really isn't. Look at the bigger picture. I have been alive for 17 years - it was only 10 years ago I was playing with barbies and watching the Tinkerbell movies on repeat. I'm still young - and I should embrace it and make the most of it while I can, while my only responsibilities are my own happiness and health, not balancing mortgages and families when it comes to it. In the bigger picture: people's opinions of me, and whether they choose to like me or not, really doesn't matter. Popularity and being 'liked' has no effect on 17 years worth of ambition and aspirations. At the end of the day, it is when I'm feeling most confident and refreshed that I don't care what people think of me or what I do. I'm aware I can be a moody bastard, who's a little arrogant and speaks her mind and strongly stands for what I believe in. So, why should I use 'not being liked' as a reason to be low when I am feeling low when I wouldn't lose time dwelling on it when I'm feeling most positive? In the bigger picture: losing motivation is a common thing, but there's "I can't be bothered to go to the gym tonight", then there is "I give up." In this bigger picture, if in the situation where I didn't quite achieve what I hoped to, I would much rather be in that situation knowing I tried my hardest and kept at it, and didn't just waste years and years of endless dreaming and ambition, instead of knowing that I gave up and essentially not knowing where I could have ended up. At least then I can justify where I have ended up, and come to the conclusion that that certain life path wasn't quite for me and move onto bigger and better things. In the bigger picture: those reasons to be happy which you waited to be chucked at you will never make you feel as fulfilled, only when you find yourself reasons to be happy will you be at your best. Much like with motivation - it's abstract, it's not a physical thing you can touch and see. Hypothetically, it's impossible to 'look for' as well is it impossible for it to be given to you. It's a mindset which something particular creates for you, and only you can determine what those particular things are - no one else. In the bigger picture: get a grip. Have your cry and get over it. Stop trying to give yourself reasons for feeling low - just accept and move on. Embrace youth while you're healthy and free. Make your responsibilities to yourself and your own mentality. Do what you have to do to make sure you're in the best and most well-deserved place possible. Make sure you realise that, despite what people tell you, your life does not have to go down one chosen path, and that you may come across many different paths along the way to guide you in all sorts of different places. Make the only place you want to run to the best future for yourself. And most importantly, stay happy, stay healthy and stay motivated. And cheer up, it might never happen. Why I should feel happy all the time: I have family members who support me and always there for me despite my decisions; I have a closely-knitted friendship group with no dramas and we all click and get on so well; I know who the genuine people are in my life; I am soon going somewhere I love and where know I will be happy doing something I enjoy and I am good at; I am slowly progressing into a much healthier mentality and I am no longer falling into unhealthy habits, treating my body the way it deserves to be treated; I have stamina and am verbally strong, so I pray to god for anyone who gets in my way. Jem xx 3/10/2018 2 Comments International Women's DayThursday 8th March. International Women’s Day. A day celebrated by women and men all over the world, to appreciate female achievements throughout history and across the globe. On this day, we hold our glasses up to a gender, which was once considered the subordinate, the insignificant and powerless, who have made such remarkable advancements in social, economic, cultural and political equality in society. There is no doubt that such societal amelioration couldn't have been as effectively achieved without certain members in our community, both historical and modern, striving to make a change and standing strong for what they believe in. The Suffragettes, and their both peaceful and radical movements towards achieving a woman's right to vote. Eleanor Roosevelt, taking advantage of her title as First Lady to take inspiring actions on female equality in the working environment - giving them a stronger voice and security in our Capitalist society. Maya Angelou, using her persona as an African-American female and her powerful voice as a writer to attack both racial and gender discrimination. The list could go on and on, and I hope more and more activists can be added, because although (especially in our country) women have reached a respectable equal place in society and have been in such a place for some time now, other cultures in the World have not quite reached the same outcome. Therefore, I am in complete support of dedicating this day to female empowerment to both appreciate all the hard work orchestrated by certain figures since the First Wave Feminist movement and to give hope to women around the World who we have not quite reached out to. And to support this day, I have seen all over social media, people honouring the women they are most inspired by: their mothers, their friends, their partners, their role models and mentors - and it's refreshing to see people appreciating those outside of the 'media's eye' and the celebrity campaigning, because the little personal acts of female empowerment are just as important as the global ones. So, let me briefly do the same, and honour the following women in my life: my mother, both my nannas, my sisters and my friends, who each support me and keep me grounded in their own unique ways - whether through providing me with motivation, reasons to smile, reasons to laugh and means to have ambition. However, it is not only these women in my life that make me the woman I am today. And brings me on to the main point of this article I am writing, and that is that men should also be included in the celebrations and appreciations on International Women's Day.
I refrain from digressing into too much of a political rant over who I would normally refer to as "Feminazis" or the disciplinary Divas that some modern day feminists shape themselves as, critiquing men and turning an equal society in a Matriarchy (which is just as poisonous as our once Patriarchy). But, I do feel that men seem to be getting the brunt of some feminist movements that have been occurring recently. Since feminism has become such an important topic in society, it has also become equally as prominent in the school curriculum (through studying feminist literary texts, social constructs of genders and the female role in the media) and it makes me feel uncomfortable to witness a male feel uncomfortable when such topics are brought up (purely out of fear of having an opinion on it in case of extremist-female accusations). Although historically seen as the most dominant gender, having most control over and responsibility for subverting the female role, such societal amelioration since has caused men to support female empowerment as well. Real and effective feminism is not about women superiority and acting revengeful towards men, but it is about equal rights and opportunities for both genders - allowing both to have voice. And because of this, I feel it is not right for a man to feel inadequate and uncomfortable when it comes to feminism. Those in society who maintain traditional, discriminatory values are not only male, but females as well - some even that mask themselves as feminists, but among their extremist ideals, are producing dangerous sets of values that restrict women of particular identities and making certain roles in our community feel out of place (for example, Germaine Greer and her trans-phobia, and her strong opinions on contraception which could be seen as limiting women of their sexual freedom). If we are going to celebrate these famous feminist figures on International Women's Day, we should then be celebrating the male famous figures that also have had their contribution to female empowerment - as they prove you don't have to be a woman to be a feminist. Prince Harry, "When women are empowered, they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them - their families, their communities, and their countries. This is not just about women, we men need to recognize the part we play too. Real men treat women with dignity and give them the respect they deserve." Will Smith, giving his daughter identity and control over her own body from a young age, teaching her to grow up knowing that the only person in charge of her is herself. Ashton Kutcher, addressing the importance of sexual freedom and confidence among women outside of reproductive needs. Barack Obama, supporting the Times Up campaign and refusing to give up the fight against pay discrimination. And again, the list goes on. I've written this article from a reasonably feminist perspective, although (like said before) I identify myself as more of a equalist (which I feel has a broader approach to equality, between genders, race, sexuality etc.) So, I am about to add some controversy to the media feed surrounding International Women's Day and honour the male figures in my life who have also made me the woman I am today: my father (who has taught me the importance of having a strong work ethic and being independent and has mostly encouraged me to embrace who I am and what I believe in), both of my grandfathers (who have also supported me and showed me strong paternal love), my friends (who prove that a valuable relationship between a man and a woman does not have to be based on romance) and even my brother (who has showed me there is nothing wrong with vanity and self-confidence, and that sometimes you do just have to be a dickhead to get things done.) So, both men and women should be encouraged to celebrate such an anticipated day, because, as a united and equal force, we are much more stronger and effective. 2/24/2018 0 Comments Diet and DifferenceNo culture is more prestigious, and no culture follows the “right way of life” – for there is no right way because there is not a right candidate to define it. Therefore, there is no correct fashion, correct beliefs nor is there a correct diet – but there is a correct way to approach them, and this is respect. At the moment, I believe veganism has become the new feminism, a widely discussed and debated attitude to life that has resulted in an unfair stigma against those who follow it – arrogant and inconsiderate diet extremists, which is unfair to those who would just simply prefer to live and eat that way. But I do not mean this to completely be aimed at vegans, but it is simply more prominent at the moment.
However, I have noticed certain people in society to be inconsiderate to other people’s diets – like prejudice against people for “supporting animal cruelty” by eating meat, which is not applicable to every case. As a meat eater, I do not agree with the way of which animals are bred and killed for food, yet I am aware that through eating meat I am, in a way, condoning the issue BUT I am not supporting it. I do not support the way in which they approach it, not like I can think of a better way to do so on the spot; I have the modern attitude to wearing animal fur and skin for clothing, I do not necessarily support this but I can understand that it was prominent in trends of an older generation; I certainly do not support cosmetic or medical animal testing. A typical argument of a meat-eater is that it is a part of the circle of life, like being a part of the animal kingdom, something we do in order to survive, like survival of the fittest – which is something still relevant for humans also in terms of wealth and confidence as well as health. Although not a necessity, meat can be healthy for you in moderation like most things, but there is other sources of protein and some people are content to not have it in their diet – which is just as acceptable as having it in it. In a big happy healthy community, we preach for self-confidence, and in a part of that we encourage people not to deprive themselves of what they want and essentially give your body what it wants. By this, I am not saying I can not live without meat in my diet, but I am saying it is something I would like in my diet, and by eating it I am giving my body what it wants. Therefore, I should not be made to feel guilty for giving my body what it wants, nor should I make others feel guilty for it – hence a mutual respect for however people wish to approach life. And many people I surround myself with are vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans etc, and I support their decision to follow that particular diet, because unlike me, they do not wish to have meat or other animal substances in their diet, and in return they respect that I do. Again, this does not just apply to non-meat eaters, but to any person with a different diet – and no-one should be made to feel guilty for what they choose to eat if it is done moderately and healthily (because a difference in ones diet can be due to many things, like culture, religious beliefs, allergens for example, and these are things we have been naturally brought up to respect). So, even though you do not believe in what others may believe, and you may not fully understand it, that is not reason to not respect it and no diet should be persecuted. 2/23/2018 0 Comments Emma“IF YOU STAND FOR EQUALITY, THEN YOU’RE A FEMINIST. SORRY TO TELL YOU.” It looks like our Beauty won’t halt on tackling society’s Beast: inequality. And there is no wonder why. It’s no wonder actress and activist Emma Watson is a role model for many young women today. There’s no doubt that she’s the Belle in the celebrity ball, and her intelligence and intellect evidently hold no boundaries, from her straight A grades at GCSE to her bachelors degree in English Literature - and, by god, does she have stamina... From the moment she mastered her first spell fixing Potter’s glasses as gregarious Granger to the moment she baffled the ballroom as bookish Belle, she’s had no trouble battling society’s expectations on the role of a female. Until now. Until the moment a critic dared to question her feminist ideals after a flaunty image of the actress is shown in Vanity Fair magazine. But does that stop our Emma? Absolutely not. “I really don’t know what my tits have to do with it.” Watson states during her BBC interview with Beauty and the Beast co-actor Dan Stevens, “Feminism… it’s about freedom, it’s about liberation, it’s about equality.” Emma is no ordinary female. She is a Watson Woman. And a Watson Woman believes no woman is ordinary. She makes intelligence more sexier than before, diligence endearing and independence thriving. She has no shame nor regret “I’m so thrilled about how interesting and beautiful the photographs were.” (she states, despite the blow to her beliefs and values by mischiefs of the media, she admires the work behind her latest shoot, whether breasts are in sight or breastsare in mind), she thrives on individuality “I truly truly believe that beauty is something that comes from within”, AND she waits for no-one. “If not me, who? If not now, when?” I really could not have said it better myself, Emma. In July 2014, Watson was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in honour of her passion for women’s rights and then her involvement in educational opportunities for females around the world after visiting countries such as Zambia and Bangladesh. Her motives, however, were clearly outlined in her ‘HeForShe’ speech to the UN headquarters in the Big Apple New York the following September, where she stated that “fighting for women’s rights has become too synonymous with man-hating” and she shows full confidence in her opinion that “this has to stop!" Watson speaks out to many individuals within society, and subconsciously heals the split between certain feminist ideologies—which is known the be between the pro-feminists and the anti-feminists, also known as those who type-cast feminists to the extremists who seek male redemption and women superiority. The Harry Potter actress… oh wait , Watson (sorry, Emma...) backhands this type-casting—almost to the point we forget that women were ever at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Because she enforces a new wave of feminism: one that appreciates how far women have come, one that embraces equality for both genders, and ultimately, one that changes the image of a feminist from being a repressed angry spinster with her top-button done up to, well, anyone that makes up our community. The sure-footed and sexy, the intellect, the illiterate, the power-hungry and the preacher, man or woman, witch or wizard—everyone and anyone can be involved in this wave of feminism. Like the new generations’ Carol Anne Duffy, Emma Watson is ‘the World’s Wife’ and she’s giving women a voice and questioning all obedience, sexual repression and dependency that historical gender ideologies had foreground for the female population. And women are becoming more confident in themselves and are beginning to embrace womanhood and all the natural amenities that come beside it—maternity, strength and passion combined. So, Emma, we support you and we have no doubt in your feminist motives, and no critic nor photo could ever change that—breasts or no breasts! |
Jem DuttonStudent Blogger. Archives
April 2018
CategoriesAll Current Affairs Lifestyle Narrative Journalism Opinion Articles Personal |