Wednesday, March 14, 2007

seeing dignity in supposed shameless tv

I used to feel guilty every time I turned on the TV to watch America's Next Top Model. Something about VH1 playing the entire season as a marathon also made it addicting. But having come home to join my sister in watching something similar, The Search for the Next Doll, a series about finding the next bandmate for The Pussy Cat Dolls, I realized why I enjoyed watching shows like these. It's not the opportunity to drool at half-naked women, but discovering that these women are human beings--that they have lives, personalities and feelings. The fact that these shows portray more to women than mere sex objects is what intrigues me; it's something porn and mainstream advertisement fail to portray.

4 comments:

Vanessa said...

I am glad you wrote about this...it is a matter I continue to ponder.

But I have to say, on a small scale, lives, personalities and feelings are portrayed...but I think that is backseat to the fact that these women want nothing more than to be hot, rich celebrities...or incredible models...because its a form of validation (which we all seek in some form of the other)

I have guilty pleasure shows, don't get me wrong. But I think that these shows just advertise this dream, and consciously or subconsciously engrain them into viewers.

And at surface level, nothing is wrong with that...except that is encourages static instead of movement...sameness instead if progressiveness (and marginalizes non-conformers)

And I am so not happy with the status-quo, that non-movement is frightening to me.

I thoroughly believe that MTV is responsible for the demise of our generation.

And I need to share my opinion that guilty pleasure shows are normal and fine and dandy...but there is absolutely nothing okay about "The Hills"

whew that was long

Anonymous said...

Television is nothing more than a propoganda tool used to subjugate thoughtful, critical people into mindless drones. Reality television is a farce. It has nothing to do with reality, unless you're talking virtual reality. See through the personalities, think about the message these shows are portraying, from what standpoint, who are the people funding and creating these lies. Television offers nothing vaulable. Fuel your brain, read.

conbon said...

Vanessa,
That's exactly why I find it interesting to watch these kinds of shows. While I take relief in such mindless TV, I can't help but also analyze what's going on, what's happening to the characters and why- not on that superficial level of "who's sleeping with who," but more so of, "why are the women always appearing to be 'catty' and constantly competing against each other. Of course, these entrenched stereotypes and observations drive me nuts, (which is why I don't bother to turn on the TV much).

But getting back to my original post, my intention was to describe how I couldn't comprehend why I am so against media that objectifies women and portrays them as nothing but sexual objects to be desired while at the same time, I find myself supporting something similar by also tuning in.

In the bigger picture, I agree with you. Sure women have made many advances. But the way we are constantly portrayed in the media continue to hold us back.

conbon said...

green posties,

Even reading has the power to corrupt. It's what you choose to read, and good reads are what have the power to fuel the brain.

The debate is up to what is 'good.'