One time, many years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine and I don't remember what tape was in the tape deck, but he pointed something out that has stuck with me ever since. It was a heavy metal/speed metal group and he had to point out that when bands like that get playing so far over 200 bpm many of these drummers can't keep up so all they do is bang on the snare. Rat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat*tat on and on ad nauseum. I never noticed it on my own and then once I had it pointed out to me, its all I hear on these bands! Over and over in my ears without being able to hear the rest of the music. The same thing is going on with TV and movies only in this case its my eyes that can't get over being assaulted by the same imagery, again and again and again.
Men are no longer portrayed as men. How many tv shows can you point to that have a strong, capable Man? Now, I don't watch much TV, but it seems that every time I turn the tube on, this is what I see. Looking at these shows, the guy is bumbling, incompetent, lazy, idiotic, etc. Look at commercials, guy gets sick and is a whiny little wuss. I remember growing up and watching movies and TV shows with strong, capable, MANLY men. Heck, even cartoons showed men this way (Popeye anyone?), and the whiny characters were comic relief (Wimpy). Is it any wonder that so many boys today don't know how to be a man? They don't know any better! The lack of good, strong, moral Men as role models is able to be seen in today's society.
I hear on the radio and TV all the time about “deadbeat dads” and males abandoning their families or their children. These are a product of how they were raised and the lack of strong Man models. They may have male role models, but they are not good ones. But then these males get in trouble for being the way they were raised and told to Man Up and take responsibility for their actions. How are they supposed to do this when they have never been shown how?
Now I am not saying that there are no good Men anymore. I am saying that there is a lack of them being portrayed by the mass media. I know for a fact there are good Men out there, but so many people are unable to see this. Those who are actually good Men that embody what it means to be a Man have to put up with the media and others telling them that they are wrong for being the way they are. Those that are not that way but that would be interested are told that it is wrong to be that way.
We need to make room for a real Men to come back into American society.
We need to work to help encourage the next generation to be real Men.
Until next time...
*title poem is "A man's a man for a' that" by Robert Burns.
2 comments:
I gotta laugh on the metal band reference a bit, I still listen to that stuff at 43.
I can't agree more on your views of men in the media, it's disturbing and at times, degrading. I think a LOT to do with the view of men comes from the source of the shows and movies...California and Hollywood. As odd as it seems to us, this is how men are out there, check out the craigslist forums sometime and you'll see exactly what I mean. Shows that don't focus on California are other "city-men" for the most part. The characters on "friends", "frasure", "will & grace", and everything david spade has ever played have ALL pushed real men aside. Outdoorsy manly men are the joke now, like Ned on South Park. It's more than just annoying and degrading, it's a sad sign of the way society has turned.
This all sounds soooo much like an older post of mine!! http://1acreohiohomestead.blogspot.com/2008/09/july-4th-2008.html
I just went back and read your entry and that's exactly it.
But I came up with the idea on my own... don't want ya thinking I swiped the idea or something. ha
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