Saturday, March 29th
I just got back from the new film Divergent. Going into the film, I had no expectations. I knew the film was an adaptation of a book series that didn't catch my interest upon its initial release. I knew it starred Shailene Woodley, a young actress whose career I've enjoyed watching develop. I knew people were comparing it to The Hunger Games. I knew my friends had all seen it and loved it, and I knew that it was being commended for being a film that gave young girls autonomy. What I saw absolutely blew me away, and I left the theater feeling so energized and excited about this film, repeatedly saying to my roommate (who saw the film with me) "This film is so important. This film is so important."
My biggest criticism of the film was the presence of a romance, inevitable in a film (and potential franchise) targeted at teenagers. But the romance in the film was brief. Tris is the main character, and she is Divergent- she encompasses all the traits of the categories the people of the dystopian society she lives in get sorted into. Everyone has a role, must follow the rules of that role. Most do- Tris doesn't. She has to keep this a secret though, because her way of thinking threatens the power structure. All Divergents do. They have the ability to see past the ideologies being pushed onto them. So that makes them dangerous. Tris chooses to become Dauntless, the brave, the protectors. Her love interest in the film is her trainer, Four. My initial objection to this pairing was the power dynamic. Four is in a position of power over Tris. He is the trainer for the Dauntless initiates, those who weren't born into the Dauntless faction. He saves her or helps her in a number of situations throughout the film, which annoyed me because I just wanted to see Tris to save herself.
But what was apparent in the film was that Tris totally could. Tris was brave, and smart, but never heartless. One of my favorite moments in the film is after Tris is rescued by her mother, whom she'd been separated from after choosing Dauntless. There is tension between the factions, with Erudite brainwashing the Dauntless into essentially gunning down Abnegation, Tris' old faction. Because Tris is Divergent, the brainwashing doesn't work on her, but as soon as it's found out that she's still under her own free will, she's chased. Tris' mother helps her escape in an awesome tag-team mother-daughter fight sequence, and it is in this scene that we learn Tris' mother was born Dauntless. Tris ends up shooting and killing one of her attackers. She's in shock afterward, guilty about it, and her mother takes a moment to comfort her, before encouraging her to keep moving. Dauntless are trained not to let their feelings come into play; they are soldiers, fighters, protectors, enforcers. Shortly after, Tris' mom is shot, but she tells Tris she's okay in order for Tris to defend them from the last of their attackers. Once Tris turns around, we see that her mother has been fatally wounded. Heartbroken, Tris openly cries, but she leaves her behind, knowing that she has a job to do.
The message of Divergent was loud and clear: You have a choice. You can think for yourself. You can make your own decisions and fight for what you believe in. Tris is a symbol of autonomy: she is Divergent, the definition alone meaning someone who "thinks differently," someone who doesn't see everything from one side. Divergents threaten those in power; they threaten the hegemony, which is why they are seen as dangerous. The mind control serum crafted by the Erudites doesn't work on Divergents, and they maintain their free will. Tris chooses Dauntless. She chooses to create her own identity when she joins her new faction, using Tris instead of Beatrice, the name she grew up with. When she and love interest Four kiss for the first time, she tells him she wants to go slow. And he listens to her. When Tris takes her final test after Dauntless training, a test that simulates your worst fears, Tris fights back against a Four who pushes himself on her. When one of Tris' friends from training double crosses her and attempts to kill her, she doesn't accept his apology. She tells him, "If you ever touch me again, I'll kill you." Tris is a strong character, and Divergent is a very important movie.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
For my indigenous studies class, I was reading excerpts from Beth Brant's Writing As Witness. In the piece of the same title, Brant discusses the use of the word 'vision,' by white people, and what it means for Natives to have the world and the concept misused. It's alienating, and insulting. While I am aware (after reading) of the Native use of 'vision,' and how white people have commodified the concept, my mind wandered to how I am most familiar with the use of the word; Growing up I watched a show on Disney Channel called "That's So Raven," which centers around a teenage girl who has psychic "visions" of the future. Her tag line, before she looks into the camera and we zoom in through her pupil to 'see' what she sees, is "I'm having a vision."
At first, I thought, "Surely, there must be something offensive about this." There must be a cultural custom somewhere in the world that's being Disney-fied by this. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this show could actually be a good example of othering, and even teaching the audience that othering is wrong, because what we perceive as "other" actually isn't.
Raven is a teenage girl. She has to keep her psychic abilities a secret, but her family and her two best friends know. There is nothing about her that fits the Miss Cleo-stereotype of a psychic, and in one episode I remember they actually do a Miss Cleo spoof, in which Raven is "Madame Talulah," and is the case in children's sitcoms, things go horribly and comedically wrong. Raven can't control her visions, and what she sees is only a tree rather than the whole forest, which is how the plot of each episode unfolds.
"That's So Raven" aired during what I consider, looking back on it, a golden age in Disney Channel programming. The cast was more diverse than other shows on the network, with African-American leading actors. There were also several episodes that dealt with "serious" topics: body image and misrepresentation in the media (in which Raven models one of her own fashion designs and is photoshopped without her consent in a picture to appear skinnier); obesity and fast food consumption; racial profiling and discrimination (in which a manager doesn't hire Raven even though she's more qualified because she's black). The show was funny and interesting and educational, and these episodes have stayed with me even though I haven't seen the show in years.
There were good ideologies there, and "That's So Raven" was a popular show, with high enough ratings to become the first on Disney Channel to be renewed past its 65-episode contract.
At first, I thought, "Surely, there must be something offensive about this." There must be a cultural custom somewhere in the world that's being Disney-fied by this. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this show could actually be a good example of othering, and even teaching the audience that othering is wrong, because what we perceive as "other" actually isn't.
Raven is a teenage girl. She has to keep her psychic abilities a secret, but her family and her two best friends know. There is nothing about her that fits the Miss Cleo-stereotype of a psychic, and in one episode I remember they actually do a Miss Cleo spoof, in which Raven is "Madame Talulah," and is the case in children's sitcoms, things go horribly and comedically wrong. Raven can't control her visions, and what she sees is only a tree rather than the whole forest, which is how the plot of each episode unfolds.
"That's So Raven" aired during what I consider, looking back on it, a golden age in Disney Channel programming. The cast was more diverse than other shows on the network, with African-American leading actors. There were also several episodes that dealt with "serious" topics: body image and misrepresentation in the media (in which Raven models one of her own fashion designs and is photoshopped without her consent in a picture to appear skinnier); obesity and fast food consumption; racial profiling and discrimination (in which a manager doesn't hire Raven even though she's more qualified because she's black). The show was funny and interesting and educational, and these episodes have stayed with me even though I haven't seen the show in years.
There were good ideologies there, and "That's So Raven" was a popular show, with high enough ratings to become the first on Disney Channel to be renewed past its 65-episode contract.
Friday, March 14, 2014
a feminist album review: little mix's 'salute'
Little Mix is a pop group from the UK, formed in 2011 on the The X Factor. The group won the competition, and have since released their second album, Salute. Fun, young, and energetic, the women of Little Mix have always been unapologetically themselves- incredibly hard-working, high-spirited, and dedicated to their fans and the music. The "girl power" attitude that the Spice Girls brought to pop music in the 90s becomes less of a catch phrase on Salute, and more of a contender for what could be considered feminist pop music.
The feminist themes of the album standout especially on "Salute," "Boy," and "A Different Beat." Some of the messages in these tracks include supporting other women (rather than viewing them as competition), intervening when a friend is in a destructive relationship, and asserting one's power as a woman.
"Salute," which opens the album, sets the tone;
Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!
The song encourages unity among women, and standing up to oppression together.
It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
You think we're just pretty things
You couldn't be more wrong
(We're standing strong, we carry on)
Knock us but we keep moving up (we're moving up, yeah)
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake (yeah!)
The song uses military imagery, imagery that is normally portrayed as masculine. Using this metaphor of women as warriors, Little Mix tells their female audience that they are powerful and have a voice, and can fight for their rights.
"Boy" is a track about a relationship, but instead, Little Mix sings to a friend in a relationship with a partner who doesn't value her:
Girl, don't you know you set the tone?
I'll make you stop that, fight backHe won't get away with thatLook who's ringing up your phoneYou wanna call back, leave thatAin't nobody got time for that
It's funny how the tables turnWhen he's the one who's left at homeYou'll find your own real man and go
Forget that boy, forget that boyI know a bad boy ain't good enough for youYou're holding back tears in your eyesBad boy wanna fightBut I never see him fighting for youHe'll never realize what he's got until it's goneAnd he'll lose you foreverGirl, you'll be alright, forget that boy
See what you're worth, girlLook what you've gotHe knows you're out of his leagueIf he likes it or not
I know what you're worth, girlYou know what you gotWe know you're out of his leagueIf he likes it or not
"A Different Beat" contains what I consider one of the most important lines of the entire album: "I've got the right to make up my mind; say it loud and clear for the whole wide world to hear." The song is about not conforming to the ideals society has set for us, and even though we all come from different backgrounds, occupy different spaces, we come together when going against those stereotypes and standards set by society.
Three members of Little Mix are women of color. While representation in the main stream pop scene is still a work in progress, Little Mix, and groups like Fifth Harmony and Neon Jungle, offer more representation to their audiences.
The feminist themes of the album standout especially on "Salute," "Boy," and "A Different Beat." Some of the messages in these tracks include supporting other women (rather than viewing them as competition), intervening when a friend is in a destructive relationship, and asserting one's power as a woman.
"Salute," which opens the album, sets the tone;
Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you're with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute!
The song encourages unity among women, and standing up to oppression together.
It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
You think we're just pretty things
You couldn't be more wrong
(We're standing strong, we carry on)
Knock us but we keep moving up (we're moving up, yeah)
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake (yeah!)
The song uses military imagery, imagery that is normally portrayed as masculine. Using this metaphor of women as warriors, Little Mix tells their female audience that they are powerful and have a voice, and can fight for their rights.
"Boy" is a track about a relationship, but instead, Little Mix sings to a friend in a relationship with a partner who doesn't value her:
Girl, don't you know you set the tone?
I'll make you stop that, fight backHe won't get away with thatLook who's ringing up your phoneYou wanna call back, leave thatAin't nobody got time for that
It's funny how the tables turnWhen he's the one who's left at homeYou'll find your own real man and go
Forget that boy, forget that boyI know a bad boy ain't good enough for youYou're holding back tears in your eyesBad boy wanna fightBut I never see him fighting for youHe'll never realize what he's got until it's goneAnd he'll lose you foreverGirl, you'll be alright, forget that boy
See what you're worth, girlLook what you've gotHe knows you're out of his leagueIf he likes it or not
I know what you're worth, girlYou know what you gotWe know you're out of his leagueIf he likes it or not
"A Different Beat" contains what I consider one of the most important lines of the entire album: "I've got the right to make up my mind; say it loud and clear for the whole wide world to hear." The song is about not conforming to the ideals society has set for us, and even though we all come from different backgrounds, occupy different spaces, we come together when going against those stereotypes and standards set by society.
Three members of Little Mix are women of color. While representation in the main stream pop scene is still a work in progress, Little Mix, and groups like Fifth Harmony and Neon Jungle, offer more representation to their audiences.
Thursday, March 13, 2014
the teenage girl power structure
My Mad Fat Diary is a show that tackles many stereotypes about weight, mental illness, and the teenage experience. It's one of my favorite shows right now for its relatable characters and 90s gimmick, but I think the show also offers a lot in terms of discussion. The show reaches a wide audience- not only teenagers and young adults in the UK (where it airs), but also adults who were teenagers and young adults in the 1990s. Beyond that, the show already has a cult following online all over the world. Unlike fellow British cult drama Skins, My Mad Fat Diary doesn't attempt to be shocking for the sake of showing what teenagers are "really" like- instead, I think the show is successful in showing real problems, and encouraging better outcomes, akin to My So-Called Life, or Freaks and Geeks.
A moment that stood out to me in particular during season 2 so far is in Episode 3. Rae's best friend Chloe has recently started hanging out with the popular clique of girls, and Rae has also been accepted into their group. She faces the realistic struggle of being forced to fit it, having to buy certain "labels," and then facing ridicule when the other girls find out she's wearing knockoffs. Rae witnesses Chloe being treated like a lapdog by Stacey, the leader of the group, and she doesn't understand why Chloe isn't sticking up for herself. What Rae eventually learns is that their group dynamic is an act and a game of power.
At 37:00, the girls are out at a restaurant for Stacey's birthday. Stacey invites Rae and purposefully doesn't tell her they're going for a meal, knowing that Rae can't eat in front of people. Rae begins to panic, but orders a pizza, not ready to back down. Stacey asks Chloe (in a very calculating manor) to get her some spare napkins. Throughout the episode, Chloe is the only person Stacey asks to wait on her. When Chloe asks Stacey, "why me?" Stacey responds that she was only asking "a favor," and, faced with the pressure of being judged by the rest of the group, Chloe agrees. After she comes back with the napkins, one of the other girls, Amy, gets up to go to the bathroom. While she's away, Stacey immediately begins to talk about her behind her back: "Guys- is Amy serious about wearing that trackie top on a night out? I mean I know she's got this whole keeping the street cred thing going on, but seriously, she just looks rough." She then says her trademark phrase throughout the episode, "Someone should say something."
Rae, who felt conflicted about the group throughout the episode, has an epiphany: "That's when I realized- these girls weren't friends. Stacey just wanted people around who had vulnerabilities that she could exploit to make herself feel better. That's why I was there." Rae also realizes that she'd also been pretending in order to be accepted by these girls, in particular, Stacey. She tells Stacey that she doesn't want to be there, or around her. "You're mean," Rae says. "You're not a nice person. You manipulate everybody." Stacey attempts to do exactly what Rae knows she does to keep control of any situation, saying, "This isn't about me, this is about the fact that you can't eat in front of people." Rae takes a bite of her pizza in defiance, and storms out.
At 43:00, Rae and Chloe are sitting at a table at school, when Stacey and the girls approach them. Stacey tells Chloe that they aren't hanging out with Rae anymore, to which Chloe responds, "Sorry, Rae." For a split second, the audience thinks that Chloe is going to side with Stacey, but then Chloe surprises everyone and calls Stacey out on her manipulative behavior, effectively dethroning Stacey's power over the other girls.
A moment that stood out to me in particular during season 2 so far is in Episode 3. Rae's best friend Chloe has recently started hanging out with the popular clique of girls, and Rae has also been accepted into their group. She faces the realistic struggle of being forced to fit it, having to buy certain "labels," and then facing ridicule when the other girls find out she's wearing knockoffs. Rae witnesses Chloe being treated like a lapdog by Stacey, the leader of the group, and she doesn't understand why Chloe isn't sticking up for herself. What Rae eventually learns is that their group dynamic is an act and a game of power.
At 37:00, the girls are out at a restaurant for Stacey's birthday. Stacey invites Rae and purposefully doesn't tell her they're going for a meal, knowing that Rae can't eat in front of people. Rae begins to panic, but orders a pizza, not ready to back down. Stacey asks Chloe (in a very calculating manor) to get her some spare napkins. Throughout the episode, Chloe is the only person Stacey asks to wait on her. When Chloe asks Stacey, "why me?" Stacey responds that she was only asking "a favor," and, faced with the pressure of being judged by the rest of the group, Chloe agrees. After she comes back with the napkins, one of the other girls, Amy, gets up to go to the bathroom. While she's away, Stacey immediately begins to talk about her behind her back: "Guys- is Amy serious about wearing that trackie top on a night out? I mean I know she's got this whole keeping the street cred thing going on, but seriously, she just looks rough." She then says her trademark phrase throughout the episode, "Someone should say something."
Rae, who felt conflicted about the group throughout the episode, has an epiphany: "That's when I realized- these girls weren't friends. Stacey just wanted people around who had vulnerabilities that she could exploit to make herself feel better. That's why I was there." Rae also realizes that she'd also been pretending in order to be accepted by these girls, in particular, Stacey. She tells Stacey that she doesn't want to be there, or around her. "You're mean," Rae says. "You're not a nice person. You manipulate everybody." Stacey attempts to do exactly what Rae knows she does to keep control of any situation, saying, "This isn't about me, this is about the fact that you can't eat in front of people." Rae takes a bite of her pizza in defiance, and storms out.
At 43:00, Rae and Chloe are sitting at a table at school, when Stacey and the girls approach them. Stacey tells Chloe that they aren't hanging out with Rae anymore, to which Chloe responds, "Sorry, Rae." For a split second, the audience thinks that Chloe is going to side with Stacey, but then Chloe surprises everyone and calls Stacey out on her manipulative behavior, effectively dethroning Stacey's power over the other girls.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
lyric analysis: the nice guy narrative
In the world of heteronormative media, the nice guy narrative is a familiar scenario: guy likes girl, girl likes a different guy, first guy feels scorned and unappreciated and blames the girl for not liking him back. Sometimes, by some magical twist of fate, the girl in question returns his feelings, realizing that yes! the good guy was there all along! How silly of her to have ignored him for so long. Other times, the guy pines and wallows and blames his love interest for just not seeing how nice he is, since that's the only requirement women look for in a relationship.
The nice guy narrative is played out in books, movies, television, and music. It spawned the term 'friendzone,' the ridiculous concept that it is somehow the fault of the person in question for not returning the romantic feelings of their admirer, and for only viewing them in a platonic way.
The musical epitome of the nice guy narrative might be Wheatus' 2000 release, 'Teenage Dirtbag':
Her name is Noel
I have a dream about her
She rings my bell
Got gym class in half an hour
Oh how she rocks
in Keds and tube socks
But she doesn't know who I am
and she doesn't give a damn about me
Guy thinks girl is cool, girl doesn't know who he is, and according to him, probably doesn't care. Okay, got it.
Her boyfriend's a dick
And he brings a gun to school
And he'd simply kick my ass if he knew the truth
He lives on my block and drives an IROC
And he doesn't know who I am
He doesn't give a damn about me
Oh, she's already got a boyfriend! Maybe that's why she's not interested? Also, contradictory messages of being ignored by said boyfriend, but also that said boyfriend would care enough to kick his ass for crushing on his girlfriend. Sorry, son, but while I'm a big believer in gun control, I don't really think it's your place to have an opinion on who Noel is dating (especially since it sounds like you've never even tried talking to her!)
I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby
Listen to Iron Maiden, maybe, with me
You're really selling yourself here, man. Sounds like a great date.
I am a dirtbag
She doesn't know what she's missing
ME, ME, ME, I am the VICTIM because Noel won't notice ME and that's HER FAULT for not returning MY feelings. Noel does eventually notice our poor, forlorn narrator, and as it turns out, she's just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like him, with a taste for Iron Maiden too. What a riveting tale.
Sometimes, however, our lonely male narrators do not find that their love interests share a fondness for 80s metal.
Pop punk is notorious for nice guy narratives. The music genre that emphasizes getting out of "this town," and hanging out with your friends is also well versed in love and heartbreak, almost exclusively from the perspective of the nice guy. There is a central theme of the male narrator feeling inadequate or unpopular (which of course, in his opinion, isn't his fault, the world is out to get him), and his female love interest either "out of his league," already in a relationship, or automatically labeled any number of derogatory female terms simply because she's not interested.
These male narrators feel victimized because they want something that they cannot have, and that something happens to be a person. A woman. A girl. So as is the ideology of maleness, it is a woman's fault that she is being oppressed. Thus, as men, they feel they have the right to blame her.
Music and romance go hand in hand with the nice guy narrative, as the thought process is "maybe if I write her this song, she'll fall for me." Fall Out Boy sings in their 2003 hit 'Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy':
I think the presence of the nice guy narrative in the pop punk genre has a lot to do with age- many pop punk bands start out as teenagers. Even bands that don't comprise of teenage boys have the tendency to write songs using the trope, as the mental age of the genre feels about 17. When I think feminist, my mind doesn't spring to 17-year-old suburban white boy.
But the bigger problem with nice guy narrative lyrics is who consumes those lyrics. If you go to a show for any band lined up to play this summer's Warped Tour, the audience will most likely comprise of teenage girls. That audience knows every word to every song. The music they listen to is just one more medium to internalize the nice guy narrative. The pop punk scene has few visible female artists, and those who are visible are constantly compared to one another. While there are true feminist voices in the pop punk scene, and the in the music industry as a whole, those voices are still fighting to be heard over the hundreds of nice guys whining about how unrequited love isn't fair.
The nice guy narrative is played out in books, movies, television, and music. It spawned the term 'friendzone,' the ridiculous concept that it is somehow the fault of the person in question for not returning the romantic feelings of their admirer, and for only viewing them in a platonic way.
The musical epitome of the nice guy narrative might be Wheatus' 2000 release, 'Teenage Dirtbag':
Her name is Noel
I have a dream about her
She rings my bell
Got gym class in half an hour
Oh how she rocks
in Keds and tube socks
But she doesn't know who I am
and she doesn't give a damn about me
Guy thinks girl is cool, girl doesn't know who he is, and according to him, probably doesn't care. Okay, got it.
Her boyfriend's a dick
And he brings a gun to school
And he'd simply kick my ass if he knew the truth
He lives on my block and drives an IROC
And he doesn't know who I am
He doesn't give a damn about me
Oh, she's already got a boyfriend! Maybe that's why she's not interested? Also, contradictory messages of being ignored by said boyfriend, but also that said boyfriend would care enough to kick his ass for crushing on his girlfriend. Sorry, son, but while I'm a big believer in gun control, I don't really think it's your place to have an opinion on who Noel is dating (especially since it sounds like you've never even tried talking to her!)
I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby
Listen to Iron Maiden, maybe, with me
You're really selling yourself here, man. Sounds like a great date.
I am a dirtbag
She doesn't know what she's missing
ME, ME, ME, I am the VICTIM because Noel won't notice ME and that's HER FAULT for not returning MY feelings. Noel does eventually notice our poor, forlorn narrator, and as it turns out, she's just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like him, with a taste for Iron Maiden too. What a riveting tale.
Sometimes, however, our lonely male narrators do not find that their love interests share a fondness for 80s metal.
Pop punk is notorious for nice guy narratives. The music genre that emphasizes getting out of "this town," and hanging out with your friends is also well versed in love and heartbreak, almost exclusively from the perspective of the nice guy. There is a central theme of the male narrator feeling inadequate or unpopular (which of course, in his opinion, isn't his fault, the world is out to get him), and his female love interest either "out of his league," already in a relationship, or automatically labeled any number of derogatory female terms simply because she's not interested.
These male narrators feel victimized because they want something that they cannot have, and that something happens to be a person. A woman. A girl. So as is the ideology of maleness, it is a woman's fault that she is being oppressed. Thus, as men, they feel they have the right to blame her.
Music and romance go hand in hand with the nice guy narrative, as the thought process is "maybe if I write her this song, she'll fall for me." Fall Out Boy sings in their 2003 hit 'Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy':
When I wake up
I'm willing to take my chances on
The hope I forget that you hate him more than you notice
I wrote this for you, for you, so
I'm willing to take my chances on
The hope I forget that you hate him more than you notice
I wrote this for you, for you, so
You need him
I could be him
I could be an accident but I'm still tryin'
And that's more than I can say for him
I could be him
I could be an accident but I'm still tryin'
And that's more than I can say for him
In 2013, up and coming Australian pop punk band 5 Seconds of Summer released 'Heartbreak Girl', a nice guy anthem akin to 'Teenage Dirtbag':
And when the phone call finally ends,
You say, "Thanks for being a friend,"
And we're going in circles again and again
I dedicate this song to you,
The one who never sees the truth,
That I can take away your hurt, heartbreak girl.
Hold you tight straight through the day light,
I'm right here. When you gonna realise
That I'm your cure, heartbreak girl?
You say, "Thanks for being a friend,"
And we're going in circles again and again
I dedicate this song to you,
The one who never sees the truth,
That I can take away your hurt, heartbreak girl.
Hold you tight straight through the day light,
I'm right here. When you gonna realise
That I'm your cure, heartbreak girl?
The girl in question leans on our nice guy narrator for support after her breakup. He of course thinks that the only way she'll get over her broken heart is by falling in love again, and with him. Of course, he doesn't tell her how he feels, instead just wishes that she has psychic powers and will somehow magically know that he's romantically interested in her.
I bite my tongue but I wanna scream out
You could be with me now
But I end up telling you what you wanna hear,
But you're not ready and it's so frustrating
He treats you so bad and I'm so good to you it's not fair.
You could be with me now
But I end up telling you what you wanna hear,
But you're not ready and it's so frustrating
He treats you so bad and I'm so good to you it's not fair.
Frustration because the girl of his affections isn't ready to be in another relationship after getting out of her old one? For someone claiming to be so "nice," the Nice Guy is actually quite selfish. Why be with that jerk you're dating when I'm so nice to you, and we could date instead?
And when the phone call finally ends
You say, "I'll call you tomorrow at 10,"
And I'm stuck in the friend zone again and again
And when the phone call finally ends
You say, "I'll call you tomorrow at 10,"
And I'm stuck in the friend zone again and again
The dreaded friendzone- if only you told her how you felt! But then again, maybe that's the purpose of this whole song. Not sure how effective it'll be when the girl it's written for finds out her "friend" was just being supportive and comforting in the hopes that she'd fall madly in love with him.
I think the presence of the nice guy narrative in the pop punk genre has a lot to do with age- many pop punk bands start out as teenagers. Even bands that don't comprise of teenage boys have the tendency to write songs using the trope, as the mental age of the genre feels about 17. When I think feminist, my mind doesn't spring to 17-year-old suburban white boy.
But the bigger problem with nice guy narrative lyrics is who consumes those lyrics. If you go to a show for any band lined up to play this summer's Warped Tour, the audience will most likely comprise of teenage girls. That audience knows every word to every song. The music they listen to is just one more medium to internalize the nice guy narrative. The pop punk scene has few visible female artists, and those who are visible are constantly compared to one another. While there are true feminist voices in the pop punk scene, and the in the music industry as a whole, those voices are still fighting to be heard over the hundreds of nice guys whining about how unrequited love isn't fair.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
An Introduction
From my senior year of high school to my senior year of college, the majority of the past four years of my education (both inside and outside the classroom) has been about learning beyond what "the media" sells us. From my first wakeup call in Sociology 101, where I learned that I was just another pawn in a much larger money-making game of consumerism, to WGS 310- Feminist Methodologies- where last week's discussion involved queer pedagogy, and the social implications of hair type-- I've constantly been unlearning the ideologies drilled into me from birth, ideologies reenforced by the media I consume.
I am a fan of things- I have television shows I watch religiously every week, films I go back to over and over again, and bands whose careers I follow meticulously, whose albums I play on repeat until I know every line, chord, and breath. I obsess over characters, I argue about why writers make the decisions they make (and if they're fully aware of the impact those decisions have), and whether or not the sound or the image would have gone in this direction if such and such band member hadn't left.
The critical thinking skills that I've learned have hopefully made me a better consumer of media. My thoughts on a show now go beyond the glossy cover of entertainment. What are the messages that are being promoted? Do they promote equality? Are they positive? And for whom are these messages intended?
And what happens when we realize our favorite television shows, films, or music have problematic ideologies? In some instances (which I hope to address on this blog) I've stopped consuming all together; I tune out, change the station, turn it off. I may only be one less viewer or listener, but as a consumer, I have the power to make that decision. But me choosing to disengage doesn't help to combat the cycle of mindless media. Discussion is also a good place to start- making a post on Tumblr, having a conversation with friends, and in general just raising awareness. The main goal of the media is still to bring in as many mindless consumers as possible, but as an audience, we can be active in how we consume what we consume. We can critique the content. We can think for ourselves.
I am a fan of things- I have television shows I watch religiously every week, films I go back to over and over again, and bands whose careers I follow meticulously, whose albums I play on repeat until I know every line, chord, and breath. I obsess over characters, I argue about why writers make the decisions they make (and if they're fully aware of the impact those decisions have), and whether or not the sound or the image would have gone in this direction if such and such band member hadn't left.
The critical thinking skills that I've learned have hopefully made me a better consumer of media. My thoughts on a show now go beyond the glossy cover of entertainment. What are the messages that are being promoted? Do they promote equality? Are they positive? And for whom are these messages intended?
And what happens when we realize our favorite television shows, films, or music have problematic ideologies? In some instances (which I hope to address on this blog) I've stopped consuming all together; I tune out, change the station, turn it off. I may only be one less viewer or listener, but as a consumer, I have the power to make that decision. But me choosing to disengage doesn't help to combat the cycle of mindless media. Discussion is also a good place to start- making a post on Tumblr, having a conversation with friends, and in general just raising awareness. The main goal of the media is still to bring in as many mindless consumers as possible, but as an audience, we can be active in how we consume what we consume. We can critique the content. We can think for ourselves.
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