So, In my sex class we were being asked questions about an article called "Hip-Hop Honey or Video Ho". I kid you not, this is what I get to talk about every Tuesday and Thursday. Any who, We were talking about a couple of different things about females in the hip hop industry and what not and then the conversation took a dramatic left turn. It turned into this idea that the women in the videos have to be ashamed (I am taking liberties here, plenty of people in my class weren't believing this and just being quiet...I'm sure.) Now, 'slut shaming' aside it led to this idea of role modeling. My professor was all, "You know what would be great? If we were all role models for each other and looked to one another for social rules."
No...No that would not be great. And you know what? That's the kind of crap that's been bugging me about Thomas More's utopia and The St.Benedict stuff. I don't like when people need to watch other people to maintain decorum or what not. It probably one of the biggest things about humanity that makes me sad.
To explain, have you ever heard the statement "Why can't you be more like ____?" ? Or, have you ever been in a middle school and have to fill out one of those bits of paper that ask you who your greatest role model is? I have, and it...it kinda hurts. It takes my ability to create myself. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to look up to people or anything but that's not what a role model is. A role model is a person whose behavior in a particular role is imitated by others. I think appreciating someones work and being a fan of them is better than attempting to act like that person. I especially hate that this is a question I'm asked as a child because it assumes that I can only be me because I'm acting like someone else. Do you know how hard that makes high school, college, and the rest of my life to find myself?!
If I went about, curbing my behavior to match that of someone else's I wouldn't be me. I think that we as human can and do unconsciously follow one another's social ques. When your best friend starts whispering you follow suit, when you start to talk like those you're talking to, these are moments where you are changing how you may normally be to what society is dictating. Going to a specific college because your favorite actress went there and believing that will do you good is crap, in my opinion. Other people's decisions shouldn't dictate what you do with yours.
In Utopia this is how the society controls it's people. It expects certain behavior for people of varying ages and then place them near or with those that have the best influence. The youngsters get to sit next to the elders because this will teach them how to act.
Well, I feel like I've sufficiently ranted about something without completely getting my point across. As is my MO. So, like I usually do I'm going to post another video of something. But I'm going to try and tie it in this time! Ok, so if this band had pitched it's idea of being a steam-punk three man acoustic group in Utopia they would probably have been turned into slaves! What? Your saying that I didn't tie that in well at all and should stop talking? SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE AWESOME MUSIC!
I'M STILL YELLING, THIS POST HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NUMBER 643!
I understand being polite and respecting/learning from your elders but you are right. If we have set rules on how to act at all times self expression is limited and you lose your sense of self.
ReplyDeleteI guess I want a balance. I want to be a person that I like. I also want to be a person that Mr. Rodgers would like. So I don't kill bugs and I try to say nice things in between all the cynicism. It's all about finding a balance, I think. You can't live entirely free of social cues, but you can't be entirely controlled by them either.
ReplyDeleteCharles Barkley said it best when he said "I am not a role model".
ReplyDelete