1) Commercialism. Somehow and someway, this term for the practice and method of commerce and business has been distorted and changed drastically.
Yeah, I'm kinda doing a overarching term here, but I do try to be as close to the entrance of the cave, staring out as much as I possibly can, and for that, I thank you Plato.
Enough digression. I can't have been the only one who's noticed that commercials for toys, movies, that damn digital switch thing, books, anime (If you know what channels to look on.)...they haven't stopped. It's like it was the nineties all over again with these people; products everywhere without the consideration of the financial straits of the time. Everyone condones it because they like the pretty lights and sounds telling them that everything can be changed if they buy this-even if they don't buy it, just for the defense mechanism that is self-reassurance- and society accepts it because the wide populace does as well. Since culture is defined by people and their actions to create society, we've become this consumer culture because we want to be safe. Safety, while nice and good at times, halts our ability to develop...and to be fair, it already has since....I'd say after WWII? I mean, war economy and patriotism fed it for so long, we expected the nation to fix all of our problems if it could fix the world's, and proper commerical investment and overbuying became a pretty quick result of that. If anyone can correct me on that or provide more insight, I'd appreciate it.
(For any of my blog posts, I encourage and respect responders who have more information and knowledge about certain things than I do, because I love to learn and-I hope- so do my readers. Anyone who wants to respond with some intellectual banter to educate us all, I welcome it.)
2) Current Job Market. As an example, I am attempting to get my New York Teacher Assistant Certification; clearly outside my education degree and skills that I learned in college. Why? Because I live in Westchester; a far-off land where children with special needs and developmental disorders run rampant, filled to the brim with parents who need help and schools that need someone to work with these kids independently. Having such issues myself, I can relate to the needs of the parents and the learning capabilities of the child thanks to growing experience with them and formal training. I have already passed my workshops and test, and am now pending my credientals.
It's a big market for tutors right now, as much as it is a market for doing EVERYTHING considering a job via the Internet. I've done several tens of applications and "Apply Now"'s from Barnes and Noble to Home Depot online. They ask very specific questions, and I don't always have all the info because it's hard to get. Way I see it, people need money to stimulate the economy. In order to do that, a job must be gained. Complicating the matter in this way under the guise of "efficiency" isn't going to work....Oh, and for the record, I haven't been contacted back at ANY of these job applications online that I've submitted.
3) Socioclutural issues. Now, I realize I might be making some enemies here, but at the same time, this must be brought up. There is little time for activism and pushing beliefs when there are more pressing matters at stake. I speak specficially to Feminism/Masculism, and certain groups about developmental disorders which really need to shut the hell up. (*coughAutismSpeakscough*)
I'll start with the latter: (Warning: This following statement is an idealist view. I am aware of this, and I am also knowledgeable enough to recognize this isn't happening. Yet, through realistic lens, I maintain it. Please understand this.)
Feminists/Masculists: I'm going to say right now that, as a man and as a human being, I am not in either of your camps because I've made my own. I am a Gender Equalist; I advocate the equal and fair extent, context, and ability of both genders in media and real life that condones to BOTH genders- I think despite our physical and emotional diffrences based on biology and psychology ingrained in us by genetics, we can be equal.
Examples in Real Life:
1) Women and Men can both hold the same aspirations and potential to succeed in a working, serious, industrial world, and also have the right to choose a loving, compassionate, residential world with children and loved ones as they choose in their own lives and sense of perspective, without being influenced by gender roles or pressures.
2) Men and Women are allowed to enjoy their lives as they see fit within the confines of relative law and availability due to other circumstances without other individuals and groups negatively reflecting or influencing those actions through their own words or actions.
3) Both genders deserve the right to any relationships they so desire with another gender in political and legal means. Under this same viewpoint, I also believe that a mutual relationship should exist between the two individuals outside of sexual/romantic perference (Ex: Dom/Sub), where both sides can provide and develop their side of the relationship as much as the other individual can. They both put themselves into the relationship, they both work hard in their own ways-without harmful criticism or a push of superiority- to make it work. Simple as that.
Examples in Media/Fiction/etc:
1, 2 and 3)) Women and Men should be allowed to show their specific abilities and their use to an effect that does not overwhelm or completely disregard the other gender emotionally, socially or physically within narrative context. While I like certain tropes within this desparity and I admit to it, such as the "Distressed Damsel", "Princess Classic", "The Hero", and "The Smart Guy", these tropes not only be attributed to the opposite gender with changes to their name and a couple of shifted plotlines, but SHOULD be used in those manners. I personally would respect someone who did this highly. On that same note, I disrespect and loathe when these terms-switched or otherwise-have gone WAY WAY too far.
Examples: (And yes, I realize they are connected to mainly girls. I am arguing this from the perspective that these tropes would be used on both genders.)
"Standard Female/Male Grab Area" - ...No, just no. I HATE THIS TROPE used in either way on either gender. You need to do more than just grab someone's upper arm to immobilize them for capture, even with intimidation through the threat of pain and suffering. There are so many ways I could argue that someone could get out of this situation that I won't even bother, and that includes the Princess Classic-kind sweet girls and Smart Guy-guys.
"Faux Action Girl/Guy" - If a character of either gender has the means and the ability to fight or contribute to a situation effectively, you should be well-represented. Yes, they can be placed in trouble, but they should also be able to either contribute to their own salvation, or if they cannot, at least succeed in some minor victory or in some progress to that escape. If an author cannot do this, they shouldn't be using this character in such a malrepresented manner.
Addendum: However, when people do not have the sufficient powers or abilities and they KNOW it, they should find other ways to assert some level of necessity to primary characters, but also recognize their place. If something is too big for them to handle, they should back out because of their situation. Recklessness to prove a point gets nowhere.
"Purity Sue/Stu" - No one is this good or kind. Period. Want proof? Look at childhood and tell me that while you were a good child, you also pissed off your parents and people around you. Fact of life, next trope.
"Casanova/nove" - I also call this the Pervert or the Sex-Crazy Jackass who uses his smaller brain. If this character actually did something or acutally seemed to have a good side to him/her that involved mutual compassion while not trying to overstep his/hers bounds or assuge superiority over the opposite sex, I would accept this character. In most of the media I've seen, that doesn't exist. I wish it did.
"Knight(male)/Knight (female) in Shining Armor" - When used correctly, this isn't bad. Generally, this kind of character is done well with someone to balance them out morally as well as in terms of different abilities for a well-balanced duo, yet also regards the Knight's abilities as effective. It is also good when this trope is used with Princess/Prince Classic, but allows for this second primary/sometimes supporting character to show off what they can do as well...without the knight being shocked and worried, thank you.
I'll think of more as they come along, and add them here under real-life or fiction, but it's an unnesscessary argument when we could just work together instead of at subtle odds and work hard to push against these troubled market and political times in ways of emotionally comforting, social, and work-based needs.
And the former one about Autism Speaks, I'll sum up real fast:
See this child who's likely an actor playing an autistic child....Two legs, two arms, that whole thing? Hey, we're people too right? We don't need a cure, we need help and compassion and the means to develop effectively, which exist thanks to developmental psychology. These things happen, and although I respect what you are doing with informing parents and people of the risks and effects the children with this condition will deal with, we can also survive within this world. We can also strive and have goals, and we can also succeed if given the chance. Thank you.
Thanks for reading everybody. More tomarrow.
Mental health studies, sad to say, is one of the slowest members of the science family to develop, especially when you consider that it wasn't much more than 30 years ago that we had literal SNAKE PITS passing as treatment facilities.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta be stronger than most to deal with such things, babe, since we can't honestly rely on science to catch up with us on this one. It's probably going to continue lagging.
Oh, by the way, a little bit of trivia about "Conquest"; the ending most of us see was really the alternate. In the original as written, Ceasar kills the prisoners and ends his speech at "THAT DAY IS UPON YOU NOW!" His mate doesn't stop him.