Why do we view these humans, normal people, as celebrities and princesses? Why is their mere presence an honor?
I'm not completely bashing celebrities because some famous people are FAMOUS for a reason. It's the ones that aren't, or aren't famous for anything worthy (opinion obviously) that it's a shame.
But is it our fault? Yes and no. We are fed news about these people every day, multiple times a day. When you're in the grocery store you see magazine upon magazine with gossip and stories on these people. Their lives are our lives and we indulge in their lives. We want their lives and we read to try to grab on to one little tiny bit of being rich and famous. Now I say yes and no for a couple reasons, one is... someone is making these, and they continue to make them because we continue to read them and eat them up.
It's always been that most people want what they can't have. Not necessarily everything, but there is one thing that you wish you had or wish you were that you aren't, and these people are. And so that's where I say this princess ideal has expanded so much because it's the same ideal of envy and lust of a life you don't have and a person you're not, it's just in a different light.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Effects
The effects that the princess ideal has on women and girls is obvious. At least to me it is. And it's sad.
It's gotten worse as the ideal of what a girl is supposed to look like has morphed. I'll give it to the first princess that it was about beauty and dresses and jewels, that's a dream. But what it's morphed into is how skinny you are, how tan, how big your boobs are, and how pretty your face and hair are. It's no longer about the same thing, for women at least. And unfortunately even little girls are getting fed this nonsense at such a young age that they are made to grow up too quickly.
Recently in a class we watched a documentary that surfaced on this. It was called "Sext Up Kids," and it was appalling.
They start out by showing you the typical little girls playing dress up as princesses and wanting to be Cinderella, Belle, etc. Then before you know it they are putting on make up and wanting to prance around in heels. I can truly say that this is not how I grew up. Watching it with my classmates they all felt the same.
It gets bad enough at my age and teenage years, that it makes me so upset that it's only getting younger and younger.
I can understand why parents are started to stray their kids away from the fairytales we all grew up with, and it's a shame because it's a great part of childhood
It's gotten worse as the ideal of what a girl is supposed to look like has morphed. I'll give it to the first princess that it was about beauty and dresses and jewels, that's a dream. But what it's morphed into is how skinny you are, how tan, how big your boobs are, and how pretty your face and hair are. It's no longer about the same thing, for women at least. And unfortunately even little girls are getting fed this nonsense at such a young age that they are made to grow up too quickly.
Recently in a class we watched a documentary that surfaced on this. It was called "Sext Up Kids," and it was appalling.
They start out by showing you the typical little girls playing dress up as princesses and wanting to be Cinderella, Belle, etc. Then before you know it they are putting on make up and wanting to prance around in heels. I can truly say that this is not how I grew up. Watching it with my classmates they all felt the same.
It gets bad enough at my age and teenage years, that it makes me so upset that it's only getting younger and younger.
I can understand why parents are started to stray their kids away from the fairytales we all grew up with, and it's a shame because it's a great part of childhood
Monday, November 18, 2013
Standards
Where have they gone?
Because honestly I don't see many. Especially when it comes to these people we so longingly look up to. They can get away with murder because they are famous, literally it's happened more than once. And not only extreme cases like this, but they are showing girls that it's okay to dress like a whore and not respect yourself, to be blunt.
Little girls have Miley Cyrus on their walls, wishing to be her, while she's smoking a blunt on stage in less than what you wear to the beach. I know I sound like I'm 85, but as a girl at the age of 22 this makes me so mad. I respect myself, and I slowly see more and more friends and peers lacking that. They will do anything for attention anymore and more is becoming acceptable. And it all stems from what we see on TV and in these magazines, that people copy so they can be like these 'princesses'. Ya know, if they do it, and I want to be them, obviously I should too. If you can't have the money and material items and big houses, then at least try and look like them, right?
And if they smoke pot, you should too? And if they sleep with multiple people, it's cool. It's expanded from the idea that you want to wear pretty dresses and marry a prince and live in a castle. These princesses that we view now are more available to us and we copy them because we want to have their life.
Because honestly I don't see many. Especially when it comes to these people we so longingly look up to. They can get away with murder because they are famous, literally it's happened more than once. And not only extreme cases like this, but they are showing girls that it's okay to dress like a whore and not respect yourself, to be blunt.
Little girls have Miley Cyrus on their walls, wishing to be her, while she's smoking a blunt on stage in less than what you wear to the beach. I know I sound like I'm 85, but as a girl at the age of 22 this makes me so mad. I respect myself, and I slowly see more and more friends and peers lacking that. They will do anything for attention anymore and more is becoming acceptable. And it all stems from what we see on TV and in these magazines, that people copy so they can be like these 'princesses'. Ya know, if they do it, and I want to be them, obviously I should too. If you can't have the money and material items and big houses, then at least try and look like them, right?
And if they smoke pot, you should too? And if they sleep with multiple people, it's cool. It's expanded from the idea that you want to wear pretty dresses and marry a prince and live in a castle. These princesses that we view now are more available to us and we copy them because we want to have their life.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
The power of Disney
There is no questioning the power of Disney. Especially the famous Disney Princesses. Girls room are covered in comforters, dress up clothes, dolls, books, movies, etc. And they always will be. At least I believe so. The classics will never die, and more and more are just being born. I just hope that the little girls who dream to find prince charming get back to the magical reason that they love them and not the superficial reasons I saw in that documentary.
Disney is magic, and that's what every kid wants. That's where I find that the princess ideal is innocent and sweet. It's beautiful and magical. A little girl doesn't view it the way we do, I just hope it stays that innocent because it's such a great part of a little girls childhood. Disney will live forever.
In fact because of this blog, I not only looked up and researched Disney and it's princesses, but I watched a couple of the movies. In my opinion, most of the girls, and princesses in these movies were strong. Think of Belle, she wasn't afraid of an angry beast, or being taken away. Cinderella went against her evil family to get what she wanted, Mulan pretended to be a boy to save her father and went to war. Yes, there are a few such as sleeping beauty and snow white where you can argue that a prince saved her, but many other aspects in the movie shows both as being strong, independent and kind people. I think when people are trying to look for something they block out the other to see the negative. Disney is not at fault.
Disney is magic, and that's what every kid wants. That's where I find that the princess ideal is innocent and sweet. It's beautiful and magical. A little girl doesn't view it the way we do, I just hope it stays that innocent because it's such a great part of a little girls childhood. Disney will live forever.
In fact because of this blog, I not only looked up and researched Disney and it's princesses, but I watched a couple of the movies. In my opinion, most of the girls, and princesses in these movies were strong. Think of Belle, she wasn't afraid of an angry beast, or being taken away. Cinderella went against her evil family to get what she wanted, Mulan pretended to be a boy to save her father and went to war. Yes, there are a few such as sleeping beauty and snow white where you can argue that a prince saved her, but many other aspects in the movie shows both as being strong, independent and kind people. I think when people are trying to look for something they block out the other to see the negative. Disney is not at fault.
Identity
What are these 'princesses' identities of themselves? How do they view themselves? Where does the line stop where you stop envying others? Does it ever? I doubt it.
Lots of questions.
But I find myself wondering about this while I talk about how loved and looked up to they are. I can't imagine they don't have the biggest egos ever, I mean every one wants to be them. To have so many people care about your life has to make you feel incredible...
and then also be horrible. Yeah, you have all these people caring about your life, but you also have all these people critiquing it and everything you do. Every time they step out they have people taking pictures of them. Think about the satisfaction you get when you see a celebrity look fat or ugly in a tabloid, and they have to live with that every day.
I guess it's the price you pay for the fame and the money. At the end of the day these people have so much that we want, but what I think we don't realize is some time we have what they want.
Lots of questions.
But I find myself wondering about this while I talk about how loved and looked up to they are. I can't imagine they don't have the biggest egos ever, I mean every one wants to be them. To have so many people care about your life has to make you feel incredible...
and then also be horrible. Yeah, you have all these people caring about your life, but you also have all these people critiquing it and everything you do. Every time they step out they have people taking pictures of them. Think about the satisfaction you get when you see a celebrity look fat or ugly in a tabloid, and they have to live with that every day.
I guess it's the price you pay for the fame and the money. At the end of the day these people have so much that we want, but what I think we don't realize is some time we have what they want.
Monday, November 11, 2013
FOR the princess ideal
As I talked in the last post, their is a new fight against the princess ideal. But that's not for everyone. A lot of people want their daughter to be the prettiest, and they start that from the beginning. A GREAT example is Toddlers in Tiaras. Which in my opinion is one of the most atrocious shows on television. But nonetheless it's on and it's on for a reason. 1. because just like the magazines we watch and the other reality tv shows, whether we like this or not, we get pulled into it. This is one where I draw the line.
But these mothers want their daughters, even at the young age of 2, to be the most beautiful and best dressed and most liked. And these girls will hold on to this is a couple of different ways. They will either eventually rebel against what they were forced in to, or continue it throughout their lives, only thinking looks matter.
And I've found with friends of mine that I've seen this within their parents, especially moms. They live vicariously through their daughters, whether it's because they were the popular beauty and want to hold on to it forever, or they weren't and want to get a glimpse of what it is like. And so the emphasis on beauty and looks with consume their lives. They will live the life as a slave to the princess ideal.
But these mothers want their daughters, even at the young age of 2, to be the most beautiful and best dressed and most liked. And these girls will hold on to this is a couple of different ways. They will either eventually rebel against what they were forced in to, or continue it throughout their lives, only thinking looks matter.
And I've found with friends of mine that I've seen this within their parents, especially moms. They live vicariously through their daughters, whether it's because they were the popular beauty and want to hold on to it forever, or they weren't and want to get a glimpse of what it is like. And so the emphasis on beauty and looks with consume their lives. They will live the life as a slave to the princess ideal.
Uprise against the Princess Ideal
Moms are pushing their daughters more and more away from the princess ideal. It's leading to weirder and bigger things earlier in these little girls lives. Many moms are upset about what the princess portrays. They believe it just is telling their daughters that they need to be pretty and skinny and wear beautiful clothes and that money and material items matter.
Recently there is a video of three girls watching a girly show on tv, presumably bored, and angry that they are given girly, pretty things just because they are girls, and they go on to build this incredible contraption. This is what's been happening recently. There is a change on how parents want their girls viewed, and even how girls want to be viewed. It's almost as if it's a new feminist revolution. Once again women and girls would like to point out that they have brains and know how to use them.
And this isn't to say that it's all parents feeling this way, and it's certainly not all girls, young or older.
Recently there is a video of three girls watching a girly show on tv, presumably bored, and angry that they are given girly, pretty things just because they are girls, and they go on to build this incredible contraption. This is what's been happening recently. There is a change on how parents want their girls viewed, and even how girls want to be viewed. It's almost as if it's a new feminist revolution. Once again women and girls would like to point out that they have brains and know how to use them.
And this isn't to say that it's all parents feeling this way, and it's certainly not all girls, young or older.
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