The Way The World Works

Me and my friends have been discussing the ideas of maturity lately, and those delusions of grandeur that come with youth.

Being a certain age and being surrounded by a lot of different people, I see a lot of people who think they understand the way the world works, or just that they think they know everything, and for the most part, I think this is a common trait amongst out generation, or just being twenty years old. You’re looking for meaning in things, or trying to make sense because the truth of it is, or at least it is for me, being twenty is scary. I’m going into my final year of university soon and after that it’s go out and get a job and “follow your dream”. This is fine if you want to be an accountant, or teacher, or something that offers a plan. I want to be a writer, and so the instability of that job means an uncertainty in my life for a long time.

But, back on track, people around me who act more ‘mature’ than they should are often the ones who appear most immature in my eyes, because there is also a misunderstanding there. The most mature thing a person can accept, in my opinion, is the acceptance that life is hard and you’re going to have to do things you don’t want to do, so you might as well get on with them. Does anyone really want to clean, pay taxes, or hold down a job they hate?

But, the more I talk about this subject, the more I find out that this isn’t necessarily limited to people of my age group. Many more mature people also either think they have a complete grasp on the world, or fully admit they don’t have a handle on things. Which prompts a question:

When it comes to understanding the world; is the acceptance of ignorance mature?

Again, this is one of those things in which I discuss it as a topic parallel from myself, but once more the truth is I do the same. The very notion that I’m trying to write a blog on the way the world works goes against everything I’m saying, right? But, this is my way of coping. This is my way of understanding that in my little room, on my tiny street in the smallest more insignificant part of the world, I have a grasp on things. Which I don’t. But I need to think that. So, I’m guessing we all do. Right?

"Killing Us Softly: Advertising's Image of Women"

So, firstly I apologise for another related around women’s rights, but it’s a topic I’m feeling very passionately about lately.

Secondly, I apologise because this isn’t going to be a blog. It’s more of a, “please watch this video because it is important”-kind of post.

I came across the video a couple of days ago and since then I‘ve been thinking about it a lot. It’s not a big expose or big reveal, but it’s talking about demand from women in the media in a very candid and openly honest way. But anyway, rather than discuss it, here is the video to watch.

The Cat, The Widow and The Mockingjay: The Plight of the Female Action Star

Whilst I am in no means the first person to say this, it is still something I believe that needs to be addressed. I truly hate the attitudes towards actresses in superhero or actions roles in today’s media. 

We are finally at a place where there are a plethora of strong female characters, not only starring but also leading action films. We have Katniss Everdeen, Selina Kyle, Black Widow, Evelyn Salt and Snow White; all strong characters in cast of men and showing they can kick just as hard as the boys. We see these characters pull off stunts that are, in most ways, far more impressive than those of their male counterparts. And in interviews when men are being asked about how they prepared mentally for their characters, and how their “Hulk is different from other Hulks”; women get:

“How do you fit into that costume?”

I shudder every time an interviewer asks this, and you can see the actress resent it. Why should Scarlet Johansson be asked about her figure when Tom Hiddleston is discussing the psychology of his character? Anne Hathaway was actually asked how much weight she had lost to fit into her Catwoman outfit! Not about the vocal work she did to lower her voice (Tom Hardy wasn’t the only one who had a vocal transformation. Yes, Hathaway’s wasn’t as prominent, but it’s hard work to lower your voice.) Another question Hathaway was asked was how did she run in her characters signature knife-blade heels, and if her role in "The Devil Wears Prada" helped at all? The only thing journalists seem to be interested in is the physicality of the actress. Not the strength, or psychology behind the exterior.

Another instance of this was the highly controversial discussion over Jennifer Lawrence’s weight in “The Hunger Games”. Now, the argument was that Jennifer Lawrence’s figure was too full to play someone who was supposed to be living in poverty. Now, I’m not going to discuss this argument but simply ask, why was nothing said about the weights of Josh Hutcherson, or Liam Hemsworth? Both of who added muscle to play their parts? 

 

Why is the media so obsessed with sexualising these characters and the actresses? Do they believe that this is what women want to read, or all that women care about? Because, even as a male viewer, I don’t care about how good these women look in skin tight lycra! I care about how they shaped a character mentally, and how they bring originality to roles. I care about the professional relationships with director and the fellow actors.

So, journalists and interviewers, please stop sexualising female stars, and start respecting them for the talented actresses that they are. Otherwise, what is the point of having strong female roles, if we are going to not treat them as equals?