So my mom caught me eating Nutella from the jar today (I used a spoon). Now before you crinkle your nose and comment about how unhygenic it is, bear in mind that I'm the only one that eats Nutella in my family. My mom only buys it at my behest. I honestly don't see why it mattered, but who knows mothers?
This is going to be another one of those "Men are from Mars, Women are just crazy hahah etc" posts. I'm actually trying to stay away from these posts because the whole subject can get quite tired, or degenerate into petty name calling and accusations of who's a biased masculinist etc. This is really actually just a story about a comment one of my female friends made earlier today which many girls (including those that may be reading this) have been guilty of making.
Anyway, this girl happens to live in Illinois, who I happened to got to know over the world of warcraft. I used to talk to her a lot back when she played, but she'd stopped playing a couple months back, jumpin on occasionally for a chat. We were using a chat program that allowed us to talk to each other using mics, and were just chatting about random things. I was discussing the relative merits of Jessica Simpson's music video for "These Boots Are Made For Walking", and how there would be less violent crime in the community if there were more hot girls in cowboy boots and bikinis getting jiggy with hot booty action. So in short, I'm just spouting the same idiotic crap that occasionally gets me labelled as funny.
"Men are so shallow" She uttered. I laughed, because in a way, its true.
"Oh really? I'll have you know I value a woman's personality, superceded only by looks, the size of her breasts, and how easy she is". She giggled, and reiterated her earlier comment.
"See? Guys are so shallow. It's BOYS like you," she emphasised meaningfully, "that cause girls to starve themselves just to look like your Jessica Simpson and Halle Berry and all those 'hot' girls guys like you keep drooling over". I grinned, because I knew where this was heading.
"Are you telling me madam, that women are unfairly placed under pressure by society to conform to ideals and body shapes that are not only unrealistic, but dangerous to their health?". I laughed again. Those words came easy to me. This was a conversation that I had played out a thousand times. Different girls, same conversation. She paused, sensing a trap, but unable to resist the bait.
"Yes!" came the answer.
"Oh? Just out of curiousity, who's your favourite actor again?" I asked her. I was talking to a girl who liked the Fight Club movie mainly because Brad Pitt was super sexy in it.
Another pause. "Brad Pitt..". I am Jack's smug sense of impending victory.
"Brad Pitt? I'm not familiar with him. However, judging by your comments, no doubt he's some ugly guy whom you like for acting ability alone - Oh wait, he has a great body! Now I feel the pressure to go to the gym and work on my abs". She laughed as I teased her abit after that and the conversation soon drifted unto other topics.
While the wording isn't exactly 100%, that is pretty close to what we said to each other, and is the sort of conversation I sometimes find myself being dragged into when my evangelisation of the particular hot celebrity of the month gets to be too much. Anyway, its an oft heard lament. The pressures of society and the shallowness of men place unfair strains on women. Of course most women don't really feel that way all the time, but there will always be one time or another where women will feel that way, and the implication is that men are under no such pressure, or worse, men are responsible for such pressure on women. You see, there is a similar pressure on men too. But quite frankly, men don't give a fuck. Once again, its a simple matter of different ways of thinking.
For example, look at all the men modelling the latest underwear from Calvin Klein, or Hollywood hunks like the aforementioned Brad Pitt, or Colin Farrell which countless millions of women drool over. You could say that these are standards of physical appearance that society encourages men to be. It is safe to say men that look good get more attention from women than other, ordinary looking men. Yet somehow I have never heard a guy complain about how unrealistic those body shape are, and how women reinforce those values and so forth. Men, for the most part, don't care. It actually makes sense, in a way. When you're part of the fairer sex, the curse of the fair is often vanity. These are of course, based on what I've seen and heard, and no doubt there will be people agreeing with me and people disagreeing with me. Men and women often think alike on many things, but its always things like these that reminds you that really, we are two very different creatures cursed beyond all control with the need to be with each other. God has a sense of humour, even though most of us don't seem to appreciate it. Truth be told, I find that often these pressures are actually enforced by women themselves, whether through their own selves or by other women. I find that amusing, though it would illicit angry replies if I said why.
So on Friday night, or more accurately, very early Saturday morning, Peter and I decided we would join the Army Reserve. We were, as is usual when we make decisions like these, inebriated, as is often the result when the better half of the night is spent drinking with your dearest friends, and we had wandered down to Jason Pond to talk because neither of us felt like going home yet. I was idly kicking the sand of what had been the bottom of the pond. I had been lord of water and duck, but in this dry season both had deserted me for better places. I think it was me who had brought it up. I had been thinking about joining the last week or so, and I probably told Peter. We started discussing it, about army life etc, and as we spoke the idea of it became more and more appealing. I remember saying "I'm not cut out for army life. The Reserves is the half-assed option for me", and before I knew it we had both decided to join. Of course not straight away, since I want to make sure I can meet the physical requirements to join, but I am actually fitter than I look, so the only problem I forsee is that I'm probably very underweight for my height. While Peter might change his mind (if you recall we had a few beers during the night), lest I get talked out of it (I am known for these flights of fancy, and someone always tries to talk me out of whatever I'm planning on doing), there is a real chance I'm joining the Reserve. Of course now that I've put it on my blog I'll have to at least look into it, but to tell you the truth I think it's going to be a interesting experience joining the Reserves :P.
Anyway I know my posts have been few and far between, or rushed and hurried. December/January are usually busy months for everybody, so forgive me if (for some reason) you enjoy reading what I have to say, and have found the quality of this blog quite subpar this past couple of months. I haven't really done anything exciting, and lately all my musings have been about God, which is a fascinating topic for me, but often isn't for most people. More and more I find myself believeing that "Men were made in God's own image", and the possibility that we have an imperfect God may explain many of this world's injustices. Not that it matters I suppose, I find that most of you don't read my blog as much during these months anyway (though just enough so they can tell me they read it, and to make sure I haven't said anything bad about them BEC IS A HOMEWRECKER).
Oh yes, for Australia Day. 11.30 at Pete's house. We'll play some cricket, have a bbq, and have a great time before taking the bus down to the Foreshore. Msg me if you're coming so I know if we have to account for you, or ring me if you're going to meet up with us later etc.
we lift our hands and pray over your body
but nothing ever happens
posted by jaseypoo! @ 9:23 PM
3 Comments:
i beg to differ as someone who doesnt get any effects from people like brad pitt, colin farrell and the like. society places more importance on the weight of females than the weight of males. larger males dont get cursed by both males and females in society, but larger females do (regardless of if they care or not).
I guess with all such discussions on things like this it suffers from a huge amount of generalisation. My response to your statement is this:
Large men are discriminated upon by women
Large women are discriminated not only by men, but by women also.
Why is this?
Once again a blanket disclaimer that this is based on my own experiences, and it could very well be that most of the female company I have spent time around (present company excluded) have been total bitches. I guess I was a bit vague since it was more a story with some thoughts rather than a discussion of social values of men and women, but I'll clarify it further;
Societal pressures on the appearance of women largely originate from women themselves (both from themselves and from other women), and not men as is widely believed.
While there are social forces in place that would normally place such pressure on men, these are largely circumvented by male thinking, who by and large place less emphasis on body shapes (whether themselves, or other men)
Colin Farrell, Brad Pitt etc were examples. Please substitute with the Hollywood hottie of your choice, unless they all happen to be overweight and/or unattractive.
I chose you because I like you best! (but don't tell anyone)
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