We Could Be Heroes
By Jonny Ryan
TV, Magazines, Radio, Music, Music videos,
Films and Ads on the back of buses. Facebook,
twitter and pretty much any site that can be
viewed on a phone screen. All of these things
all do the same job. Keep us informed about
media world around us and make money from
doing so.
With this is mind, some of the world’s most
influential figures have been given a platform
to speak to the masses and create a message
for anyone who wants to listen. They dominate
news headlines, Facebook, Twitter gossip, TV
and advertising. And no, it’s not doctors or
writers I’m talking about. It’s pretty much
anyone who makes an unfathomable amount
of money from just simply…existing. or so it
seems.
Take, for instance, The Kardashians. Once
famed for their father representing and
winning the infamous OJ Simpson case in
1995. But since then, his daughters have
Fifty Shades
of Hypocrisy
By Jonny Ryan
The 21st century has been many things. Some
call it groundbreaking, others consider it
something reminiscent of a Greek tragedy
based on the way things used to be. But one
aspect of the 21st century is undeniable. So far,
it has been about change, tolerance and
empowerment.
Be it the marriage equality debate, the right
to euthanasia, abortion, separation of law from
the church, you name it. This century has
focused on those issues.
One element of all this empowerment,
however, is something that has been
something which is now the norm. The
treatment of women equally. Equality for
women is now a no brainer. Any guy with a
become makeup and clothes models, reality
TV stars and figures of the seemingly growing
dimmer spotlight of the Hollywood machine
of a talent albatross.
Some of the most prominent celebs in the
media spotlight are serious party goers. From
woman beaters to coke heads to good girl gone
rabbit twerking monsters to crack heads and
pretty much any form of being an addict with
a massive bank account (something which can
be seen as a get out of jail free card).
brain and a decent upbringing treats women
with the respect which they deserve.
But with this is mind, something interesting
lurks in the corner of social standpoints as of
late. Fifty Shades of Grey. The best selling
book turned film is a box office smash despite
bad reviews from the critics. Simply due to its
original fan base spawned by the books. The
interesting thing is the majority of those people
who attended the film and made it a hit, are
reportedly women.
In an age of empowerment and women
finally being treated equally, women queued
up in the masses to watch a woman being
dominated by a man for two hours. And not
just sexually is she dominated, but
professionally and eventually every aspect of
her life. Which brings forth the question of,
why? Why fight for empowerment while at the
same time watch a film in which a woman is
completely made powerless by a man?
Chalk it up to a cheap thrill of some fantasy
and excitement, but what we must ask
ourselves as a society in a very enlightening
period of humanity is, is it still ‘OK’ to depict
women as objects? Only this time objects of a
billionaires desire and domination. And why
are women queuing up to see it?
On screen, a woman is being tied up and
gagged for pleasure. But in reality, do some
people consider their viewing of the film as
hypocritical and that their rights should be tied
and gagged?
The coming months will tell. As the Fifty
Shades debate from all sides rages on.
These people are considered role models.
With the message behind their songs, films,
shows, clothing line, perfumes, shampoos,
make up, almost anything that can be sold as
a product has been sold, except instead of a
generic everyday brand, their name is on it,
bumping up the price tag.
Product endorsements is not a big deal to the
majority of people, but what does appear to be
a concern is the fact that it would appear that
pretty much anyone can be famous and have a
platform for themselves. This is good news for
anyone with talent. But what about those who
lack the skills?
What happens is you get reality shows about
a gang of 20 something-year-olds going out on
the piles and painting the town red with fake
tan and blood drawn from fist fights they
unavoidably have. And then you have the
viewers of such shows who gain the same
mentality as the figures they see depicted on
the screen and perceive it as ‘reality’. So they
start getting the haircut and the lingo/slang,
and drinking like those people they watch on
a weekly basis. Possibly why you find 80% of
the people in a club to be a wanker if they
travel in packs.
And this is where things get dangerous. If
someone is at a young age and all they see on
television is lads and girls partying, fighting
and fucking 24/7, it becomes socially
acceptable for them to think they too can act
that way. As a generation