"The young men talk about what it is like to grow up learning about sex from porn, and how it is not helpful to them in trying to figure out how to be with a real woman."
There is absolutely nothing to figure out about sexual desire. When did insecure, clumsy experimentation go out of style?
The creepy part is that "real woman" doesn't simply mean "in-the-flesh gal" for Naomi. It means something more like "self-taught psychotherapist who bakes bread and only wears clothing that breathes."
Come to where the flavor is. Come to LENA.
at January 16, 2004 6:45 AM
Yet another classic example of the victim mentality pervading a lot of modern feminist thought, IMHO: women are at the mercy of The Big Bad Media, which seeks to undermine their Self Esteem. Ugh. I resent the implied suggestion by all these grand feminist conspiracy theories that women are incapable of thinking for themselves and must be defended against the sinister forces which seek to strip them of...their sense of self-worth? Who knows?
So much of the modern feminist doctrine is so much hokum, anyway. I suppose Naomi Wolf's hope is that by the time readers hit the heavy "academic" jargon, they stop paying attention to what's being said.
M
at January 16, 2004 7:59 AM
Good post & good comments. Well put, Lena.
The foolishness about sex that young men learn from porn and pop culture is complemented by the patronizing stupidities which young women harvest --always in bullet-style lists-- from women's magazines. So I agree that while Wintour remains blameless in the final analysis (as does Guccione), they're both full of shit, and we should say so more often.
crid
at January 16, 2004 8:11 AM
I feel oppressed because of the media image of the male ideal as having perfect abs. Can I ban all boy bands now?
This is both hilarious and creepy:
"The young men talk about what it is like to grow up learning about sex from porn, and how it is not helpful to them in trying to figure out how to be with a real woman."
There is absolutely nothing to figure out about sexual desire. When did insecure, clumsy experimentation go out of style?
The creepy part is that "real woman" doesn't simply mean "in-the-flesh gal" for Naomi. It means something more like "self-taught psychotherapist who bakes bread and only wears clothing that breathes."
Come to where the flavor is. Come to LENA. at January 16, 2004 6:45 AM
Yet another classic example of the victim mentality pervading a lot of modern feminist thought, IMHO: women are at the mercy of The Big Bad Media, which seeks to undermine their Self Esteem. Ugh. I resent the implied suggestion by all these grand feminist conspiracy theories that women are incapable of thinking for themselves and must be defended against the sinister forces which seek to strip them of...their sense of self-worth? Who knows?
So much of the modern feminist doctrine is so much hokum, anyway. I suppose Naomi Wolf's hope is that by the time readers hit the heavy "academic" jargon, they stop paying attention to what's being said.
M at January 16, 2004 7:59 AM
Good post & good comments. Well put, Lena.
The foolishness about sex that young men learn from porn and pop culture is complemented by the patronizing stupidities which young women harvest --always in bullet-style lists-- from women's magazines. So I agree that while Wintour remains blameless in the final analysis (as does Guccione), they're both full of shit, and we should say so more often.
crid at January 16, 2004 8:11 AM
I feel oppressed because of the media image of the male ideal as having perfect abs. Can I ban all boy bands now?
LYT at January 16, 2004 7:15 PM
LYT writes: Can I ban all boy bands now?
Only if you promise to start with the Backstreet Boys.
Patrick at January 17, 2004 6:32 AM
And to spare my fiance Justin.
Lena Timberlake at January 17, 2004 8:42 AM
You don't see much of the Backstreet Boys anymore- maybe your wish has already come true, Patrick!
Kate at January 17, 2004 10:13 AM