Friday, August 30, 2013

My eyes! My eyes!

I have to say that I am so over this week's unofficial blog topic.  

I am so done with the Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke talk. 

I get it.  Their award show performance was distasteful, alarming and offensive.  The twerking (is that really a thing...?  Like, really?!) was too much.  Robin Thicke certainly came out looking like a dirty old man; Miley a skank sad, damaged girl, possibly headed toward some sort of a breakdown with her fuck-the-world-I'm-no-role-model attitude.

But let's move on, shall we?

Overall it was a lame attempt at entertainment, with poor dancing, poor singing, and really terrible wardrobes, that jacked people up and got them talking.  People like YOU.  And ME. And damnit, it's nearly a week later and we're still discussing it.  Hats off, then, Miley and Robin. Obviously, that is what you wanted.  

But I have read blog posts in the form of letters to daughters - Let Miley Cyrus Be A Lesson to You, and letters to sons - Don't Let Robin Thicke Be A Lesson to You.  

And while I understand the senitments, how about "Don't let Hollywood "Entertainment" be a Lesson to You"?  How about don't worry about what those morons on TV are doing?  You know if it's inappropriate behaviour to follow, right?

Your kids will only act that way if YOU show them that it's ok. Those lessons come from home, people, they need to learn to differentiate between reality and entertainment.  By writing our kids these types of letters and getting outraged over this, are we not showing them that this behaviour draws attention?  Are we not telling them that music and performances are there to teach us something?  That there are lessons to be learned by watching on-stage performances, music videos, and listening to the lyrics of songs?

Give your children some credit!  Teach them that TV  and radio messages are not always real! Teach them that real life lessons come from real people in real life, not songs and award shows. 

Miley and Thicke want you talking about this. I feel like I'm standing alone when I say I don't think it's a big deal.  I am not afraid to admit that I like the song Blurred Lines.  Don't judge me, I sing along and enjoy the upbeat song, but maybe because I don't take it too seriously.  I never even paid much attention to the lyrics, that are not that different from a lot of other songs out there right now, until I read an article about how it was the "Rape Anthem of 2013".   Really?  Is that really a label that you want to affix to anything?  

Come on now. 

Just by calling it a rape anthem, you are putting rape in the spotlight, but insinuating that a catchy tune on the radio sums it up.  Is that not counter productive?  The mind has a way of strongly associating memories with song.  So this tune that kids think is fun and catchy, that gets you bopping in your seat, now has a mental tie to a terrible human act.  

This is a song that all the kids are singing.

And you want to label it the rape anthem.

And you don't see anything wrong with that? 

It makes these same kids that are innocently singing along with a catchy tune on the radio, stop and really start to think about that song.  For God sakes, don't analyze the lyrics!  Are you kidding me?!  More music today has a negative message in it than a positive message, so for heavens sake, so don't open up that flood gate of analyzing and labeling every catchy new tune that comes out on the radio.  You are drawing more attention to a song that would be quickly over and forgotten about.

By over-analyzing lyrics and the behaviour of their singers,  you are telling your kids that songs are there to be analyzed.  That the messages in the songs are legit.  It gives the song a new meaning, and therefore a stronger presence in their mind.

Let it just be a catchy tune on the radio that you listen to and ignore at the same time. Indifference speaks louder than words. Don't dwell, don't talk about the lyrics of their songs, (both equally terrible when you read them), and don't let your kids feel that this is normal behaviour.  This is Hollywood staging.  No different than watching a movie; you know that it's not real life.  

Mainly, relax.  While it's true that a parents blatant dislike for something tends to make it more appealing for their children, it is also true that values and morals are instilled in them from their parents leading by subtle example and not focusing on the negative things in this life that will stick with them.  The greater the attention given to something, whether it be a good influence or bad, creates a greater memory in their minds.  If you pay too much attention to something outrageous, they may not always remember your point of view on the subject, but I can promise you that they will always remember the subject.

No comments:

Post a Comment