It's Cultivation Theory, Boys and Girls!

Charles Larson says "Cultivation Theory tells us what kind of things are going on in the world around us and what kinds of things we can expect to happen, when, where, and how often." Basically, the more we observe a behavior the more we look for it.

This means that my preschool classmates of mine expected to grow up to be Barbie and Batman. In theory as we matured into adolescents those expectations should change based on added experiences. But do they? New phrases are introduced into the vernacular, and suddenly it's "cool" to be a "Bitch" or be "Pimpin'."

As my generation has stripped off their awkward hoodies and into their fully realized bodies it's just gotten worse. I, who have grown up trying to embrace that my worldview is in the minority, but I still struggle not to "look" at the sexy, submissive "princess" that walks by my table in The Atrium, and what I have learned by talking to some of my female friends is that being ogled in this way doesn't bother them in the least in certain circumstances. One friend saying "I know that if they look (at my chest) that they are interested in me."

I am not an expert, by any means, of the effects of gender roles and their portrayal in the "big picture," but I can speak to my own universe. After Wednesday's class I found myself thinking about what I find attractive in the opposite sex. The statement I eventually revised and published in my head is "I find women who have legitimate reason to take themselves seriously, and do so to be really sexy.

I realize there is a subjective quality to the word "legitimate," but if I take the feminist perspective when looking at "Princess" and "Super Hero culture" it's obvious to me that these ideas breed sexism. After watching the video in class Friday I have come to the sad conclusion that sexism is unavoidable; however that doesn't make blatantly sexist it excusable.

At the beginning of the class Wednesday Dr. McCauliff said “This is the week that ruins most people’s lives.” I wouldn't say that my life is ruined, but I would definitely say my perspective is changed.