In-Fighting on Constructive Criticism?
| By FEM - Apr 4th, 2006 at 3:59 am EDT |
Sometimes it is important to look at your own community critically. Some might label this as "in-fighting" but if we cannot challenge the assertions of "our community", we are in an intellectually dead boat. So, I am challenging some of the opinions of popular internet feminists. The online community/forum I am pointing to is one of the most popular forms of feminist internet communication so I feel it is important to discuss.
1. Link Yes, the Little Mermaid. I am a bit concerned by the poster who wrote "1. The woman who sought power was named a "witch" and portrayed as evil. 2. The girl who rebelled was portrayed as silly, simpering, and stupid, 3. Everyone who saves Ariel is male, her father, the prince, the crab, and even the stupid little fish who follows her around fearfully telling her what she's doing wrong. She is portrayed as irresponsible, irrational, and irritating. 4. The reasons she sacrifices her voice is for a man. 5. The "happy ending" had nothing to do with Ariel's independence, it was her being taken in hand by another male, not her father, but in marriage."
Okay, call me Pollyanna, but substitute "sacrifice for a man" with "sacrifice for love". I don't mean this should be a the final analysis but just think about it. Does that change your conceptualization of the film? Or, at least make yout think more broadly? I have personally sacrified "for a man" or "for love", what does this mean?
I also take issue with how some uphold that women are both to sacrifice for men and NOT sacrifice for men.
The problem with a lot of lj feminist analysis is that it is too simplistic. Yes, there are sexist elements in Disney movies. There are also feminist elements. It is not all one way. I love complexity.
2. People (same community) who complain that others (usually "the patriarchy"... a powerful term that has been a been swung around, like privilege, a bit too loosley lately) value logic over their feelings. This one person said she wished her feelings were awarded as much merit as logic. Think about it, really. What if we just went on feelings? This is not to say that feelings should be considered but it is not effective to win an argument by saying "I reallyyy feel that...".
Again, I am not saying that feelings are not valid. But, you don't get far when you complain that people aren't listening to your feelings and prefer logic.
Rather, as radical as this might sound, I think feelings and logic are interconnected. How's that for different?
Michelle Stover (MS)
1. Link Yes, the Little Mermaid. I am a bit concerned by the poster who wrote "1. The woman who sought power was named a "witch" and portrayed as evil. 2. The girl who rebelled was portrayed as silly, simpering, and stupid, 3. Everyone who saves Ariel is male, her father, the prince, the crab, and even the stupid little fish who follows her around fearfully telling her what she's doing wrong. She is portrayed as irresponsible, irrational, and irritating. 4. The reasons she sacrifices her voice is for a man. 5. The "happy ending" had nothing to do with Ariel's independence, it was her being taken in hand by another male, not her father, but in marriage."
Okay, call me Pollyanna, but substitute "sacrifice for a man" with "sacrifice for love". I don't mean this should be a the final analysis but just think about it. Does that change your conceptualization of the film? Or, at least make yout think more broadly? I have personally sacrified "for a man" or "for love", what does this mean?
I also take issue with how some uphold that women are both to sacrifice for men and NOT sacrifice for men.
The problem with a lot of lj feminist analysis is that it is too simplistic. Yes, there are sexist elements in Disney movies. There are also feminist elements. It is not all one way. I love complexity.
2. People (same community) who complain that others (usually "the patriarchy"... a powerful term that has been a been swung around, like privilege, a bit too loosley lately) value logic over their feelings. This one person said she wished her feelings were awarded as much merit as logic. Think about it, really. What if we just went on feelings? This is not to say that feelings should be considered but it is not effective to win an argument by saying "I reallyyy feel that...".
Again, I am not saying that feelings are not valid. But, you don't get far when you complain that people aren't listening to your feelings and prefer logic.
Rather, as radical as this might sound, I think feelings and logic are interconnected. How's that for different?
Michelle Stover (MS)
!
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