boys these days! can't live with them, can't live without them! PART 2

Yesterday, after blogging, I happened to be sitting on a blanket at a park sipping jambas with a certain boy. His answers to my questions were just what I expected. That sometimes, when listening to songs on the radio he thinks, oh yeah, that makes sense. But would never actually say it out loud. Which I guess is where artists are just really lucky, because they get to always say their feelings and we praise them for it, because they are actually OUR feelings too. It's nice to have someone to just sing it for you I suppose. And also he said that men are not like men in chick flicks. Which I am actually really fine with. (He thought maybe it came off that I thought men should think like the songs, and be the men in the movies? That was not my intention.) I mean, think about it. If a guy came up to you and acted like a guy in a movie, you would think he was creepy. If a guy came up to you and recited song lyrics from his heart, you would think he was forward/awkward. It's just the way the cookie crumbles. Which brings me to my second essay of Society's Misconceptions About Men and the Way They Should or Should Not Act and When These Things Are Appropriate or Not. (Which I guess is a real thing now?)

(also, that title doesn't make a whole lot of sense. bear with me).

It is a common thing amongst women to feel slighted by the media. They nip and tuck us until we are hardly recognizable, and objectify us as if it wasn't even a moral issue. Women are expected to be perfect in every way, shape, and form. (not all physical.) But here's the thing, I have begun to notice that men are just as objectified. And that because of this, men are losing their identities.

Let's look at the way men were viewed years and years ago. They were strong, bread-winners, hard workers, dominant in every way. Then a little while into that image, women started saying, hey now, we deserve a little more recognition. Which was true, and is fine. But then, women started taking over. It was and is a hard battle, obviously. It took a while for men to allow women into powerful positions in all aspects of life. But I think we can all agree that we are reaching at least something resembling equality. And if not just yet, we can at least notice that it is increasingly becoming a "Woman's World" instead of the infamous "Man's World". This is all well and good. Go women! We're strong! We can have careers! We have knowledge, and power, and we aren't afraid to do it. But where does that leave the men?

This image that they had for almost all of history is slowly being broken down. Look at almost ANY TV show these days, and I mean, you don't even have to look that hard. Men are portrayed as weak, idiotic, bumbling fools, and if that's not the case, then they are domineering and terrifying. And the women are portrayed as just "dealing with" men, because they are a trial we have been given. Those poor stupid men can't even find the front door without us! Why do we even need them! Is it any wonder that we see so many aimless men, not knowing what they are doing with their lives? What's the point, when women could just do it better? When I could just be a Phil Dunfee or a Nick from New Girl?

And I just have to say, let's take a long look at ourselves lately. Will there ever be a time when both genders can look at each other equally? Without disdain for one quality or another? Why can't we just recognize that men and women have different and similar strengths as well as weaknesses, and that these strengths and weaknesses put together are why we need each other? 

I think the time has come to start building men up again, because as much as the media tells us we don't, I believe that we do need them. And I don't see anything wrong with that.

And also, that as much as we all love Phil Dunphy and Nick from New Girl.. we would actually prefer a man who had his wits about him.

p.s. is this controversial? I felt a little daring, writing it.