And while I was reading this story on CNN.com there was a sidebar ad flashing away at me. It happened to be an advertisement for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition: photo after photo of sexy, scantily clad women in sweaty, oiled come-hitherness. One after another they were displayed in rotation, all in different positions, with different swatches of fabric covering different essential spots, leaving not much to imagination (and yet directing that imagination with suggestive poses and facial expressions). You all know which ads I mean. They could be for a singles dating site,
Meanwhile, I’m reading a wretched story about the forcible choking and rape of a stripper by five college athletes in a bathroom. It was like, “HERE’S SOME VISUAL AID TO THE HORRIBLE STORY YOU’RE READING!” or, “MAYBE THE VICTIM LOOKED LIKE THIS! SEE MORE PICTURES!” or “WANT TO FEEL THE SAME DETACHED LUSTFUL FEELINGS AS THE RAPISTS? HERE ARE SOME FACELESS WOMEN WHO WILL ALSO SELL THEMSELVES FOR SEX, NOT UNLIKE THE VICTIM IN THE STORY!”
Doesn’t anybody at CNN.com pay attention to which ads
accompany which stories? It was like reading a story about a drive-by shooting opposite a gun advertisement. Or an alcohol poisoning death with a liquor commercial on the side. The juxtaposition of the stripper/rape story and the swimsuit/porn ad was a sad commentary on modern American culture.
“PLAY WITH FIRE!” we say, “COME GET YOUR FIRE HERE! IT’S FUN, AND OH SO AMUSING!” But when somebody actually gets burned we act amazed, offended, scandalized. We talk about the burn victim as someone who is shameful, stupid, and a bad person. In the name of free speech and free all-kinds-of-stuff we allow morally reprehensible things to actually be marketed to the general public. In fact, we’ve changed our definition of what is moral by saying that as long as you don’t hurt anybody else you can do anything you want. But the line is so fine! I’m not sticking up for criminals here, but doesn’t it bother anybody else that we can sell sex and chastise the consumer of it in the same breath?
7 comments:
Credit where credit is due: I was re-reading this post this morning and thought I should mention that the fire analogy came from a conversation I had with Jared about this.
You thought I was smart for a second, didn'tcha.
You have very interesting insight into things Skye.
I think you should write a colume for a paper - or somthin'
We would have been in deep doo-doo for something such as that.
I don't see why they wouldn't be held to the same standards.
Shame, shame.
Daft, indeed.
*sigh*
I feel the same way about food. I sit back and watch conversations when someone announces that their brother/uncle/cousin/mother has cancer. I just saw this happen this week again.
There is always a pause of respect that the listeners of the group give, and everyone shows some sign of utter confusion. "Why is this happening?" "Why does this happen so much?" flashes on their face...
...and then the familiar *pop* of a soda can comes open, and the rustle of a bag of potato chips breaks the silence.
And I just laugh to myself at the ridiculousness. With myself included, because here I am writing this comment, and I scarfed onion rings like a champ last night.
I had the same experience reading vogue or some such nonsense...an article about scary skinny women, bulemia and anorexia and then two pages later...pictures of some actresses who had been in the media lately for their obvious drastic and sad weightloss...touted as "The BEST NEW LOOKS"..HOW TACKY. It's always ironic and sad to see the cultural trainwrecks. And even sadder that I didn't have the guts to look away.
YOU POST SOMETHING NEW TOO!
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