has feminism passed "Essex" by?

[eyeofhorus]

any of you seen The only way is essex? frightening how a prime time itv show celebrates women as so overtly dressing up/ changing body image for men's pleasure AND the pub quiz which rejoiced in how dumb some of them were. Saddens me deeply that today's 'role models' for teenagers have bypassed the feminist movement....

Well it hasnt passed by unnoticed here, I find it offensive that this is seen as light entertainment.

The red head girl, Amy, actually went to private school and (apparently) got very good grades. So either that was a waste of perfectly good cash on a brainless idiot, or she sadly feels she has to play up to bieng stupid to gain favour.

The guy who sleeps with anyone and everything actually referred to 15% as "a quarter" in another episode. Nobody noticed this glaring error. Why has it become fashionable to celebrate bieng stupid??? Its sad that in todays world having a tit job seems to get you further than having a degree. :(

Is it not just a parody though? They even make fun of themselves.

Oh eyeofhorus the TV producers have you right where they want you. Feminism has passed large swathes of the UK population by. It's more fun to focus on women from Essex (I am one by the way - but you will have already identified that from the chip epaulettes I am sporting) because, well, you know, women from Essex, they're all dumb slaaaags innit?

Yes I agree it is a tragic portrayal, but I think the producers found what they were looking for. All these kind of 'reality' programmes capitalise on people who can become characters who can become caricatures. I'm not saying I agree with them doing it. I guess I am saying it makes commercially viable TV.

It's not just the women who are portrayed as a bit dim.

A lot of it is made up though. They are made to act out various scenes made up by the tv company. It does say that at the beginning of the episodes.

I lived in Essex between the ages of 13-18. There is a lot of extreme gender role behaviour and dress. But actually that is what got me involved in feminism in the first place. When you are presented with an extreme mainstream (if that makes any sense) as a teenager, it encourages people to opt out of that mainstream, which meant there was a larger group of counter-cultural political men and women than I have seen in other places I've lived since.

Agreed it is meant to be a parody and a bit of a laugh, but teenage girls DO copy these morons.
Take Katie Price - she clearly takes the piss out of herself and has become her own caricature, but it hasnt stopped girls taking her seriously and turning into her mini clones, all believing they too will be millionaires.

I know I shouldnt take things so seriously sometimes, but when I hear 9 yr olds saying they want to be glamour models, and I see 12 yr olds covered in fake tan and high heels, it makes me angry. Yes, the parents shouldnt allow it, But the girls want it because of shows like this.

That is true TheFarSide - it is hardly flattering to either gender - but that's because they are all being expected to act up to a stereotype that the producers went looking to fulfil.

'Why has it become fashionable to celebrate bieng stupid???'

To lower people's aspirations. To stop them having ideas above their station. It's the same with the soaps.

But they are not as stupid as they pretend. They ham it up to gain cash because they know that is what the middle class TV executive luvvies want.

Obviously TheyKnowEsperanto, we dont all think that everyone from Essex is like this. It is a stupid stereotype that producers have gone looking for, you are right.

Sadly though, it still reinforces the sexist, lookist, moronic messages to the next generation.

claig, I like it.

"to stop them having ideas above their station"

I love applying Marxist theory to things, and the only was is essex is one I hadnt thought of yet!!! :)

"What is wrong with people nowadays? Why do they all seem to think they are qualified to do things far above their capabilities?"

Day, who worked as his personal assistant for five years, had suggested that assistants with university degrees should have the opportunity to train as private secretaries.

"This is all to do with the learning culture in schools. It is a consequence of a child-centered education system which tells people they can become pop stars, high court judges or brilliant TV presenters or infinitely more competent heads of state without ever putting the necessary work or having the natural ability," he wrote.

"It is a result of social utopianism which believes humanity can be genetically engineered to contradict the lessons of history."

Do you know who said that?

Yes, I admit when I first saw it I was pretty horrified, but having watched it regularly and grown quite fond of the characters seen it a few times, I have made the following observations:

• Most of the female characters seem to be working/supporting themselves (possibly with a little help from daddy, but then again it's the same for the men)

• Most of the female characters are quite feisty and assertive

• Some of the male characters have got tearful over relationship problems

• There have been many hilarious moments: Amy & Sam making fun of themselves and how they would be viewed by Sloane rangers, and gay Harry dressing up as Lady Gaga - maybe not the most sophisticated commentary on class and homosexuality, but maybe not as shallow as it appears

I agree that some teens might take the show seriously and aspire to boob jobs and orange tans - I get depressed about this too - but there are many more who have no interest in living their lives like this.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6519640/ns/world_news/

Ha ha hilarious claig, that has made my night.

Well he is right, yes? how very dare we think that without the right DNA we might own an opinion????

Incredible that a man with 2 not very good A levels should get to Oxbridge and one day be King and the Head of the church of England.

Exactly. Some of us get better exam results than him, but that contradicts the lessons of history. So programmes like this try to put people back in their box.

Interestingly, Charles is an irratating fool but taking a look at his (very privilledged) childhood explains some of his behaviour.

I read a book by Oliver James, They F*ck You Up, and it contained a biography of charles and some of the things that happened to him.

I almost felt sorry for him.

Also sue52, in our society it actually wouldnt matter if he had NO A levels, after all, Charles only had to be born to gain these "achievements".

Yes I think I remember reading that he didn't like the school they sent him to. He was a sensitive type not like his father.

Umm, that was kind of my point.

So, The Only Way Is Essex is the result of a Marxist (or possibly aristocratic) conspiracy to keep the lower classes in their place?

Aristocratic, elitist. Much of British TV is like that. Total contrast to American TV, where achievement, success and winning etc. are celebrated, because the US is a meritocratic society where social mobility is real and a black man can become President of the United States.

Yes but not only the obvious distaste from Phillip, it was the fact that his mother the queen went away for several months when he was about 3, and on her return decided it wasnt neccessary to pop in and see him for a further 4 days.

Also, Phillip wasnt at a single one of Charles' birthdays for the first 8 years.

What kind of parenting is that, even for a monarch.

I didn't know that. I'm not sure, but I think that is part of the aristocratic way.

claig, we only like to build people up in order to knock them down.

I just completed a paper on whether Britain is a meritocratic society, I cant see any arguments that it truely is.