OT- Pop Culture and Its Effect On Expected Reality

[scarygirl]

Have you ever felt the need to keep up with the "Jones?".

Watching television, particularly the "reality" shows could, if not taken in the proper perspective make you feel cash poor. Those that always had more than enough, suddenly feel like paupers. The rich, suddenly aren't rich enough. The poor, not a blip on the radar.

Common car - is $40,000 expensive enough? Common House - 5,000 square feet and you still have no room?

Women's fashion magazines are even worse. You feel a little sorry for those blotted louts that live chic on a shoe string until you read that the shoe string costs $100. When you total up the outfit, it often comes out to $500 or more. Add the monthly grooming that goes along with it, to make one more womanly or so is the message - $50 Haircut, $40 mani/pedie, money for leg waxing and uhm, other places and the facials and botox treatments and you are like, HOLY CRAP!

As hard as you try to resist the urge, and realize it's okay to not buy in; you get the feeling that you are somehow seperated from reality. That unreality is reality.

Walking around downtown on any given Friday night, you see the seperation. There's always been a strong break down in social class but now a days it seems even more so. Where are the common folk? Do they even exist?

[WickedGail]

Not me I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer and have never given a shit what other people have thought or said about me....

Gail

[scarygirl]

Not me I have always marched to the beat of a different drummer and have never given a shit what other people have thought or said about me....

Gail

Good for you! I was just trying to provoke thoughtful discussion.

[Perrydise]

I am most comfortable being myself. I dont feel the need to be the women that are portrayed on tv, in films, magazines. I dont need 5 ply tissue to wipe my "pot of gold", my 2 ply works just fine. I dont worry about what people think of me, when I look in the mirror I have no complaints with the reflection.

[scarygirl]

I am most comfortable being myself. I dont feel the need to be the women that are portrayed on tv, in films, magazines. I dont need 5 ply tissue to wipe my "pot of gold", my 2 ply works just fine. I dont worry about what people think of me, when I look in the mirror I have no complaints with the reflection.

But someone, a lot of someones must be buying into it. I was just telling a friend of mine that it used to be they showed "Gone With The Wind" on CBS this time of year. Now it's the "Victoria's Secret Fashion" show. Advertising dollars don't lie.

[Panther]

>>>Walking around downtown on any given Friday night, you see the seperation. There's always been a strong break down in social class but now a days it seems even more so. Where are the common folk? Do they even exist?<<<

While it's been many a year since I walked around downtown, I must say that I assume that the common folk are still there. They just don't catch yer eye as do the folk who wear all that borrowed money around themselves.

Reading through the "hottie" thread I noticed many stating that the "curves" were the way to go, that skinny wasn't where it was. I started to think that perhaps "everyone" is caught up in the book cover thing, even when they claim otherwise. People no longer strive to be a person, they strive to be... well.... "in" or "it." This nation, in particular, seems almost an even split between those striving and those rebelling. Then there are those of us lost in that grey area of the almost. We can understand both sides. Heck, with everything thrown at you saying "this" is how to be/look/act, etc... it is easy to see how teens will grow into adults who identify with striving to be that.. they don't know better. And those with the whole rebellion thing going on, wearing things just to rebuff the other portion... well, they are sort of striving to stand out on that premise.. no? To me, the book cover thing encompasses the "looks," the "things," "the bragging," and the "status."

Me? I'm me... I do what I do, am who I am with no need to shout it from the roof tops, throw it in other's faces or otherwise "proclaim" myself to be one way or another. I just am. I can't take ANYTHING with me when I leave, so why bother accumulating things to begin with? Meh..... good topic!

[scarygirl]

>>>Walking around downtown on any given Friday night, you see the seperation. There's always been a strong break down in social class but now a days it seems even more so. Where are the common folk? Do they even exist?<<<

While it's been many a year since I walked around downtown, I must say that I assume that the common folk are still there. They just don't catch yer eye as do the folk who wear all that borrowed money around themselves.

Reading through the "hottie" thread I noticed many stating that the "curves" were the way to go, that skinny wasn't where it was. I started to think that perhaps "everyone" is caught up in the book cover thing, even when they claim otherwise. People no longer strive to be a person, they strive to be... well.... "in" or "it." This nation, in particular, seems almost an even split between those striving and those rebelling. Then there are those of us lost in that grey area of the almost. We can understand both sides. Heck, with everything thrown at you saying "this" is how to be/look/act, etc... it is easy to see how teens will grow into adults who identify with striving to be that.. they don't know better. And those with the whole rebellion thing going on, wearing things just to rebuff the other portion... well, they are sort of striving to stand out on that premise.. no? To me, the book cover thing encompasses the "looks," the "things," "the bragging," and the "status."

Me? I'm me... I do what I do, am who I am with no need to shout it from the roof tops, throw it in other's faces or otherwise "proclaim" myself to be one way or another. I just am. I can't take ANYTHING with me when I leave, so why bother accumulating things to begin with? Meh..... good topic!

Quite the excellent post!

[Blueskies]

Some don't like it when you talk about something with any depth or meaning here. Joking around is fun..discussing guitars, sports, nonsense threads, etc.....and of course Journey and music in general, but it's great to see threads like this too and they should also be here. Kudo's Scarygirl, great topic for discussion...well written post and I agree .

[Rip Rokken]

Scarygirl -- Awesome topic, and one I find myself thinking about and discussing quite a bit. Count me as part of the resistance. I could care less what others around me do, or how many of them are doing it. Being an individual rules! Too many sheep, who also have too little thought for the future.

A few years ago, I forget who I was in the car with, but I was driving thru yet another huge fancy new neighborhood, and made the naive comment, "Man, we must just have a ton of RICH people in this city." And they replied, "Not as many as you think. We have a ton of people in heavy debt." Something to think about.

My dad also told me a story a week ago about some woman they'd met from some 3rd world country (I think it was in Africa or somewhere), who was new to this country. I believe she was staying with a host family, and the host wanted to take them shopping one weekend. Not only did this visiting woman have no word for "shopping" in her native language, but the entire concept of going out to buy non-necessity "stuff" was completely foreign to her. She literally didn't get the concept.

The Joneses can do their own thing, and I'll do mine. Again, great post!

[StoneCold]

... Add the monthly grooming that goes along with it, to make one more womanly or so is the message - $50 Haircut, $40 mani/pedie, money for leg waxing and uhm, other places and the facials and botox treatments and you are like, HOLY CRAP!

As hard as you try to resist the urge, and realize it's okay to not buy in; you get the feeling that you are somehow seperated from reality. That unreality is reality.

Hi SG, this post reminds me of a song called "Barbie Nation" by Randy Stonehill

http://www.lyricsspot.com/stonehill+ran ... 26119.html

You hit on a lot of truths with your post.

[Little Lenny]

Have you ever felt the need to keep up with the "Jones?".

Watching television, particularly the "reality" shows could, if not taken in the proper perspective make you feel cash poor. Those that always had more than enough, suddenly feel like paupers. The rich, suddenly aren't rich enough. The poor, not a blip on the radar.

Common car - is $40,000 expensive enough? Common House - 5,000 square feet and you still have no room?

Women's fashion magazines are even worse. You feel a little sorry for those blotted louts that live chic on a shoe string until you read that the shoe string costs $100. When you total up the outfit, it often comes out to $500 or more. Add the monthly grooming that goes along with it, to make one more womanly or so is the message - $50 Haircut, $40 mani/pedie, money for leg waxing and uhm, other places and the facials and botox treatments and you are like, HOLY CRAP!

As hard as you try to resist the urge, and realize it's okay to not buy in; you get the feeling that you are somehow seperated from reality. That unreality is reality.

Walking around downtown on any given Friday night, you see the seperation. There's always been a strong break down in social class but now a days it seems even more so. Where are the common folk? Do they even exist?

I am me. Elaine Mary/Little Lenny/ Mad Aunty
I do what I want, when I want.
I wear what I want ,when I want.
Im not into to girly magazines, I'm into Swords & Armory
I'd rather tinker around in a garage, than do the shopping thing that some women see as a religion
I am a tom boy still at the age of 42
And I refuse to cut my hair.

reality, what is reality. is there one reality? or many? do we all have our own personal reality?...or could we all be living in a fake realty?.. I get exactly what you mean Scary G.

We have defined classes over here Upper middle and Lower, people may say we don't but we do. And all of them have their money troubles, The upper are spendaholics and pay ridiculous amounts for stuff, as much for a pair of shoes as some people would pay for a small home.
The middle spend what they have on things to maintain their position, and the lower spend what they don't have to try and appear not to be part of the lower class....and newspapers, magazines, TV programmes none of them help as people who watch them can be easily sucked into this whirlpool , as you say SG 'keep up with Jones's ' lark...
ME. I dont buy in!

[scarygirl]

Scarygirl -- Awesome topic, and one I find myself thinking about and discussing quite a bit. Count me as part of the resistance. I could care less what others around me do, or how many of them are doing it. Being an individual rules! Too many sheep, who also have too little thought for the future.

A few years ago, I forget who I was in the car with, but I was driving thru yet another huge fancy new neighborhood, and made the naive comment, "Man, we must just have a ton of RICH people in this city." And they replied, "Not as many as you think. We have a ton of people in heavy debt." Something to think about.

My dad also told me a story a week ago about some woman they'd met from some 3rd world country (I think it was in Africa or somewhere), who was new to this country. I believe she was staying with a host family, and the host wanted to take them shopping one weekend. Not only did this visiting woman have no word for "shopping" in her native language, but the entire concept of going out to buy non-necessity "stuff" was completely foreign to her. She literally didn't get the concept.

The Joneses can do their own thing, and I'll do mine. Again, great post!

Definately in heavy debt. I used to be one of them sort of. Round February 08, I'll have my credit cards paid completely. I'll still have a car payment and student loan, but the urge to splurge has left me.

It's just kind of sad though. I have a friend who lives in NYC, whom shops til she drops. On my last visit, I was admiring her handbag and she made this huge deal of pointing out that it retailed $1,000, but she had gotten a great deal on it for only $500. Granted, my friend, at last check still had her student loans in deferment, eight years after graduation. By living in such a high COL city, she hopes to defer them indefinately.

When asked about mine, I said $8.95, TARGET.