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From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Re: Madonna, role model
Message-ID: <492@rtech.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Jun-85 05:38:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtech.492
Posted: Tue Jun 18 05:38:42 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 21-Jun-85 07:41:31 EDT
References: <273@cmu-cs-g.ARPA> <841@ccice5.UUCP> <2222@topaz.ARPA> <1625@reed.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Alameda CA
Lines: 58

> > Teaching them only one way
> > of being, be it sexy or professional, is not going to produce a person 
> > capable of dealing with the ENTIRE real world.
> > 
> > /amqueue
> 
> THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WITH MADONNA!  She is *nothing* but a
> two-dimensional, blatantly sexual being.  How is a person like
> Madonna going to help an adolescent develop a balanced
> character??  Madonna completely denies any sense of ethical or
> even serious thought;  she appears to be a creature of impulse
> and passion, devoid of any kind of thoughtfulness.  Adolescents
> do not usually pick "features" from several different role
> models to emulate (Let's see, I'm going to have Mr. Spock's
> brain and dress like Yeoman Rand and fence like Mr. Sulu).  They
> choose one or more very similar models and imitate them
> completely, from dress to walk to slang (Examples:  the Beatle
> haircuts of the early '60s, the black lace training bras of
> today).  I am all for sexuality in its place;  but Madonna
> brings sexuality into very inappropriate places, like elementary
> schools.
> Pardon the flames, but I just can't *stand* that bimbo...
> 
> Ellen Eades

I agree completely.  But have you listened to her song "Material Girl"?
The message in that song is even worse than that implied by her one-dimensional
sexual image.  (I won't even give her two dimensions, as Ellen did.) I've tried
listening to it as a satire, but it doesn't wash.  She's really saying that she
doesn't give a shit for boys without money, and that she's justified in using
her sexuality to get material wealth.

Shallowness seems to be in these days.  Cyndi Lauper sings "Girls Just Want
To Have Fun" and is largely responsible for the comeback of professional
wrestling.  Mr. T is everyone's hero because he has big muscles, wears
a mohawk and lots of jewelry, and says things like "I pity the fool who ...".
Television shows like "Night Rider" (aka "My Brother The Car") are popular.
Ronald Reagan is elected by a landslide...

Madonna is just a part of this.  If you find her more offensive than the
rest of it, don't worry.  Just wait about a year, and she will be out.
"Thriller" sold more copies than any record before or since.  Where is
Michael Jackson now?

I worry more about the love for mindlessness in our culture than I do
about specific manifestations of this (like Madonna).  It's true that
popular entertainment is usually shallow, but we seem to be hitting a low
point these days.

I suppose I should tie this into net.women.  The issues raised by feminism
require thought and introspection.  Feminism and all intellectual movements
are in for a rough time if this trend toward shallowness continues.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak

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