The Papal Decree of the Week

Boys will be Boys
Girls will be Gods
By andrea chrisman

It has come to my attention (as many things do) that it is perhaps, not only women who are being brainwashed into their roles of subservience and house cleaning consider the possibility that it is a also men who are conditioned. I speak of the media's hold, and more so than any type of media, television's hold on the common public. That convenient little box that flips on from the couch via an equally convenient remote control, feeds the heads of the American people daily with its seemingly benign storylines, and bland plots. Yet somehow, one can't help but notice that there are no men cleaning the toilets. There are no women bench-pressing. Rarely is it the man slaving away at the stove, he is usually the one who found the 10 minute microwave cake. The men are always dressed comfortably in jeans and a tee-shirt which they have in 5 different colours, while the women parade around in a different ravishing outfit from commercial to commercial. Even if these women do wear jeans, they are form-fitting. Their figures are skinny and relatively attractive whether they can act or not. People could get the idea that perhaps all women have perfect "size 4" bodies, and are beautiful. We already know what this does to a woman's ideas about herself: she feels as though she has to live up to a standard that may not be altogether feasible for her to achieve. What about the men? All these little things that go unnoticed by some, but certainly not all, have their effect on the male ideal system. Perhaps, and this may be an insane idea, as I am slightly insane, men are taught to be assholes--conditioned to be such gross green stuff as exists on the surface of most ponds--at birth. Perhaps, it is not as the psychologists say: that most men will be attracted to the women because they respond to things that appeal to their eyes first. Perhaps a sociologist would look at this situation and say instead: society has ingrained this ideal into these little boys, and they grow up believing they need never clean a floor in the kitchen. So, it could perhaps be concluded that men are the products of their environment's teaching. This is no excuse for them, mind you, but it may help them begin to realize something is fishy about the media and its affect on how they think. might not be altogether healthy. They may realize that they will not find Cyndi Crawford and attract her with an oafish beer-gut hanging out of unwashed jeans. Rather than the stereotypical "thinking with their penises," there will be some conscious universal human thought. They may realize that it is, perhaps, quite acceptable for them to be moody and emotional, and be gossips without being gay. They may even be able to answer the question "what are you thinking about?" with more than the traditional "nothing."

To give credit where it is due, it can be admitted that the media is making a valiant effort as with the popular sitcom (though trite and predictable)Friends, where no one cleans....things magically seem to pick up themselves, bathrooms need no human intervention to be spotless. But perhaps not, because they avoid putting men in those traditionally female roles. It would be wonderful, if there was a great turn-about in advertising: that one day men would finally be given the job of cleaning the house in its entirety, including the toilets and the laundry. Women would be the bread winners and their men would pack them lunch for the day in neat little packages. They would share in these chores and behaviours that are tradition for both men and women. The men would whine, the women would tell the men to stop acting irrationally. It would be equally wonderful if it was not the few who were teaching their children not only to avoid racial prejudice, but also gender prejudice- and that includes all those radical feminists that believe men should be in the traditional female roles, or better still, in a coffin. In a perfect world perhaps, we could all just learn to get along and not consistently look to new ways to isolate ourselves into a little well-ordered group. If one creates these roles for one's self and allows them to control one's way of thinking about the self and others, there is no easy way to break the boundaries set.. So, additionally, in order to break the stereotypes that we have created, it would require not only a revamping of advertising and sitcom production, but also a rethinking of schooling. Teachers have a profound affect on their students even in their early years, tolerating the loud abrasive behaviour of the boys, and chastising the little girls who want to play with trucks. For parents, the same rules apply. Treat children with respect and love, and don't force them into neat little niches with blues and pinks, dolls and cars. That's a whole 'nother can o'worms that I would just love to shake out. But I have limited space.

It's all just ideas; Just a little something to make you think. Remember how to do that? Think?

Papal Decree of the week
Thou shalt not play video games for two hours while thy wench is in labour outside next to the trash can of a local blockbuster, and then run away when thou discovers her birthing to "get her bag." Thou shalt be responsible, and call 911. --pope john jacob II
Big Brother is Watching
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Side 2: in which it is learned that Tupac Shakur is a big numbskull
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