I can't stop thinking about the critiques of Foucault, Baudrillard, Kierkegaard and Habermas (I had to cram their ideas into my head for the midterm, and somehow they are still there, a day later). Now I can't stop seeing things online that I hadn't noticed before. This article on the MSN homepage caught my eye: "How Tall is Michelle Obama? Will Height Influence the Presidential Election?"
The title of the article is bad enough, but then there is the article itself:
"Have you wondered how tall Michelle Obama is? One can't help wonder upon viewing Michelle and Barack Obama standing or walking together. I thought, "Either Barack Obama is short, or Michelle is tall -- or both ?" Michelle Obama may very well become the next First Lady; and maybe the tallest First Lady. The first black First Lady; yes, that's newsworthy, but how about a First Lady who's nearly six feet tall? Now THAT'S a first.
Historically, supposedly, the taller of the two final presidential candidates has always gotten the election, with the exception of FDR. John McCain is 5-9, and according to various web sites, Barack Obama stands 6-1. Some observations have him at 5-11 or barely six feet. But I'm convinced that the more accurate height is 6-1. He's definitely taller than John McCain. According to history, Barack Obama will be the next U.S. president because he's taller than McCain.
Michelle Obama is head to head with Barack, but I've never gotten a good look at what's on her feet: flats or high heels? I'm assuming heels because this would fit her style. This would make Michelle Obama's height around 5-11.
Some web sites do report Michelle Obama's height to be 5-11. Others estimate that Michelle Obama is 5-9 tall. Some estimate 5-10. Some say "nearly six feet." But I highly doubt she's under 5-9.
So let's assume that Michelle Obama is 5-11. What does this mean for her role as First Lady? Nothing, really. But if she becomes First Lady, her height WILL mean something to the scores of young women, even older women out there, who are battling depression over being tall.
Maybe a tall First Lady will set these women straight, that being very tall is NOT an obstacle to success in life, that you can be perceived as glamorous, regal and elegant, rather than freakish or huge or masculine.
Michelle Obama is 5-11. Do you think she's unattractive? "Huge?" Masculine? It's all in how a tall woman carries herself. It's time for tall women to stop feeling self-conscious, to stop slouching and being afraid to put on those sexy high heels that they dream of wearing."
It's a pretty horrible article; it would be more offensive if it wasn't so stupid. Most of all it undermines the things discussed in the critiques: reality, democracy, freedom and meaning. It addresses a problem that doesn't exist ("the scores of young women, even older women out there, who are battling depression over being tall"), distracts from anything of real importance using manipulation and fear tactics (Maybe a tall First Lady will set these women straight, that being very tall is NOT an obstacle to success in life, that you can be perceived as glamorous, regal and elegant, rather than freakish or huge or masculine), screams that consumerism is a solution (put on those sexy high heels that they dream of wearing) and never once ventures into anything more than what Obama's wife looks like, as if she is a mannequin without ideas or points of view.
At least I am reminded of the reason that Feminism is still so important.
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3 comments:
I think this article also raises some questions about the notion of free speech on the internet. Yes, the content of this article is senseless, potentially hurtful and ill-thought out, but still within the rights to be expressed. When emotions run high around political times, people are going to say some strange things. So the question becomes, what are the effects of allowing this to be read, and what postive notions can we take away from it?
I think this article also raises some questions about the notion of free speech on the internet. Yes, the content of this article is senseless, potentially hurtful and ill-thought out, but still within the rights to be expressed. When emotions run high around political times, people are going to say some strange things. So the question becomes, what are the effects of allowing this to be read, and what postive notions can we take away from it?
Dear Jordan, I am a young woman who is battling depression over being short. You know it's just so difficult to find clothes that fit properly! People like Michelle Obama give me hope that with heels, I too can one day stand tall alongside our American counterparts!
Okay. Joking aside, I agree with Cassidy - the freedom of speech granted to us by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, allow us to say whatever we want on the whether it be valid well thought out arguments or pure nonsense. However with the invention of the Internet, these ideas can be spread faster and further than ever before. This transmission of information can be seen as both a blessing and a curse; we can quickly obtain useful information about the world around us, however on the other hand, we can also just as easily pick up garbage like this article. And thus is the nature of free speech on the Internet - you may encounter brilliant Einsteins or crude idiots.
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