It's complete bollocks that the vast majority of women couldn't be able to view these phenomenons in critical light and see their way through it. When people are criticizing mass culture and consumerism they always speak of it from such a viewpoint that everybody except from them is a victim of it and needs to be rescued. In reality, the media has been critical of its own exploitative phenomenons for well over several decades, and everybody with a decent set of brains should already be aware of it.

My own personal take has always been that if there exist individuals so stupid they do not see anything suspicious about Cosmopolitan they truly deserve that magazine. Everybody can aspire for higher standards, there are tons of other alternatives to spend your time with than reading this kind of material. Yet, this is what they choose to subscribe to.
[Edited 6/23/06 6:55am]

see, it's like this. in order to sell more product the media must convince women we need the product. so they ask us "are your teeth white enough?" "is your butt toned enough" and for most women there is some area, at least one, in which they do not conform to the (impossible) standard.

and so we are first broken into pieces after which we buy our self-respect back, bit by bit in the form of diet pills, dental bleach, hair remover, wrinkle blaster, collagen injections.,... you name it.

mega typo edits
[Edited 6/23/06 6:33am]

CaptainChaos said:

because combined with all the other mind-bending discriminatory practices that we suffer in all areas of our lives what little acceptance we can gleen from society arises from those instances in which we conform to that impossible standard. even if it's only a game, it's all we have*.

bulimia, anorexia, obesity.. these are the reailty. those magazine covers are not

*edited to add: we are made to feel that it is all we have.
[Edited 6/23/06 6:33am]

XxAxX said:

...and there it is. it's like this: publishers put that shit out there...women who actually feel they gotta stoop that low in order to be accepted by their significant other eat that shit up like hotcakes...publishers put more of it back out...and the cycle continues.

once those kinna women get a clue that they don't have to rely on glorified smut in order to get by, then the cosmopolitans and other stuff like that will disappear.

Is there a reason someone would NOT want to read an article about being the best lover possible?...Just curious..lol

Byron said:

why be told how to become one when you can simply learn on your own, through trial and error?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Isn't reading part of learning as well, though?...Why limit the ways in which we learn anything?

Byron said:

read or learn from the wrong place and you're as good as shit.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Is there a reason someone would NOT want to read an article about being the best lover possible?...Just curious..lol

Byron said:

I've never subscribed to Cosmo but my mom used to buy it when I was young & I've picked one up here & there. I think there was only ONE tip out of any "better sex" article I've read where I thought, "Oh, I'd try that!" Otherwise it's a total rehash of what you've already done w/ your bf/talked about w/ your girlfriends...

And I can't even remember what the damn tip was

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

That goes to the quality of the articles in these magazines, though, not whether or not these magazines should have these types of articles to begin with...

Byron said:

yeah. there's better means and literature to learn about sexuality that aren't as dumbed-down and uncouth as the shit you see in cosmo, but it seems like the women who buy stuff like that ain't willing to look for it. they'd rather pick it up while at the store than going to a library or a seminar. if more women knew that, newsstands wouldn't be bombarded with all the cosmo and allure-type fare.

~Just signing in...lol

SHANNA said:

"Laundry Room Love"??...lol

Have you ever noticed the covers of popular women's magazines like Cosmopolitan and Allure? The covers all have these huge blurbs like: "50 Ways to Make Your Man Go Wild in Bed" or "30 Tips on How to Set Your Bed Sheets on Fire" or "12 Great Vegetables to Get Cozy With (Wink, Wink)". Based on these covers, the Captain is under the belief that ladies are just as perverted as guys if not more so. The Captain is not complaining mind you, it is just an observation I thought and would share and hopefully get feedback on.

see, it's like this. in order to sell more product the media must convince women we need the product. so they ask us "are your teeth white enough?" "is your butt toned enough" and for most women there is some area, at least one, in which they do not conform to the (impossible) standard.

and so we are first broken into pieces after which we buy our self-respect back, bit by bit in the form of diet pills, dental bleach, hair remover, wrinkle blaster, collagen injections.,... you name it.

mega typo edits
[Edited 6/23/06 6:33am]

XxAxX said:

Wow! I knew there was a reason I don't buy into this crap!

CaptainChaos said:

A factor about women is that they are at times less logical then men. I am not saying men are more logical, but that men more on an even keel when it comes to consciouness and logic. Women's fluxuating hormons make them more ceceptable to drive baised advertising. When you factor in the issues of men not willing or able to satisphie a woman's needs, of course they are always looking for better sex.

MickG said:

I really disagree with this statement, especially when you consider the emotion of anger, for example, and how so many men are unable to control it and end up doing violent, catastrophic things. This is an example of how men, too, can become overly emotional rather than being more "consciouness and logic" [sic]. Your rationale was often used to deny women the right to vote, to hold certain jobs, and to have some of the basic human rights they have today. I'm not saying men and women are the same, I'm not saying that hormones don't have an effect, I'm not saying that our brains are different: I'm just saying that men don't have a monopoly on logic.

JustErin said:

Details too..Details always has crap like that.

AnotherLoverToo said:

AnotherLoverToo said:

MickG said:

I really disagree with this statement, especially when you consider the emotion of anger, for example, and how so many men are unable to control it and end up doing violent, catastrophic things. This is an example of how men, too, can become overly emotional rather than being more "consciouness and logic" [sic]. Your rationale was often used to deny women the right to vote, to hold certain jobs, and to have some of the basic human rights they have today. I'm not saying men and women are the same, I'm not saying that hormones don't have an effect, I'm not saying that our brains are different: I'm just saying that men don't have a monopoly on logic.

SHANNA said:

"Laundry Room Love"??...lol

I would find it very difficult to live with a woman if she wasn't a pervert. Being a pervert is an essential qualification for any woman who wants to be with me. I couldn't make breakfast for her the following day, praise her and tell her I absolutely adore her if she hadn't shown me at least one new trick or two in the sack. In my view a preverted streak in a woman is much more essential than hot looks and a great ass.