It was brought to my attention this weekend that I have, once again, reared my ugly selfish side. This is nothing I haven't heard before. Growing up, my father used to call me a "selfish little bitch" all the time. (Refer to the "My Father" series of posts on my other blog for those crazy details.)
Since my selfish side has resurfaced, a series of thoughts has entered my mind. Being a born and bred, red-blooded American, I can't take the blame for my own selfishness. That would be outrageous! I mean, it couldn't possibly be my fault that I am self-centered and narcissistic! So, I started thinking of who to blame.
My parents? Hm, no, not really. They were decent caring people who always put others first.
My friends? Well, possibly but there are bigger fish to blame.
Society? AH-HA! YES! That is it! Society! Who else could it be? I mean, they influence everything!
I got to thinking how society effects my selfishness, and therefore, the selfishness of many women in this country.
Mother's of boys will definitely notice this fact above anyone. Have you ever tried to go shopping for boys clothes and shoes? When you walk into a store, what is the first thing you notice? Typically, the first things you will see are the purse section, a plethora of young girls clothes or womens clothes, accessories, jewlery and shoes. You have to fight your way through those departments like a jungle man with a machete! Then, there you see it, way in the back, a small 10ft by 10ft section of boys clothes, shoes, underwear and coats all in one cramped little area. Everything is blue, brown or black and it's rather depressing.
How about those catalogues we get in the mail. ONE DAY SALE AT X-Department store! 12-Hour Shoe Spectacular! Flip through those pages and what do you see? Pages upon pages of women's shoes, purses, fabulous v-neck sweaters, beautiful jewlery, black knee high boots that we have been dying to buy and there, way in the back of the catalogue is a one page section with some men's pants, shoes and boys clothes. One page? That is all the men get?
I realize that men's clothing choices are limited to just pants and shirts. I mean they can't wear capris and skirts. Ok, well, I mean REAL men can't wear those things. Women have many more options when it comes to clothing. But does that mean they should only get one page out of a 30 page catalogue?
Now, lets talk about television. When those commercials come on in the middle of our favorite reality shows and CSI episodes, what do you see? I'll tell you what you see. You will see a commercial for X-brand beer and "male enhancement". Then there will be 30 other commercials about femine products, the one day sales at X-department store, the latest and greatest in hair care and lipstick and of course the ever coveted half-naked models selling us lingerie that would never even look good on our 19 year old bodies of years past.
So, you see ladies, WE are not selfish. We, instead, are pre-programmed and hard-wired by capitolistic America and the influencial society guru's to automatically think of ourselves. I mean, if you dangle a carrot in front of Bugs Bunny, is he really doing to say...."Ahhhhh, no thanks?" HELL NO! He'll say "What's up doc, GIMME!". So why would we be any different! When society is dangling that proverbial carrot in front of our faces day in and day out we have no choice but to say "I WANT! I WANT!".
There you have it. Neither genetics, parents nor friends is to blame for your selfishness. It's all society's fault. Until society changes, we can't change. So don't even try. But once in a while I do suggest simply buying your husbands a shirt, a DVD, their favorite candy bar or something, just to let them know we are thinking of them, if only for a brief minute.
Since my selfish side has resurfaced, a series of thoughts has entered my mind. Being a born and bred, red-blooded American, I can't take the blame for my own selfishness. That would be outrageous! I mean, it couldn't possibly be my fault that I am self-centered and narcissistic! So, I started thinking of who to blame.
My parents? Hm, no, not really. They were decent caring people who always put others first.
My friends? Well, possibly but there are bigger fish to blame.
Society? AH-HA! YES! That is it! Society! Who else could it be? I mean, they influence everything!
I got to thinking how society effects my selfishness, and therefore, the selfishness of many women in this country.
Mother's of boys will definitely notice this fact above anyone. Have you ever tried to go shopping for boys clothes and shoes? When you walk into a store, what is the first thing you notice? Typically, the first things you will see are the purse section, a plethora of young girls clothes or womens clothes, accessories, jewlery and shoes. You have to fight your way through those departments like a jungle man with a machete! Then, there you see it, way in the back, a small 10ft by 10ft section of boys clothes, shoes, underwear and coats all in one cramped little area. Everything is blue, brown or black and it's rather depressing.
How about those catalogues we get in the mail. ONE DAY SALE AT X-Department store! 12-Hour Shoe Spectacular! Flip through those pages and what do you see? Pages upon pages of women's shoes, purses, fabulous v-neck sweaters, beautiful jewlery, black knee high boots that we have been dying to buy and there, way in the back of the catalogue is a one page section with some men's pants, shoes and boys clothes. One page? That is all the men get?
I realize that men's clothing choices are limited to just pants and shirts. I mean they can't wear capris and skirts. Ok, well, I mean REAL men can't wear those things. Women have many more options when it comes to clothing. But does that mean they should only get one page out of a 30 page catalogue?
Now, lets talk about television. When those commercials come on in the middle of our favorite reality shows and CSI episodes, what do you see? I'll tell you what you see. You will see a commercial for X-brand beer and "male enhancement". Then there will be 30 other commercials about femine products, the one day sales at X-department store, the latest and greatest in hair care and lipstick and of course the ever coveted half-naked models selling us lingerie that would never even look good on our 19 year old bodies of years past.
So, you see ladies, WE are not selfish. We, instead, are pre-programmed and hard-wired by capitolistic America and the influencial society guru's to automatically think of ourselves. I mean, if you dangle a carrot in front of Bugs Bunny, is he really doing to say...."Ahhhhh, no thanks?" HELL NO! He'll say "What's up doc, GIMME!". So why would we be any different! When society is dangling that proverbial carrot in front of our faces day in and day out we have no choice but to say "I WANT! I WANT!".
There you have it. Neither genetics, parents nor friends is to blame for your selfishness. It's all society's fault. Until society changes, we can't change. So don't even try. But once in a while I do suggest simply buying your husbands a shirt, a DVD, their favorite candy bar or something, just to let them know we are thinking of them, if only for a brief minute.
2 Comments:
Amen Sista!
AODr,
What does this entry about selfishness have anything to do with ME?
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