I’m sure by now we all heard the news…Taylor Swift has broken up with yet another boyfriend. She dated One Direction singer Harry Styles for little over a month before breaking up with him shortly after the New Year. Taylor Swift has become infamous for her many boyfriends as well as her many break-ups, which often seem to serve as inspiration for her music. While many people criticize her because of this, many people continue to support Taylor, saying that she’s young, and that it is NORMAL for a girl her age to experiment and to have many boyfriends. I guess I agree with this to an extent, but 13 boyfriends in four years? Call me old-fashioned but that seems a little excessive. But this got me thinking (light-bulb moment), is this normal now-a-days?
Also, in a group that I am involved in on facebook, someone posted this question: Which is harder to find, a job or a virgin? Mostly everyone replied that it was far easier to find a job, especially in the United States. Although the question was originally posted just to be funny, it too got me thinking!
We used to live in a society where such topics were hush-hush. Just the mere mention of sex or anything related to it was considered taboo (For women to show their ankles was considered skanky or inappropriate). Now it seems as if we live in a completely opposite world, where sex is exploited and propagandized in the media (We’ve all seen those K-Y and Trojan commercials 😉 ). Don’t get me wrong, I think sex is a beautiful thing, and it should be talked about, but when does it all become too much? And has it become more about the physical act having of sex, rather than the connection/relationship between two people (husband and wife?) in love. Is this why we have countless partners, and why Taylor Swift just can’t seem to stick to a boyfriend?
The Motion Picture Association of America developed guidelines used to monitor what is considered appropriate for movie viewers according to their age. “G” being appropriate for viewers of all ages, “PG-13” on for viewers over the age of 13 with their parents, and the infamous “R” rated, for viewers age 17 and up without parental guidance (who here remembers going to their first “R-rated” movie?). It’s the “R-rated” movies that have all the sexual content. That’s all fine and dandy, the only problem is, that with time, these guidelines seem to have loosened. Nowadays things that were once “rated R” are now rated “PG-13”! And it’s the same for tv, for instance, I watched cartoon network with my little brother the other day, and the cartoon character had boobs! I mean…like, Pamela Anderson boobs! Anywhere else that wouldn’t surprise me, but on cartoon network, on a kid’s show? Really? Is that necessary?
According to Time Magazine, researchers at the Rand Corp. have studied and documented the influence that “racy” content on television has on teen pregnancy rates. Their results indicate that teens that are exposed to such racy television are twice as likely to become pregnant, or take part in sexual activities, than those who watch less racy tv. Now of course there are other factors that come into play, but the results of their research are astonishing nonetheless. Many feel that television gives a glamorized version of what sex is, and that in turn influences people’s thoughts and actions. I can understand this…the same thing happens with people and music, glorifying “ganstas” and, thug-living. And the same thing happens with our perception of beauty (See:http://wp.me/p32JeW-2) And don’t even get me started on child tv beauty pageants Honey-boo boo, in my opinion dressing a child up to look 4 times older than their age, and calling them “sexy baby”, is just plain wrong!
All that being said, am I still going to watch my tv shows? Um….yeah, haha but even still, how much is too much? And if things continue to progress as they are, will the lack of virgins in the US and Taylor Swift’s 1000th break-up be the worst of our problems?
References:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1855842,00.html
Another great post! Very interesting to think about!