Question #113: Why can’t we do this?
November 17, 2012
Seriously, why?
The Dalai Lama put up the following quote on Facebook:
“However capable and skillful an individual may be, left alone, he or she will “not survive. When we are sick or very young or very old, we must depend on the support of others. There is no significant division between us and other people, because our basic natures are the same. If we wish to ensure everyone’s peace and happiness we need to cultivate a healthy respect for the diversity of our peoples and cultures, founded on an understanding of this fundamental sameness of all human beings.”
The simplicity of this staggers me.
Isn’t this what we ultimately and deeply desire? To be happy and at peace?
The global predicament we’re in, however, is one where more people than not believe that the attainment of true fulfilment is only possible with the obtaining of money.
Money = Power. How intoxicating.
It must be addictive – the drive to compete for more, to buy the best and most expensive – even oppress…because to gain it to the detriment – the sometimes terrible detriment – of others – is inhumane.
How can we turn a blind eye towards the people who just had the truly unfortunate, bad luck to be born into poverty, into violence and war, into slavery, into prostitution…
…into a cursed existence?
Cursed.
The Dalai Lama’s philosophy (solution) is so simple.
Can’t be worse than the cancer we have now – infecting our global, toxic psyche.
Question #114: What have we got to lose?
Of course it will never be everybody thinking in this manner. Impossible.
…but couldn’t it at least be that there’s more of us, than them, to bring about a shift?
Ever hopefully yours,
Paula x
A nice one for the girls.
November 10, 2012
Just a quick post – as I’m watching the movie In Her Shoes on the telly.
What a delight. I’ve been enjoying it so much.
It has it’s touches of ‘Hollywood’ – yes – but the main protagonists are all women and we see all their flaws – their different shapes and looks – as well as their gifts.
It looks at the sisterhood…the good, the bad and the ugly.
And there’s beauty in their flaws.
Toni Collette is always her amazing self – a.mazing – and Cameron Diaz is fantastic; she was great in this role. There’s also Shirley Maclaine…and last, but not least, a divine collection of gorgeous shoes!
It’s like you can kind of relate to every female character, in some tiny way (or in many) – whether as a part of you or as a part of the women around you.
Complex women. Like us.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this movie with you – one that (I thought) portrayed a more truthful representation of a cross-section of women. This seems to be a lacking element of the movies nowadays.
Watch it one day – and please be sure to visit me again and tell me what you thought of it.
We need more movies like this.
Nigh Night.
I’m feeling despondent.
October 28, 2012
Again, it seems I’ve hit another moment where it all feels a smidge overwhelming.
I’m a bit low about it all.
I keep seeing – hearing – absorbing – feeling – more and more examples of horrible behaviour, greedy behaviour, hateful behaviour…
…and I just don’t understand.
I don’t understand why intelligent men and women sit back with a desensitised indifference or, worse still, defend certain elements of our society – making us tip out of balance. I feel like we’re sitting on the side of the balance that’s just started its descent…and it’s going to reach the bottom at an accelerated and unstoppable pace…
Or have we reached that ‘point of no return’ already?
I’d like to think not. I’d LOVE to think not. But am I being naive to think we can put on the brakes?
Because I’m starting to doubt that it’s possible because there seems to be a lot who defend the need for cesspools in different pockets of our existence.
It’s depressing to entertain this thought. It is.
For me, this is the crux of it:
The world is going down a slippery chute – because of money and power.
And it doesn’t matter how you look at it – proven statistically – whatever the culture around the globe, whatever the economic status…
…the true victims of any society, are women.
And the ones who wield the power and dominate, are men.
Not ALL men – but most of those who are in positions of power, are – however they came to be there. They’re the ones ruling this planet. Fact.
But I’m wondering, if there are so many of you out there – and I know in my heart you are out there (regardless of gender) – who feel like a lot of the things being brought to light are wrong:
Question #105: Where are you?
I see women like Melinda Tankard Reist and the phenomenal team at Collective Shout, who are doing wonderful, extraordinary work. They have won so many battles against things that seem inconceivable, to have been allowed to be put in our society in the first place. Inconceivable. They have little money and are flying by the skin of their teeth. But they keep going because it simply has to be done.
Where’s the equivalent loud male voice – a face – who also thinks things are very, very wrong?
Where are the voices of ALL of us, regardless of gender?
In a previous post Feeling a bit ineffectual I listed how women are the victims of this world.
Women are raped by the thousands in places like Africa – used as a weapon of war – DAILY. Women infected with diseases from it.
Women / baby girls around the planet – who are raped, molested, sexually assaulted, trafficked – DAILY
Countless countries forbidding girls from being educated. Shooting a targeted girl, point blank, in the head for wanting one. These are the countries that like war. They have their women – who could stop them if they were in decision-making positions along side them – submissively kept at home.
The poverty, the pain…
And here? In the capitalist world? Here we only reward one thing;
Making money – at whatever cost.
Most of us do it the right and honourable way – with our ethics and morals intact – but the thing I don’t understand is why we actually stand back and let the soulless monster loose in big business – to OUR detriment. OURS.
We are creating a MINDLESS culture by allowing men – yes men – the ones in power who hold 97% of clout positions in Advertising, Publishing, Tele-communications and Entertainment – to feed on all our weakest and most vulnerable points..to make money. To make a LIVING.
With their fellow men it’s done through sex and with women it’s done through vanity.
Except for the men it’s a dominant weakness and for women it’s a submissive one.
Men are happy with their vice – by indulging in the world of hyper-sexuality and porn…but women never are! Which woman actually believes they’re beautiful enough? Good enough?
What the hell’s THAT about ladies? Seriously!
We’re allowing companies to target and condition our youth to become MINDLESS.
Our silence and indifference gives them permission.
WHY are we doing this? Because it’s good business? The more we say that, the more we pave the way for another to push the ethical frontiers. I’m beginning to wonder if there are any left.
Seems like a free-for-all.
The infuriating part is that we could ALL sell-out and make a quid the fast way.
We ALL have the capacity to steal. We ALL have the capacity to cheat. We can be unkind, selfish, greedy, hateful – but for the majority of people – we’re decent.
Question #106: So, why are we letting the men in power dictate how they will feed off ALL of us – men, women and children – in this detrimental way?
All’s fair in love, war…and capitalism, it seems.
I wonder, with a heavy heart, if the line above does encompass the general attitude amongst the masses…
Again, I hope not.
This is a worthy cause, isn’t it?
Deep Breath.
Pass it on. Speak up. Anything to help create change.
Question #100
September 24, 2012
It’s time to practise what I preach. I am always telling you to sign, to stand up, to voice objection – well, I’m about to do just that.
I have something that’s been slowly stewing inside me. I’ve written about this before – but now it’s time for the next step.
Preamble: The pull that the television has on my girls, is strong – however, I want them to have as much of an ‘old school’ childhood (like I had), as possible.
Outside – drawing – playing.
Yes, TV was a part of my life growing up, but it was minimal – only 4 channels and transmission ended at around midnight. TV shows included, Play School and Sesame Street (Channel 2 – no ads) and then Romper Room, Humfrey B Bear and Fat Cat all on the commercial channels. In that time the ads were classified as well – all toy ads (pretty much).
Today: Not only are the classifications of shows going down the toilet – things that are PG now, would have been M when we were younger – or worse still – R…a rating that seems to have all but vanished nowadays.
I have a big problem with the ads television stations are airing. More specifically, I have a problem with the television shows that are being coupled with such ads.
A big problem.
The common, knee-jerk response to a comment like this, would be that I don’t have to watch television. I can just turn it off. Well, yes I can – but why should I?
We don’t have Cable TV here at home and we don’t have a DVD shop nearby. So when a good kids’ movie comes on, I think it’s nice for the girls to be able to watch it. Then the dread sets in because I know that I’ll have to be vigilant about the ads the station will air, while my 5 and 9 yr old watch. Sometimes I flatly turn off the TV during ad breaks and other times, we record the show and the girls watch it later.
But I repeat – WHY should I have to do all this??
It’s starting to really get under my skin. So much so, that I’m going to take action. I hope I can get people to take a stand with me.
The most disconcerting factor for me is that, for the most part, it’s not even what they’re saying that has me in this agitated state – it’s what we (and our children) see.
My level of indignation is growing daily because there are times when I turn to see my girls watching something like the following ad on Channel 7, promoting the show GCB – which translates to: Good Christian Bitches…yes, bitches:
Now I had to say to my eldest to stop watching, while I frantically looked for the remote, but it was too late. She saw a jealous woman (suspicious of her husband participating in some adultery) by giving him all he wants, by sticking some fried chicken between her breasts.
Please.
There were also the images of the protagonist working in a Hooters-type place (coming down a pole, no less); not to mention the way the women look and behave – plastic, overly made-up and jealous, catty and bitchy.
Fantastic role models.
And ALL this information from the ad above.
We therefore, DON”T have a choice – except to turn it off.
I wrote, in an earlier post, Ready, Fire, Aim!, about how an ad for the lead up to The Shire appeared as my girls and I watched The Sound of Music. How much more ‘G’ can a film be?
The ad for the following movie was everywhere – it has a teddy bear dry humping a super market scanner. This one was hard to avoid – it has a teddy bear in it!
A few days ago an ad for Puberty Blues appeared through an airing of Monsters v Aliens – on Channel 10. It also had a Thomas the Tank Engine ad – WHY BOTHER? They just witnessed a man about to cheat on his wife in the ad.
What about, Snog, Marry, Avoid? My daughter told me about this show – so it was on through the kids’ shows time.
OK, you get the drift. Hopefully you agree that it’s something we need to address…and actually make these VERY rich marketers take responsibility for what they show our kids.
These ads are not only promoting a show, they’re promoting a way of life. A mono-style of life where the pursuits are the same – vanity, greed, envy…sound familiar?
Question #100: Should ads have classifications, just like shows? Should we demand new restrictions?
I’m going to delve into a bit of research.
Then I’m setting up a petition.
Stay tuned. I need your help.
Deep Breath
x
PS I’m off to Japan in a few hours, as a chaperone to 19 students with the Japanese teacher. AAaarrrhh!! What an experience it’s going to be! I doubt I’ll have time to post anything…but we’ll see! I always get a bit twitchy when I don’t write for a wee while…
Our bad judgement.
September 22, 2012
If you’ve ever passed judgement on a mum – because of her child’s actions…
(I’d say that about covers everyone – including me, of course), then read the following article:
It’s true, isn’t it?
Just another way in which both genders pick on women – ESPECIALLY by other women.
Sisterhood.
It’s the only way.
Big kiss.
x
I see a gender issue.
September 19, 2012
There have been serious clashes worldwide over this anti-Islamic movie, that by most accounts, is of bad quality and is now notorious and has been made VERY important – because all those protesting have ‘blessed’ it with that honour.
The thing that I simply can’t fathom, from a humanitarian point of view, is why these protesters have placed SUCH significance and attention on something that could have quite as easily gone through undetected.
All of this for WHAT? Wanting to change how people think? Do they think violence is the way to change people’s minds?
We all seem to be on the same page about the obvious feelings that the Sydney protest (that turned violent) has stirred. Despite living in a huge melting pot, most people have been positively forging connections with other cultures. This last weekend’s events, however, have set this back substantially – giving those less tolerant the fuel they need to validate their feelings of racial hatred.
An absolute pity.
As I watched (stunned), I found myself disconnecting to what was being said – pressed mute, if you will – and just observed the images before me.
And I saw a sea of men. Men inciting violence.
Of course, there were women in the mix, but for the most part, you must agree that the reaction is a masculine one. Heated and violent.
I found it interesting that the one person in the Sydney riots who received the most singular attention, was a woman. A mother who was photographed taking a picture of her child with a placard calling for the beheading of those who insult the prophet Mohammed (one copy of a gazillion of the same placard).
The photo was an horrific sight. Truly. No argument from me. The fact that the next generation of children – from both sides (let’s not forget the Cronulla riots) – are being groomed to hate, is terrifying. The boy, however, is not old enough to read – so here’s hoping that he was oblivious to its writings…
The part that intrigued me, however, is that this woman handed herself in to Police the next day, to sort things out.
Any of the men do the same? The violent and destructive ones?
Remember that I’m observing – like a David Attenborough from another planet – having a peek.
So, I looked at what was happening around the world – and yes, it’s more of the same.
“This insult touched off the second wave of Islamic awakening and we hope that this wave would grow into a tsunami which would annihilate the US,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, the top member of the Assembly of Experts, told thousands of clerics in the holy city of Qom on Sunday.
Sea of men.
Question #98: Can we ever achieve a peaceful existence, when the predominant masculine reaction is paving the way?
I’m not implying that ALL men are this way – in the same way that I would never profess that women are incapable of violent acts.
You all know what I mean.
Deep Breath…
(Maybe a lot of these people should have started with a deep breath and this issue could have been rationalised logically – that an idiot made a video.)
What about the following?
Maybe I’m naive, but I like the cartoon.
A girl can dream, can’t she?
x
9 men; 1 woman
September 18, 2012
Australia’s highest paid CEOs have been revealed today – together with photos.
Question #96: What can you see in these photos?
I see white.
I see male.
I see older gentlemen – Nine of the same.
I see ONE woman.
Brains aren’t the issue…so WHY?
Top dog; Marius Kloppers. BHP CEO – earned $17.3 million.
For goodness sake – what would anyone want this much money for?
At the end of the day, it’s a pissing competition, isn’t it?
I have MORE. I made you MORE. I made MORE than YOU! I WANT MOOORRRRE!!
*Shaking head*
We’re in a slight bind because of this mentality – that’s filtering all the way down to how our children learn to think about money and stature…
…but I digress.
I have a second question:
Question #97: Would women be as greedy?
I truly wonder this – because I feel like (on the whole) it’s not in our nature. The reason I think this is because if it were – we’d be up there too. And we’re not.
What do you think?
Deep Breath.
x
Happy Fathers’ Day!
September 2, 2012
It’s Fathers’ Day today in Australia – I’m not sure about whether it’s the same in other nations – but I want to give a huge and heartfelt ‘Woooo Hoooo!’ to all the great men – especially dads – who are fighting the good fight.
Men who simply want a better world for both their daughters AND sons.
Men who will guide and nurture, but most importantly model the fantastic virtues that men carry.
As I’ve always said – in this world that is thirsty for balance – we NEED men to be true men of character and sit side by side with the qualities women bring to the table – and raise our children.
So a toast to you all today!
I hope you all have a wonderful Fathers’ Day – full of love, family…and not too many pairs of socks and ties! Hahaha!
Love, Paula
x
So, what sort of ‘feminist’ am I?
February 24, 2012
Yes, there’s that word again.
I was extremely grateful for my first male comment – expressing an opinion about how off-putting the word ‘feminist’ can be – especially to male. I want to include males in the conversation (and encourage them to join). The comment got me thinking about how our perceptions influence everything we experience in life. After all, your perceptions and perspective become your reality.
So, what is feminism?
1. the doctrine advocating social, political and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
2. an organised movement for the attainment of such rights for women.
That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
So why is there such a negative connection to this movement?
The more important question is:
Question #19: Why is there STILL a movement?
I digress.
Maybe the negativity towards feminism is due to that common stereotype of angry, male-hating, bra burning females with hairy armpits. As much as I kind of understand not having to wear a bra (wouldn’t that be nice? Without the ‘girls’ quickly heading south and resting on our stomachs?) or shaving one’s legs and armpits, I think the key word there is angry. That’s what turns people off, I suppose.
But why shouldn’t there be anger, when it’s a question of equal rights?
Equal…not be judged on how similar we are, or should be, to males – but equal.
Equally needed. Equally valued. The yin to the yang.
I am a warrior for BALANCE.
Yes, I’m a [recent] feminist – I started to see. What I see is a world in trouble; tipping badly out of balance.
Yes, I feel a sting of anger towards the unequal place that females hold in our world.
My goal is to use a steady, but strong voice, hoping females join me in exercising their intelligence, to start shifting the current paradigm. I want to use this blog to make females – and males – aware of the saturation of images and stereotypes (in our ‘developed’ world) as well as the horrors inflicted on females in other parts of the world – due solely on their (our) gender.
All adults need to truly teach their daughters and sons – our future – how to navigate through the objectification and violence against females.
We need to empower girls in a diversity of ways – looks and weight being the least important – her mind being the most important.
Our boys and young males are in real danger as well – following a more misogynistic view of women due to the same images and stereotypes splashed everywhere they look. And now, on average, boys are starting to watch violent porn at 11 years of age.
Boys need to be taught to see it as abhorrent to see and treat females in the way they are currently; as anything less than equal.
I do not fight for me. I fight for any human being that is suffering injustice – it just so happens that statistically females are the predominant victims worldwide.
As a female, are you equal in EVERY aspect in your life? If you are, can you say the same for others? How can those sisters be helped? What about the way in which females are being portrayed in popular culture?
Bitch – Nag – Dumb – Useless – Slut – Fickle – Vain – Objectified Sex Kittens.
It’s easy to make females feel down about themselves by labelling them and keeping them in their place.
Question #20: What place do you hold?
I DO NOT hate males. I believe they are important and pivotal in creating a shift of perspective and change in our world – but they are currently running the joint…their way.
One gender in control = inequality.
We need BALANCE to make things right and just. Females ‘ruling the world’ would pose an equally, problematic existence.
50/50 should be the equation of males to females in any room on this planet, making a decision for their people. Nothing more; nothing less.
It’s the only way.
So, that’s the type of feminist I am – a calm and steady warrior, using her voice to get some balance in this wonderful, but absurd world.
Deep Breath
x
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