Link is here ---> http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090125/ten-art-mogul-saatchi-joins-tv-search-fo-a56114e.html
While its all and great to find talent through television shows but it seems because its a fast paced world everything becomes a quickie. And now art has become a quickie too. I wonder if its all and good...but then again there's always others who could beat it out I suppose and make it. Well gone are the days of Gauguin and their long long periods of living in exotic places for inspiration
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The wrong premise for prostitution
While I am all for freedom of sexuality, I have to say that the pros of promoting prostitution begins with awful premises. ---> http://www.sexwork.com/coalition/15reasons.html
1) Sure, but what about sexual gratification OF women? This is a very double standard statement, the author claims that he is not attracted with women his own age and he dislikes overweight women, the problem lies with him as a person. Why should women strive for 'sexual attractivity'? The other problem is that sexual preference varies from culture to culture, from individual to individual. The problem is obvious, he leans on what is construed as within his own society as sexually attractive ignoring the fact that women are human beings too who also need sexual gratification.
2) Why is the bible dragged into this?! HAHAHAHA So you need religious confirmation to justify your actions? Why quote religion? Seriously, there is no need for religious confirmation to justify one's actions unless it is a religion clearly painted by the patriarch.
3) Prostitution does not make the world safer for women. In fact, rapists and incest rapists also visit prostitutes, this does nothing to abate their sexual satisfaction. Sex and rape cannot be equated, they are two different phenomenon manifesting through action. It does not make it healthy for men either, many get STDs, what he doesn't realize is that there is a large number of human trafficking that is going on in this world. Women and children are FORCED into prostitution and many do not do so by their own will.
4) Not necessarily, as a training anthropologist/sociologist, I have never heard of a prostitute actually sexually satisfied with a customer/client.
5) It is a profession that should be respected, but with different premises. A premise that should recognize that they are human beings too and are no different than your wives, daughters, sisters, mothers and friends.
6) Marriage is sometimes an institution which is equal to prostitution, only in the longer run.
7) It could be and it could not be at the same time. They also get abused. What should be is to make laws like the EU where sexworkers do not get criminalized but clients and customers should get criminalized. The demand is ALWAYS there, it does not take a triad leader to quickly realize that. You should look into and also research human trafficking that have cost hundreds and thousands of women and children who are sold into prostitution. Prostitution for the love of feminism is rare.
8) You cannot equate all men into your category. Just because they have not learned to know it elsewhere does not mean that they should continue to behave so. You're misusing sociology and juxtaposing it into a situation that is so abberated that it becomes a fallacy.
9) Refer to point 7
10) Yes it does provide a better alternative to starving and stealing but you're just allowing women and seeing them as sex objects that have no brains to get out there and make it on their own without any connection to servicing men. This just means that there is a serious lack of institutions that provide for the welfare of women that they have to resort to prostitution.
11) Okay, you're right there. But why this obsession with sex?
12) Fun, construed in a very limited way. As if people cannot have fun doing other things?
13) Hmm, good for your mental health not the mental health of the prostitute herself. Imagine being in a situation where the most intimate of their lives is forced to be on display on command, to be paid. How do you feel inside? Maybe prostitutes need to charge extra for therapy.
14) Prostitution does not cure problems, please return to point 7
15) Sex work can be empowering, for FAT women, for THIN women, for OLD women, and yet on point one you say you want slim women between their 20s-30s. What does that say? My dear, you don't want to push that point because that point would be the day where women as old as your mother, your wife, as fat as your family members will become prostitutes.
I would be happy to give you references on human trafficking, on sexual abuse on prostitutes on AIDS, and anything else that provide actual at least stable and reliable data. Not flippant excuses on the internet.
1) Sure, but what about sexual gratification OF women? This is a very double standard statement, the author claims that he is not attracted with women his own age and he dislikes overweight women, the problem lies with him as a person. Why should women strive for 'sexual attractivity'? The other problem is that sexual preference varies from culture to culture, from individual to individual. The problem is obvious, he leans on what is construed as within his own society as sexually attractive ignoring the fact that women are human beings too who also need sexual gratification.
2) Why is the bible dragged into this?! HAHAHAHA So you need religious confirmation to justify your actions? Why quote religion? Seriously, there is no need for religious confirmation to justify one's actions unless it is a religion clearly painted by the patriarch.
3) Prostitution does not make the world safer for women. In fact, rapists and incest rapists also visit prostitutes, this does nothing to abate their sexual satisfaction. Sex and rape cannot be equated, they are two different phenomenon manifesting through action. It does not make it healthy for men either, many get STDs, what he doesn't realize is that there is a large number of human trafficking that is going on in this world. Women and children are FORCED into prostitution and many do not do so by their own will.
4) Not necessarily, as a training anthropologist/sociologist, I have never heard of a prostitute actually sexually satisfied with a customer/client.
5) It is a profession that should be respected, but with different premises. A premise that should recognize that they are human beings too and are no different than your wives, daughters, sisters, mothers and friends.
6) Marriage is sometimes an institution which is equal to prostitution, only in the longer run.
7) It could be and it could not be at the same time. They also get abused. What should be is to make laws like the EU where sexworkers do not get criminalized but clients and customers should get criminalized. The demand is ALWAYS there, it does not take a triad leader to quickly realize that. You should look into and also research human trafficking that have cost hundreds and thousands of women and children who are sold into prostitution. Prostitution for the love of feminism is rare.
8) You cannot equate all men into your category. Just because they have not learned to know it elsewhere does not mean that they should continue to behave so. You're misusing sociology and juxtaposing it into a situation that is so abberated that it becomes a fallacy.
9) Refer to point 7
10) Yes it does provide a better alternative to starving and stealing but you're just allowing women and seeing them as sex objects that have no brains to get out there and make it on their own without any connection to servicing men. This just means that there is a serious lack of institutions that provide for the welfare of women that they have to resort to prostitution.
11) Okay, you're right there. But why this obsession with sex?
12) Fun, construed in a very limited way. As if people cannot have fun doing other things?
13) Hmm, good for your mental health not the mental health of the prostitute herself. Imagine being in a situation where the most intimate of their lives is forced to be on display on command, to be paid. How do you feel inside? Maybe prostitutes need to charge extra for therapy.
14) Prostitution does not cure problems, please return to point 7
15) Sex work can be empowering, for FAT women, for THIN women, for OLD women, and yet on point one you say you want slim women between their 20s-30s. What does that say? My dear, you don't want to push that point because that point would be the day where women as old as your mother, your wife, as fat as your family members will become prostitutes.
I would be happy to give you references on human trafficking, on sexual abuse on prostitutes on AIDS, and anything else that provide actual at least stable and reliable data. Not flippant excuses on the internet.
Monday, January 19, 2009
May I interject?
I am sick and tired of the really bad song lists for making love. I don't normally do this but I think a lot of people will be glad to get rid of that wanderlist list.
1) Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
2) If I Have My Way - Chrisette Michele
3) My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
4) Selimut Hati - Dewa
5) Seribu Tahun - Imran Ajmain
6) Lost Without You - Robin Thicke
7) Loving You Is Easy (Cos Your Beautiful) - Minnie Riperton
8) The Sweetest Love - Robin Thicke
9) Menghujam Jantungku - Tompi
10) Don't Sleep Away the Night - Glenn Fredly
11) Crazy For You - Adele
12) Luv - Janet Jackson
13) Feel Like Making Love - Roberta Flack
14) Kangen -Chrisye
15) Kasih Tercipta - Faizal Tahir
16) I'm a Slave 4 U - Britney Spears
17) Buttons - PussyCat Dolls
18) I Heard Love is Blind - Amy Winehouse
19) Something About Us - Daft Punk
20) Why I Love You - B2K
21) Turn Your Lights Down Low - Bob Marley feat. Lauryn Hill
I'm not going to list my whole playlist...but these are good enough for a few rounds
1) Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
2) If I Have My Way - Chrisette Michele
3) My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
4) Selimut Hati - Dewa
5) Seribu Tahun - Imran Ajmain
6) Lost Without You - Robin Thicke
7) Loving You Is Easy (Cos Your Beautiful) - Minnie Riperton
8) The Sweetest Love - Robin Thicke
9) Menghujam Jantungku - Tompi
10) Don't Sleep Away the Night - Glenn Fredly
11) Crazy For You - Adele
12) Luv - Janet Jackson
13) Feel Like Making Love - Roberta Flack
14) Kangen -Chrisye
15) Kasih Tercipta - Faizal Tahir
16) I'm a Slave 4 U - Britney Spears
17) Buttons - PussyCat Dolls
18) I Heard Love is Blind - Amy Winehouse
19) Something About Us - Daft Punk
20) Why I Love You - B2K
21) Turn Your Lights Down Low - Bob Marley feat. Lauryn Hill
I'm not going to list my whole playlist...but these are good enough for a few rounds
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Discourse on the Female Body
---> I'm not sure if you could read Indonesian, if you do well, read on.
There has been some very interesting developments on lesbianism on display especially through the Indonesian film industry. More recently however, a movie done by James Lee a popular children's author equivalent to R.L. Stine, Histeria made it to the top of my list when it showcased (although irrelevant, or relevant to the plot?) a lesbian kiss between two schoolgirls. It could be some perverted fantasy via pornography and pop movies, on the other hand, some 'rebellious' movies such as Berbagi Suami (Sharing Husband), do also display a lesbian relationship between two women who shared a husband. Lesbianism, contrary to the male fantasy via pornography, almost always at least shows what is interesting for men, not women, although in most cases I have been told that lesbian pornography garners more female viewers than male viewers. I have this itching feeling that it could possibly be because it showcases two women who embody the perfection that male sexuality craves (really?). It is youthful, well-breasted, no droopies here (which in reality is actually impossible without a talented plastic surgeon), and 'attractive' with long beautiful hair (wow, it is kind of rare to find a boyish haired porn star unless you count Bella something, I don't remember her name, it has something to do with nightshade?). To find a lesbian relationship, a mutually loving and exclusive lesbian relationship with all the trappings of actual realistic femalehood in pornography is almost impossible. Where then do we find such existence? Only through 'breakthrough' filming which showcases the different.
On the other hand, we have realistic depictions of womanhood but still with the regular dreams of marriage, love, bla3. Now I want to talk about the ever popular My Lovely Sam Soon, a Korean television series. Sam Soon, a woman whose above marriageable age, almost 'expired' (puhlease, how does it get this way?), mannish, funny, not exactly pretty for men, gets the man of her dreams. She got her way allright but she had to go through the rites necessary that labels her as the female body. A body that can be controlled on, a body that belongs to society itself. I'm not saying that the male body is not controlled by society, in probability even more so there exists a rigid existence for manhood (women can wear pants and skirts, men can never wear skirts/or a skort without being labelled as a sissy/fag/queer). In fact, I could suppose that men are repressed beings that exert control over others because they have no control over themselves.
The female body is constantly controlled, not by men, nay! It is continuously controlled by women, or gay men. They set the bar as to what is attractive and what is not. Gay men do have that control over womanhood and this is through their extensive involvement with haute couture.
There has been some very interesting developments on lesbianism on display especially through the Indonesian film industry. More recently however, a movie done by James Lee a popular children's author equivalent to R.L. Stine, Histeria made it to the top of my list when it showcased (although irrelevant, or relevant to the plot?) a lesbian kiss between two schoolgirls. It could be some perverted fantasy via pornography and pop movies, on the other hand, some 'rebellious' movies such as Berbagi Suami (Sharing Husband), do also display a lesbian relationship between two women who shared a husband. Lesbianism, contrary to the male fantasy via pornography, almost always at least shows what is interesting for men, not women, although in most cases I have been told that lesbian pornography garners more female viewers than male viewers. I have this itching feeling that it could possibly be because it showcases two women who embody the perfection that male sexuality craves (really?). It is youthful, well-breasted, no droopies here (which in reality is actually impossible without a talented plastic surgeon), and 'attractive' with long beautiful hair (wow, it is kind of rare to find a boyish haired porn star unless you count Bella something, I don't remember her name, it has something to do with nightshade?). To find a lesbian relationship, a mutually loving and exclusive lesbian relationship with all the trappings of actual realistic femalehood in pornography is almost impossible. Where then do we find such existence? Only through 'breakthrough' filming which showcases the different.
On the other hand, we have realistic depictions of womanhood but still with the regular dreams of marriage, love, bla3. Now I want to talk about the ever popular My Lovely Sam Soon, a Korean television series. Sam Soon, a woman whose above marriageable age, almost 'expired' (puhlease, how does it get this way?), mannish, funny, not exactly pretty for men, gets the man of her dreams. She got her way allright but she had to go through the rites necessary that labels her as the female body. A body that can be controlled on, a body that belongs to society itself. I'm not saying that the male body is not controlled by society, in probability even more so there exists a rigid existence for manhood (women can wear pants and skirts, men can never wear skirts/or a skort without being labelled as a sissy/fag/queer). In fact, I could suppose that men are repressed beings that exert control over others because they have no control over themselves.
The female body is constantly controlled, not by men, nay! It is continuously controlled by women, or gay men. They set the bar as to what is attractive and what is not. Gay men do have that control over womanhood and this is through their extensive involvement with haute couture.
Sure who ever said evolution was the truth?
So check the above link out. I do agree with her on the evolutionary thing but to address anthropologists as being social-biologists are a whole other thing. I don't remember any anthropologist in living history who has not distanced themselves from ranging human behaviour with that of the animal kingdom...in fact its ludicrous! Its the first rule of sociology/anthropology that nurture is stronger than nature, that's why its called anthropology/sociology in the first place. Because there's no such thing as nature, natural does not exist, culture is a man made phenomenon, there is nothing natural about man (which craps the hell out of philosophers who have to start somewhere), who knows what divinity is, there were a couple of social anthropologists who said such and such in and about during the Pacific War and they were influenced by American policy makers and theorists by the way, and they were in China, I doubt that their work could reach America. And I'm kinda sick and tired of people who are actually paleoanthropologists or biological anthropologists getting mixed up with social biologists, its just like saying I'm a Muslim therefore I am a 'T' (sooo can't say it, its sooo NOT P.C.).
Other than that, there are no explanations as to why humanity behaves the way they do, that is what anthropology is trying to show (in all probability her definition of an anthropologist could be so american that I don't get it) with its myriad of cultures, when someone says something, there is always always some society out there which can show otherwise. In fact I have a new theoretical line I'm thinking about and I hope people can look in to it and wonder with me.
Culturally and financially, females are usually at a lower position and rank than males, that is the first point, on a second note, financial power rests on the hand of the patriarch. The question or situation that I would like to posit is this, often, when a husband who has more financial stability than the wife would leave the wife with the money (commodity/land/etc.) and remarry with another woman whereby in turn she would make sure that the commodity be passed on her own offspring (which could be either male or female, most likely male). Isn't it more likely (because dumbass males have a way of explaining everything without the approval of females hehehe) that power among women rests between women themselves? The more nubile females versus the 'less' attractive females. God. Now I remember that discovery episode on attraction saying that older females are not sexually attractive because biologically they are reaching menopause. IN all probability this is because certain societies have shown too much television programs or the earlier bias and prejudice that tilt towards younger women. Stories, popular legends, and the definition of beauty itself varies from place to place. I give up, the answer is soo frickin obvious.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Praise Rabbi Yisroel Weiss
In a world where Jews like Muslims also face extreme pressure of anti-semitism, I am amazed at how much this community is able to face the shame and embarassment that has been lauded upon them. Even I myself shun and disassociate myself with Islamic orthodoxy, I am too, a product of continuous repression of my identity even though I do not support terrorism, I believe in an Islam which is between myself and God, I fight for equality and feminism and yet I, being born a Muslim is blamed for all the wrongdoings of others.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Gaza
I know that I have said to my friends that I was too heartsick to be bothered with what is going on in the Gaza strip. It has been so long that these two sides, the Jews and the Arabs and the Christians screwing each other. And us as an outsider viewing what is going on inside as if we understand. I have had numerous e-mails spewing Anti-Semitic messages, without realizing that Jewish children are also getting killed. This is not about religion, this is about politics, about another polity making itself extremely felt on another polity. No doubt that both these sides have felt enmity towards each other for hundreds of years, but this does not mean that they have never lived side by side. The scale in which we are seeing right now are extremely severe, toxic weapons are being thrown to civilian homes, children maimed and burned, crushed under the rubble of stupidity in part of the Americans and the Israelis. For what? For who? Muslims must begin to understand especially Islamic fundamentalists that what is going on is not a protest against the Muslim religion, far from it. Those who are suffering are ALL, and not just the Muslims, Muslims MUST begin to realize and UNDERSTAND, to be inside other people's shoes, to unlearn our religio-centric tendencies. We as humans cannot at this time start to look at one another on the basis of what we believe in, not on the basis of our colour, creed or gender, this is a time where we should serve the most basic of our existence, that of peace, NOT chaos. I have, for a while been very sad and upset with the way things were going within Islamic fundamentalism and the issues that they like to deal with, but this is a time where Islam must show its banner as PEACE and not WAR. We cannot fight fire with fire, it is foolish, it has been said over and over again (and why the hell do people not listen?) stop and extinguish the fire. The solution could be simple, the solution could be easy, but it seems that the harder more painful path is much more comforting when we wallow in our own sadness. Right now is not the time for individualism, it is a time for community work and community peace efforts. For America, as always as has many critics have said, what they are allowing would only exacerbate the condition. Why are you allowing human beings to be extinguished just like that? For a country that speaks of peace, of freedom and human liberty, it is allowing oppression, pain, suffering and slavery in others. It seems as if at this point, the 'freedom' and 'wealth' that some Americans are experiencing is at the expense of the pain and suffering of others. There should be more transparency, people should be given all the information they have at their expense and not just one side of the conversation. I think it is appropriate that I should say as the first word of the Quran, 'Iqra', Read. Speak. Our voices should be loud enough so that everyone could hear.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Shuffler Game
Note: I suspect the reason why some of the songs could match the questions and reflect who you are because, duh, it is your playlist.
Anyway, I know I'm always serious so for my friends who read my blog and get bored to moffing tears, I'm playing the Shuffler Game as evidenced by Ayop and Kartina's blog:-
You put your playlist songs on shuffle on winamp, windows media player bla3 and write down the answers no matter how funny.
1) Are you male or female?
I Know Where I've Been - Queen Latifah (I don't get that, sounds like I've been around :P)
2) Describe Yourself!
Across the Universe - Fiona Apple (what like just because I like anthropology and sociology so now I traverse the universe lah ah?)
3)What do people feel when they're around you?
Lollipop - Mika (I hope they're not asking me to do it...)
4) Describe your current relationship.
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk (Woohoo!!!)
5)Where would you like to be right now?
I Heard Love is Blind - Amy Winehouse (eh?)
6) How Do You Feel About Love?
Keda enyei einak - Amr Diab (apparently it means 'Just Like This, Eye to Eye, I guess equal I suppose?)
7) What's Your Life Like?
Sweet Love - Anita Baker (Wow, I must be lucky)
8) What would you ask for if you had one wish?
I Need You - Lee Ann Rimes (Aduh, wtf? why does this sound like Kartina's list???)
9) Say Something Wise:
Hotel California - NOFX (Wow, how wise am I?)
10) If Someone Says' Is this okay? you say...?)
Akhir Cerita Cinta - Flenn Fredly (Abis! Jiwang! Awut)
11) How would you desrcibe yourself?
Cinta Mati - Ahmad Dhani feat. Agnes Monica (KAR!!! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE!!!)
12) What do you like in a guy/girl?
So Simple - Stacie Orrico (very appropriate)
13) How Do You feel Today?
Come Rain or Come Shine - Billie Holiday (Nice.)
14) What is Your Life Purpose?
I'd Rather Dance With You - Kings of Convenience (I don't know why but this list makes me sound like I'm a Romantic or something...)
15)What is your motto?
Fantasy (remix) - Mariah Carey (woohoo! I sound like a bimbo)
16) What do your friends think of you?
I Say a Little Prayer for You - Dionne Warwick (Aww, I love you guys too)
17) What do you think of your parents?
Love Is No Big Truth - Kings of Convenience (wow, that's perfect timing)
18) What Do You think About very often?
Seribu Tahun - Imran Ajmain (mataiii tayaaa jiwang!!!)
19) What is 2+2?
Love is a Losing Game - Amy Winehouse (??)
20) What do you think of your bestfriend(s)?
The Sweetest Love - Robin Thicke (;))
21) What do you think of the person you like?
D.A.N.C.E - Justice (jadinya Kakana mau ia menari?)
22) What is your life story?
Loving You Is Easy (cos your beautiful) - Minnie Riperton (I knew it)
23) What do you want to be when you grow up?
King Without a Crown - Matisyahu (Jesus!)
24) What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Rasa Cinta - Bunglon (aduh mas, bener dong)
25) What will you dance to at your wedding?
Larut - Dewa (banar kali...jiwang kali aku ani)
26) What will they play at your funeral?
Everlong (Acoustic) - Foo Fighters (That's very appropriate)
27) What is your hobby/interest?
Feedback - Janet Jackson (Banar! HAHAHAHAH)
28) What is your biggest fear?
Ironic - Alanis Morisette (wow, isn't that ironic?)
29) What is your biggest fear?
Kissing a Fool - Michael Buble (See, I said it, semuanya ngam2)
Anyway, I know I'm always serious so for my friends who read my blog and get bored to moffing tears, I'm playing the Shuffler Game as evidenced by Ayop and Kartina's blog:-
You put your playlist songs on shuffle on winamp, windows media player bla3 and write down the answers no matter how funny.
1) Are you male or female?
I Know Where I've Been - Queen Latifah (I don't get that, sounds like I've been around :P)
2) Describe Yourself!
Across the Universe - Fiona Apple (what like just because I like anthropology and sociology so now I traverse the universe lah ah?)
3)What do people feel when they're around you?
Lollipop - Mika (I hope they're not asking me to do it...)
4) Describe your current relationship.
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk (Woohoo!!!)
5)Where would you like to be right now?
I Heard Love is Blind - Amy Winehouse (eh?)
6) How Do You Feel About Love?
Keda enyei einak - Amr Diab (apparently it means 'Just Like This, Eye to Eye, I guess equal I suppose?)
7) What's Your Life Like?
Sweet Love - Anita Baker (Wow, I must be lucky)
8) What would you ask for if you had one wish?
I Need You - Lee Ann Rimes (Aduh, wtf? why does this sound like Kartina's list???)
9) Say Something Wise:
Hotel California - NOFX (Wow, how wise am I?)
10) If Someone Says' Is this okay? you say...?)
Akhir Cerita Cinta - Flenn Fredly (Abis! Jiwang! Awut)
11) How would you desrcibe yourself?
Cinta Mati - Ahmad Dhani feat. Agnes Monica (KAR!!! THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE!!!)
12) What do you like in a guy/girl?
So Simple - Stacie Orrico (very appropriate)
13) How Do You feel Today?
Come Rain or Come Shine - Billie Holiday (Nice.)
14) What is Your Life Purpose?
I'd Rather Dance With You - Kings of Convenience (I don't know why but this list makes me sound like I'm a Romantic or something...)
15)What is your motto?
Fantasy (remix) - Mariah Carey (woohoo! I sound like a bimbo)
16) What do your friends think of you?
I Say a Little Prayer for You - Dionne Warwick (Aww, I love you guys too)
17) What do you think of your parents?
Love Is No Big Truth - Kings of Convenience (wow, that's perfect timing)
18) What Do You think About very often?
Seribu Tahun - Imran Ajmain (mataiii tayaaa jiwang!!!)
19) What is 2+2?
Love is a Losing Game - Amy Winehouse (??)
20) What do you think of your bestfriend(s)?
The Sweetest Love - Robin Thicke (;))
21) What do you think of the person you like?
D.A.N.C.E - Justice (jadinya Kakana mau ia menari?)
22) What is your life story?
Loving You Is Easy (cos your beautiful) - Minnie Riperton (I knew it)
23) What do you want to be when you grow up?
King Without a Crown - Matisyahu (Jesus!)
24) What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Rasa Cinta - Bunglon (aduh mas, bener dong)
25) What will you dance to at your wedding?
Larut - Dewa (banar kali...jiwang kali aku ani)
26) What will they play at your funeral?
Everlong (Acoustic) - Foo Fighters (That's very appropriate)
27) What is your hobby/interest?
Feedback - Janet Jackson (Banar! HAHAHAHAH)
28) What is your biggest fear?
Ironic - Alanis Morisette (wow, isn't that ironic?)
29) What is your biggest fear?
Kissing a Fool - Michael Buble (See, I said it, semuanya ngam2)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
An extension of yesterday's commentary; I am Woman
I feel a little bogged down remembering the issues I dealt with and read yesterday. There are times when I feel like I am trapped in this vaccuum where I do not wish to be and yet society forces me to be in. For one thing, I realized that the representation of women as sexual beings will never end, the only way in which such things could be stopped is by portraying the male species as equally as erotic manifestations. Women are so ingrained into their psyche as these 'weak', 'less-intelligent' and whatever crap they can bulldoze up to make it seem as if men are the 'protectors' and 'maintainers' of women. Who the fuck 'maintained' and 'protected' them when they were young? You want to quote biology? The mother wolf protects her cubs from harm, the hen is close to her nest and her chicks, if women are not strong how do you explain the countless human beings that grace this earth protected and maintained by women? Too much of the mass media invades our cultural and social space, too much invades into the ideas of biology and science, too much of it is easily deconstructed with even a small amount of evidence to break the whole thing apart. And yet, again and again and again, we remain true to such said misconceptions of our reality as women. History has been graced with only the presence of men and not women, and yet we know such history has been selective, the access of religion and education has been denied to women these past few centuries leaving us 'weak' in mind and body and not in our spirit. I am angry, yes I am, very much. The man walks this earth not knowing and not understanding the presence of Woman. They represented our images with fake ones, dealt with our hair, our skin, our faces and our bodies just so that they can feel masculine and REAL. To remember a quote from Amistad, men have survived and became great through their manipulation and exploitation of women, by disallowing us from everything and keeping us within the fringes and therefore their power will never end or be threatened. Islam on the one hand had said that whatever property that a woman owns is hers to own and to distribute, and yet, there are several cases one can quote from memory concerning the family's wish for the woman's decision on her property be overturned, changed, for a million and one reasons. Where is the justice? It does not exist, and I ask my sisters, when will the change be? When will the change come? The change has to come now, the fight must continue, and I will until the last of my dying breath, at least hope, that I could open just some eyes.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Reviewing Tagged versus Facebook
I thought that Tagged should know how dumb they are. :)
This is my review of Tagged. It is clearly a dating site which allows people to keep their privacy to the utmost degree, what the problem is http://www.tagged.com/mypage.html?uid=5403358017 , its sad if you could browse through the photos, I was playing Meet Me and I noticed how dumb men and women could be. This by the way was not displayed as banned content but mine was and you want to know what I put in?
'Don't leave any women behind'
a quote from Abigail Adams, and my dream was quashing the patriarch. Tell me Tagged, what is so offensive of my said content? You allow sexist images and stereotypes of women and yet you do not allow any commentary that are a least bit REAL. Therefore I am withdrawing from Tagged.com, and for all you girls out there, if you have any respect for yourselves, just delete your Tagged profile.
On a second note, Facebooks attempt to ban breastfeeding women whilst allowing half naked women in their profile pictures I find really distasteful. Sure you say, why should women flaunt themselves breastfeeding on facebook, but the world has already too many problems with allowing the patriarch from stopping women from breastfeeding, for more information read Milk, Money and Madness by Naomi Baumslag et al. It is not strange to look at a child being fed using a bottle and yet what is natural is considered offensive content, more exposure should be given to breastfeeding, it is not that these women are 'attention seekers' rather they are trying to create a culture of breastfeeding that allows such images to be NATURAL, and REAL. Breasts become sexual tools rather than its original purpose, and I find it disgusting and distasteful that people find breastfeeding offensive instead.
Yours sincerely,
Liyana Tassim
This is my review of Tagged. It is clearly a dating site which allows people to keep their privacy to the utmost degree, what the problem is http://www.tagged.com/mypage.html?uid=5403358017 , its sad if you could browse through the photos, I was playing Meet Me and I noticed how dumb men and women could be. This by the way was not displayed as banned content but mine was and you want to know what I put in?
'Don't leave any women behind'
a quote from Abigail Adams, and my dream was quashing the patriarch. Tell me Tagged, what is so offensive of my said content? You allow sexist images and stereotypes of women and yet you do not allow any commentary that are a least bit REAL. Therefore I am withdrawing from Tagged.com, and for all you girls out there, if you have any respect for yourselves, just delete your Tagged profile.
On a second note, Facebooks attempt to ban breastfeeding women whilst allowing half naked women in their profile pictures I find really distasteful. Sure you say, why should women flaunt themselves breastfeeding on facebook, but the world has already too many problems with allowing the patriarch from stopping women from breastfeeding, for more information read Milk, Money and Madness by Naomi Baumslag et al. It is not strange to look at a child being fed using a bottle and yet what is natural is considered offensive content, more exposure should be given to breastfeeding, it is not that these women are 'attention seekers' rather they are trying to create a culture of breastfeeding that allows such images to be NATURAL, and REAL. Breasts become sexual tools rather than its original purpose, and I find it disgusting and distasteful that people find breastfeeding offensive instead.
Yours sincerely,
Liyana Tassim
The payment gap in gender
Before I start I would like to thank David Santos, never realized there were people out there who liked what I was saying, and I would like to thank everybody else too who has commented in my blog and gave their own two cents', three cents', worth. I would like to refer to a recent article that I was reading, in fact about several, one is this http://entertainment.sg.msn.com/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1832836 and the other one is this http://amananta.wordpress.com/2008/12/22/the-latest-false-woman-dividing-dichotomy/ , which I thought was a very well-written commentary. I never realized or knew that women were still lagging on payment behind men even up to the entertainment industry, and this I thought, was offensive. It meant that the strides of womanhood was still limited, and ofcourse the value of women's work is globally considered as being second to that of men's work. But this as the lady of 'Screaming the Void' adds, is a result of the dichotomy between women themselves and I cannot help but agree with her. This is definitely true wherever the sphere of existence rules us, it has been with us since the dawn of time and that was what I found so deeply disturbing. But on a tackling note of historians and historiography we could apply the deconstruction of history itself, the most, history was recorded during the Renaissance, which in more ways than one, could have been a selective process resulting from Christianity and their commitment to putting males ahead. History is selective it pulls together what it wants to depict and nothing could be more true than the history that we live with up until today. The world is viewed through the eyes of men and not women, the women have remained silent and they have remained locked behind doors unable to commit themselves to a better situation. Feminism has its points when it claims that women are being divided into different spheres in order for us to be divided and not united. There are several implications of class that constitute themselves within the 'act' of gender. When I say 'act' I mean to say that gender itself has become an act and not merely a term we use as a description. No longer is gender deconstructed but rather, gender is constructed continously and repeatedly through the way we view the world from our social interactions and (an easy scapegoat) the media. Women are being continously bombarded and disfigured to fit the preconceptions of what womenhood should be through male eyes.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Stiglitz and Matisyahu
A very weird converging point, one a nobel prize winning economist and the other an interfaith reggae singer, I assume though that Stiglitz is a Jew through his name I could be wrong, and if that was true then both of them have some common ground. Anyway, back to my point, I was reading Stiglitz's 'Making Globalization Work', the problem is clear, and the IMF is a jerkwad, of course tra lala, Washington Consensus bla3, but the thing is this, why is it necessary to push developing countries into a course that have marked and shaped industrialized societies? Local businesses and local handmade products are a beacon for trading with the outside world but they have no value amongst the Louis Vuitton and Prada bags. Both are handmade, what is the difference then? Both too could produce quality, but how is it one could cost 50$ (which less than a third would probably reach the maker, the raw material supplier and most pocketed by the seller) and the other, $5000? We live in a world of supply and demand, but it is missing a lot of things in between, the idea of man needing all of these things, these useless useless things that surround us daily in our lives. Consumerism is not deep down in your heart, its not as many economic anthropologists have argued, necessity (read Sahlins' classic), they are made up of the most useless, asinine things that man could think of, and yet living in this world I myself cannot help that they have been so ingrained to me that I find them indispensable (like the fact that I go out to lunch every single day and dinner too). Man is made up of different components of culture society, they are definitely shaped by it and there is no doubt of it, it grounds deep down to the way we see biology and science itself. A friend of mine was quite surprised that doing anthropology I understood some biological 'stuff' that was supposed to be her domain, she was surprised to know that the colour of water was subjective for example, through the eyes of culture that sees it and not through the actuality in itself. Like Philosophy, it seems that we return to the beginning of the question that we have posed, and not out of it.
On another note I would like to commend Matisyahu for his efforts on religion. At some point of my life, I thought that it could be the answer for all the social ills that were going around me, but now, disoriented and broken hearted from the ravages of what 'religion' and humanity bring, I want to break free of it. Other than that, Matisyahu, you rock ;)
On another note I would like to commend Matisyahu for his efforts on religion. At some point of my life, I thought that it could be the answer for all the social ills that were going around me, but now, disoriented and broken hearted from the ravages of what 'religion' and humanity bring, I want to break free of it. Other than that, Matisyahu, you rock ;)
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Kinship and Love
At times, sociologists ignore the root of the matter, I know its all about looking at the big picture, but sometimes, these kinds of topics are fit for psychologists to interpret. For a long time now, what humanity does is never a cause for concern, people just seemed to look at things as if they are there and take it for granted, they never realize how important it is and how much it could shape the whole of society together. There have been two proponents that argued how society was shaped, the first is of course Radcliffe-Browne with his structuralist functionalism, everything happens because they're meant to be, and the second which at times I wonder if he's right, by Malinowski's psychological functionalism. Marxists think that the world is controlled by money and the economy, both are actually arguing about the same thing, and we could go back to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The basic needs of man will inturn lead to higher things, and when man becomes base, they take into action their basic desires.
How about Love?
:)
Sometimes people say that their lust is love, but its not true, I dont know what the flying fuck I'm talking about
How about Love?
:)
Sometimes people say that their lust is love, but its not true, I dont know what the flying fuck I'm talking about
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