Of all the smarmy, overwrought, misguided memes to come to light on social media over the past year or two, this one has to be the most loathesome (it's a link, in case you'd like to view it):
"abused" woman takes photos "every day for a year" to illustrate how harrowing it is when a stunning model's pristine beauty is marred by some special effects makeup
I guess the generic piano music (which, by the way, can be heard on countless heart-wrenching meme-ish vids, my God that composer is getting royalty checks as numerous as crocodile tears) makes this somehow worthwhile? or is it the lonely heartbreak of the glamorous "victim," so lovely that we either want to help her or bed her?
Domestic violence is a problem, OBVIOUSLY, but trumped-up pretty manipulation isn't going to help one damn bit.
Battered women, like rape victims, suffer from this sort of portrayal. It's the difference between watching hot chicks in knickers get slaughtered in films, and going to the scene of a real murder. One is titillating, the frisson of horror is almost fun, hell you might even get off on it, and the other one...
well, the real thing, most people probably can't handle.
Hence the popularity of these attractively manufactured gut punches. I call bullshit.
8/365
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5 comments:
There is never anything to be gained by manipulating your audience. You have to enlighten them.
I think the problem is that various organisations try to turn awareness of an injustice into "concern" and get us to do something or other. But personally, I object to being manipulated into "concern", it's up to me if I'm concerned or not, and if I want to do something or not.
But that's not the point you're making. You're saying that something serious is being turned into a kind of palatable "entertainment" that people are more comfortable with. I think you're right, that's what the video is doing.
People may think they can handle the grisly sight of a freshly murdered corpse, but what they are probably not expecting is the coppery smell of spilled, thick blood. That and of course the way the bowels open after death and the smell of shite further degrades the victim and your own sense of smell.
I digress.. your point was well made.
after the success of the dove commercials, you knew the concept would be used for every impassioned plea for support. It saddens me that an issue like domestic violence is reduced to a sound and visual bite. I saw the result of domestic violence as the director of a shelter for homeless women. Your call of bullshit is correct. xo/s
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