I was happily stumbling away this afternoon when I came across this post on the uber feminine Disney princesses which had transformed the childhood darlings into these goth punks. It made me wonder if breaking convention was a possibility at all.
The original author of that post claims to be a fierce feminist and proclaims that our perception of beauty and all related paraphernalia was distorted by convention and hence she decided to redo the Disney handiwork to create individualistic princesses. Oh really? How come they all have unnecessary piercings and similar tattoos then? One convention into another.
Isn't it true then that everything, or at least almost everything is a convention? The sophisticated socialite will always have a perfect manicure and a forced delicate demeanour. The corporate swash buckler will always have a fancy phone/car/gadget and a wardrobe full of monotones. The geeky teenager will always have big glasses and know everything about some obscure topic. God! They may be stereotypes, but look inside, look outside, somewhere some part of us, is always so typical!
Breaking away then it seems is a hard job. One risks being an outcast besides being ridiculed. No wonder they say humans are social beings. We lay too much importance on society and what it might think of us.
But one has to agree that breaking away from convention gives a sense of delight and freedom that nothing else can replace. To have not read Harry Potter just because people were breathing, sleeping and eating it. To not obey illogical diktats and do as one pleases. Just a few little rebellions that many of us have done.
The original author of that post claims to be a fierce feminist and proclaims that our perception of beauty and all related paraphernalia was distorted by convention and hence she decided to redo the Disney handiwork to create individualistic princesses. Oh really? How come they all have unnecessary piercings and similar tattoos then? One convention into another.
Isn't it true then that everything, or at least almost everything is a convention? The sophisticated socialite will always have a perfect manicure and a forced delicate demeanour. The corporate swash buckler will always have a fancy phone/car/gadget and a wardrobe full of monotones. The geeky teenager will always have big glasses and know everything about some obscure topic. God! They may be stereotypes, but look inside, look outside, somewhere some part of us, is always so typical!
Breaking away then it seems is a hard job. One risks being an outcast besides being ridiculed. No wonder they say humans are social beings. We lay too much importance on society and what it might think of us.
But one has to agree that breaking away from convention gives a sense of delight and freedom that nothing else can replace. To have not read Harry Potter just because people were breathing, sleeping and eating it. To not obey illogical diktats and do as one pleases. Just a few little rebellions that many of us have done.
2 comments:
Harry Potter, Sachin Tendulkar, Fountainhead (read it, but hate it), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I have more than my share of breaking away traditions! :D
That is the point, though, isn't it? Don't try to fit into one mould. By moving away from everything that's popular, you're following the stereotype of the "rebel". Yes, rebel is now a stereotype too. It has become cool to show how different you are.
I rather thought the point of things like that post is to accept people the way they are. They may be different from you, but let it be, so damn what?
This is coming from me - I love Harry Potter for its simplicity and characters, but I hate Twilight for being formulaic and derivative (not to mention plotless). I'm more the rebel punk when it comes to dressing casual, but that doesn't mean I fight the feminine stuff - I'm always a sucker for a pretty dress. My favourite colour is still purple. I like feisty kickass heroines, but I don't like the objectification that comes with it. But call me a hypocrite when I fall for the fictional guys, even though I know the formulae the media follow for male/female audiences. I'm a TV/internet geek who is obsessed with watching sports AND sci-fi/fantasy. I like heavy metal and rock, but sometimes when I'm feeling silly put me down for something pop and fun.
Be open. There is no convention. That post was not about convincing all women to follow the "new woman" persona who is fiercely individualistic and tatted up. It just means to say, "It's OK if this is who you are." Because society already accepts the other sort with open arms.
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