First, the commercial (found here):
I love and hate this commercial because of androcentrism. Androcentrism is the idea that we value masculinity over femininity such that we admire both men and women for performing masculinity. Androcentrism explains why we tend to like it when women drink beer, play sports, and become lawyers, but do not typically think it’s equally awesome when men cry, wear skirts, learn to knit, or become interior designers. Here is my crash course on androcentrism.
In any case, I kinda love the fact that the hot chick in this commercial represents strength and we’re obviously supposed to think she’s awesome. But the guy in the commercial, who is supposed to represent sissy hippy environmentalism, doesn’t exactly come off as awesome. He is funny, stupid, ridiculous. And I kind of hate that. In a perfect world, men would be allowed to do things associated with femininity without being considered uncool.
Comments 10
Will — October 30, 2008
Guilty as charged. I thought there was going to be a joke about the "woman" actually being a man because her physique - no hips, muscular arms - seemed so unfeminine to me. I shouldn't assume that all women's shapes fit the same pattern.
Dangger — October 30, 2008
Sometimes you sound more ideological than sociological, quote: "In a perfect world, men would be allowed to do things associated with femininity without being considered lame."
Why is it necessary to enunciate what a perfect world should be like?
Legume — October 30, 2008
In a perfect world, lisa would be analyzing more than just the gender implications of this ad.
Tim — November 2, 2008
Hot chick? What makes her hot? Awesomeness? Because power is awesome?
meerkat — March 3, 2009
"but do not typically think it’s equally awesome when men cry, wear skirts, learn to knit, or become interior designers."
I think it's awesome! I am atypical.