If you haven’t watched Robin Thicke’s disaster of a music video for Blurred Lines, you absolutely must. But first, feast your eyes on this quote by Virginia Woolf:
Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses… reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.
It’s women’s work to prop up male egos the idea of male superiority. To me, that’s exactly what’s going on in this video. It’s actually quite funny when you look at it that way; it makes the men look so desperate.
Anyhow, I’m glad smart, feminist, fearless women and men are fighting back:
An exercise in gender bending helps expose the ridiculousness as well. Why does it seem silly when men do it, but not when women do? Because it’s women’s job to be fans of men.
Also, because I can’t help but add a little more snark, how does someone with ZERO charisma end up a pop star? There’s got to be a story here about money and connections.
Thanks to Marie N., Bronwyn L., and Natalie S. for sending in the videos!
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 22
Anonymous — September 9, 2013
He's Alan Thicke's son. That's how.
Leslee Bottomley Beldotti — September 9, 2013
Aside from the original song's sexist video, does anyone else think the song itself sounds like a Prince rip-off?
Anna — September 9, 2013
Regardless of where one stands on the controversy of this video, it is extremely frustrating that its director, Diane Martel, is not even referenced, not even as a footnote. She has made many arresting, iconic video clips, many in a noticeably similar vein to Blurred Lines (check out her other work with Pharrell Williams). Again, no matter where one stands on these kinds of depictions, this is a highly regarded director in full control of her medium, and the video ought to be discussed, at least in some measure, in the context of Martel's work. Disappointingly, the media has glaringly neglected to do this for the most part, because it's so much easier to resort to another dumbass parody of the video
mimimur — September 9, 2013
The ego stroking is something I'd like to see more discussion of, and how easy it is to fall into in everyday life. Men expect to be praised all the time and personally, I find it hard to voice disagreement unless I dislike them. There's also the problem that when some men get this expected response, they take it for a romantic interest.
On a side note, why do they always refer to the woman as an animal? Since this is defined as wild, it means she's out of control, which seems to be the last thing they want, considering that they want to be pleased sexually... and considering that one of the guys holds onto a woman's hair like a leash.
Lynzi — September 9, 2013
http://vimeo.com/70304632
"Ask First," a response to the original video. First response I saw to it, actually.
Lisa — September 9, 2013
You didn't even post the worst version of the Robin Thicke video: http://youtu.be/zwT6DZCQi9k
This was is even more blasphemous than the censored one you posted.
Karen — September 9, 2013
He is Alan Thicke's son.
freda — September 9, 2013
personally, as a woman, i enjoy the video. i find it humorous and can identify with it, to some extent. this good girl would do well to release her inner animal more often. sometimes, people take things entirely too seriously.
WG — September 9, 2013
1) Since when does a degree in sociology include a degree in artistic interpretation?
2) Where is it acceptable in sociological analysis to use the following; let's mock..., disaster of, funny, desperate, ridiculous, and someone with ZERO charisma?
3) Wade could have done a nice job of critiquing the video by using standard sociological methods, but decided to just be snarky. Why? How does this further the field? How is she to be taken seriously? What use is her (lack of) analysis?
4) Was there ever a thought that Thicke was critiquing hegemonic masculinity? Similar to "Under My Thumb" type of work? I'm not sure, but has it even been looked at as a possibility?
5) His music and that song are not my style nor do I prefer that type of music (in before people call names).
6) How does Wade know that Thicke has ZERO charisma? Do they hang out? Have a few drinks together? Or is she projecting from a heavily biased perspective?
7) It's not sociology! It's SocImages!
perry plat — September 11, 2013
Caela Bailey can sing thoooo! why aint she playing at the VMA's #shame.