Cara, I know what you mean about people getting ‘dumber’ and believe me, this phenomenon is not restricted to the US, it is happening here in the UK and in the Continent as well.
A lot of it is due to the media and TV and to a daily diet of reality shows, which do absolutely nothing but create the idea that you can be famous just for being famous,
throwing tantrums and being vulgar on camera. So called ‘It’ girls are worshipped no matter how crass they are, as well as their useless, male counterparts. Behind the scenes the media moghuls rub their hands with glee, laughing all their way to the bank. We are still recovering from a period of mad consumerism (since when ‘shopping’ was considered a hobby?). With the shops flooded with cheap fakes of designer clothes and people being encouraged to spend well beyond their means, it is no wonder that some young women are obsessed with their image. Something that upsets me even more than the stupid comments about older women in MUA is the sexualisation of young girls, and the items of clothing and make up aimed at 4-12 year olds sold widely in the shops: padded bras for 6 year olds, t-shirts with suggestive slogans. Now that really makes my blood boil.
With all this, it is small wonder that people grow up obsessed with a fake ideal of beauty and the notion that old age is somewhat repulsive. As I tell my students at school, we all grow old and the alternative is not very enticing…Fortunately, there are still many youngsters who take a more sensible, intelligent approach to these matters. Education is the key, as always. This year I have tried to show that going grey does not mean that you have ‘let yourself go’; in fact I have made quite an effort to look smarter at work.
As for MUA, we can do two things: either totally ignore it and let it fulfil its role or continue to post replies (what if they are ‘snarkey’? I am sure we can out-snark them any day!) There is a bit of a ‘saboteur’ in me that whispers: go for it girl! don’t let them win.
