This drawing is not something I said or heard someone say, althought it’s true I was in the theater last night seeing the Barbie Movie (I’m working on my thoughts to share with you soon). I drew the above a few weeks ago, because it seems like makers of movies are really trying hard to get us back in the theater. This includes making merchandizing movies such as the Barbie movie. I am all-in for this effort to get us back into the movie houses, because I love watching films with a crowd on a big screen. It was a fun weekend, knowing others were going to see Oppenheimer… and well, yes, Barbie.
Pleased to see that Barbie continues to haunt you! Here's some food for thought in the form on an observation in 1783 by Choderlos de Laclos: “Drawn near woman, and hear what I have to say. Turn your curiosity for once toward useful objects, and consider the advantages which nature gave and society ravished away. Come and learn how you were born the companion of man and became his slave; how you grew to like the condition and think it natural; and finally how the long habituaiton of slavery so degraded you that you preferred its sapping but convenient vices to the more difficult vurtures of freedom and repute. If the picture I shall paint leaves you in command of yourselves, if you can contemplate it without emotion, then go back to your futile pastimes, ‘there is no remedy; the vices have become the custom.’”
wow, that's powerful. This does haunt me! And having lived through a few feminist uprisings and then backlashes, I am just beyond frustrated and confused.
Yes, the backlash can be fierce, but there are those of us who just continued to pursue our professions and tried to figure out how to navigate our family relationships along the way. There are no perfect families, including mine, but I am proud of what I accomplished and all the people I touched along the way. It is sad to see the loss of some of what we gained, but I think that the back lash to that is also fierce.
Wow. That’s amazing! It’s interesting because I actually felt the movie as a metaphor for the fear of white supremacists and the owning classes (the Barbies) of what would happen if the disenfranchised people of color (the Kens) actually rose up as equals.
There has been so much more movement in women’s equality and there is still such deeply rooted intractable racism in the country…
Aug 1, 2023·edited Aug 1, 2023Liked by Liza Donnelly
I just saw Barbie. I thought it was a mishmash. With some entertaining moments.
It reminded me more of a metaphor for racism and white supremacy than the oppression of women. It was a story (well, without a dramatic arc) of what too many white people -the Barbies- fear will happen if Black people -the Kens- actually had equality.
I felt bad for the Kens who were no more than accessories to the Barbies. They had no other purpose and no homes. At the end they didn’t even have Barbie, they were told to dig deep and discover their Ken-ness. The Barbies reclaimed their identities (their power and careers). They didn’t have any “Barbie-ness” beyond that.
The Stereotypical Barbie had no sense of self, no career, only confusion. SHE didn’t “dig deep” to find her inner Barbie-ness as she told Ken to do. Nope, she up and left altogether, to become human. (A metaphor for the suicide of the doll?) What are we supposed to make of that?
I don’t think Gerwig had a through line to hang a movie on. There was no drama or urgency, no big motivation, dynamic struggle, catharsis or resolution.
And what WAS that all about the mother, who worked for Mattel, and her daughter fighting about Barbie at home… then making up when Barbie appears and gets angry at the mother for making the disturbing drawings of Barbie (causing her feet to flatten etc). And is their relationship supposed to be connected to Barbie’s relationship with Ruth Handler (her “mother”)? Oh vey.
Thank you for confirming my thoughts. I feel the loudness of those that love the movie is just drowning out any critical reviews. It really bothers me! Good point about not digging deep. I also felt it a mess, with albeit funny moments. But the feminism felt thin.
Liza, Thank you. It occurs to me that you may be the only normal person that I know. Cheers.
Thinking the same. The calmness and genteel surroundings of the NY Public Library is very appealing. 🩷
I am? Thank you. what makes you say that?
I loved “going” to the library with you!
Love taking you with me!!
Pleased to see that Barbie continues to haunt you! Here's some food for thought in the form on an observation in 1783 by Choderlos de Laclos: “Drawn near woman, and hear what I have to say. Turn your curiosity for once toward useful objects, and consider the advantages which nature gave and society ravished away. Come and learn how you were born the companion of man and became his slave; how you grew to like the condition and think it natural; and finally how the long habituaiton of slavery so degraded you that you preferred its sapping but convenient vices to the more difficult vurtures of freedom and repute. If the picture I shall paint leaves you in command of yourselves, if you can contemplate it without emotion, then go back to your futile pastimes, ‘there is no remedy; the vices have become the custom.’”
wow, that's powerful. This does haunt me! And having lived through a few feminist uprisings and then backlashes, I am just beyond frustrated and confused.
Yep. The fix was in a long time ago!
Yes, the backlash can be fierce, but there are those of us who just continued to pursue our professions and tried to figure out how to navigate our family relationships along the way. There are no perfect families, including mine, but I am proud of what I accomplished and all the people I touched along the way. It is sad to see the loss of some of what we gained, but I think that the back lash to that is also fierce.
Its definitely a tough dilemma.
Wow. That’s amazing! It’s interesting because I actually felt the movie as a metaphor for the fear of white supremacists and the owning classes (the Barbies) of what would happen if the disenfranchised people of color (the Kens) actually rose up as equals.
There has been so much more movement in women’s equality and there is still such deeply rooted intractable racism in the country…
Yes, thank you for mentioning racism in this context.
I just saw Barbie. I thought it was a mishmash. With some entertaining moments.
It reminded me more of a metaphor for racism and white supremacy than the oppression of women. It was a story (well, without a dramatic arc) of what too many white people -the Barbies- fear will happen if Black people -the Kens- actually had equality.
I felt bad for the Kens who were no more than accessories to the Barbies. They had no other purpose and no homes. At the end they didn’t even have Barbie, they were told to dig deep and discover their Ken-ness. The Barbies reclaimed their identities (their power and careers). They didn’t have any “Barbie-ness” beyond that.
The Stereotypical Barbie had no sense of self, no career, only confusion. SHE didn’t “dig deep” to find her inner Barbie-ness as she told Ken to do. Nope, she up and left altogether, to become human. (A metaphor for the suicide of the doll?) What are we supposed to make of that?
I don’t think Gerwig had a through line to hang a movie on. There was no drama or urgency, no big motivation, dynamic struggle, catharsis or resolution.
And what WAS that all about the mother, who worked for Mattel, and her daughter fighting about Barbie at home… then making up when Barbie appears and gets angry at the mother for making the disturbing drawings of Barbie (causing her feet to flatten etc). And is their relationship supposed to be connected to Barbie’s relationship with Ruth Handler (her “mother”)? Oh vey.
Thank you for confirming my thoughts. I feel the loudness of those that love the movie is just drowning out any critical reviews. It really bothers me! Good point about not digging deep. I also felt it a mess, with albeit funny moments. But the feminism felt thin.