#fsociety
I finally finished this painting from hell. I have to stop picking pictures to paint that have an odd head angle…I have issues with that for some reason. Ack! Anyway, Elliot from Mr. Robot (Rami Malek). Love this show! Now I can finally focus all my attention on getting ready for Phoenix Comicon, which is only a week away, ha! Auggghh!!!! :)
Post link
2X-STANDARDS : Why Society is F*ed Up
(Pardon my language. This sh*t just actually p*sses me off. Enough to use the vulgar.)
…and… a P!nk song to set the mood…
A lot of people know that I hate the hook-up culture. But they often misunderstand me as hating the people involved in the hook-up culture, whereas, honestly, I just hate the consequences of it. I completely agree with Armstrong, Hamilton, and England that the consequences of a bad hook-up are less life-wrecking than a bad relationship and the idea of an isolated event vs. a longterm investment gone bad. However, I think if a “bad hook-up” is actually sexual assault, then thatis much more damaging, particularly because it can make it incredibly difficult to form any positive longterm-relationship after the fact. I don’t mean that it is impossible for men or women who have been sexually assaulted to form positive relationships, because I know many who have, but it is certainly something that can cause relationship strain because of triggers on the one side and a… difficulty of acceptance on the other side, in worse case scenarios. (There are many encouraging examples of very supportive partners who have empowered their significant other to resolve that part of their lives. In drawing very broad brush strokes, I think we have a culture that, unfortunately, makes it… not the norm, especially when it comes to men accepting women.)
I have many concerns about the hook-up culture, many of which have been discussed ad nauseam: the double-standard for women in terms of participation, the dress code for women as a double-edged sword, the pernicious involvement of alcohol, the ambiguity, the lack of reciprocal pleasure, etc. The list goes on. The problem of inequality between the sexes has been a long one. Yet perhaps a better understanding of love is actually an “easier” though more indirect solution.
One of my biggest frustrations with the hook-up culture is that it separates love and sex and creates bad habits for men and women about being honest and open with one another about their needs and desires. I’m not arguing that we should “challenge gender inequality in both relationships and hookups” - though I think that is important, my recommendation is slightly more nuanced.
When it comes to issues of equality, most people “know” the “right” answer. Of course, we should respect each other. Of course, things should be equal. But when it comes down to brass tacks and actuality, people often disagree in thought and action. What does equality look like? We have generally treated equality as ‘sameness’, that men and women should be paid the same, allowed in the same roles, etc. without really examining what that ends up meaning. In doing so, we have maintained a posture that continues to elevate masculine positions. This is slightly switching with our more service-based economy, but men who are sociable and affable (men who possess more “feminine” qualities) get lauded and are still given greater honor than women who perform the same tasks and skills. Meanwhile, positions like nurses or teachers or mothers are still undervalued despite the important roles they play in shaping society.
I’m curious to see what will happen now that gay marriage has been legalized. I have not felt that the male fear of being labeled “gay” has diminished, nor has the stigma of a straight man being labeled or thought of as “gay” decreased, which is still aggravating, because in the popular definition, all “gay” really means is “effeminate”. This is also true in relationships. There are so many jokes made about relationships and marriages: that a guy becomes “whipped" (which is "effeminate” that he cedes any power over to his girl/woman) or how wives are bossy chatterboxes, and certainly all the wedding toppers featuring men (and occasionally women) being dragged to the wedding are indicative of some thoughts we have about the quality and nature of marriages.
(more funny? cake toppers here)
Likewise, I think the hook-up culture exists because of a flawed understanding of relationships and how to make them work. This would make a lot of sense considering no institution I know has courses on “this is how to build a flawless relationship.” There are probably a million self-help books about it, but it’s just not something we’re expected to learn, it’s something we’re expected to know, and we don’t.
I’m not saying that relationships solve the problem, or that people shouldn’t have the liberty to desire sex outside of relationships in casual hook-ups. People can do whatever they want. But I think the need for casual sex is still rooted in the MALE need for casual sex. Furthermore, most women who engage in the hook-up culture get out of it only the pleasure of feeling desirable, but on whose terms? At whose expense? FOR whose satisfaction? The hook-up culture does not exist because we think men & women need to “get it on” - it exists because we think men can’t resist sex and can’t survive without it, which are just not true. Men and women’s libidos are ALL on a spectrum, and I would bet anything that there are some men whose sex drive is less than that of some women. Is this an innate fact of the hook-up culture or just a product of our hook-up culture being situated in a heteronormative patriarchal society? Not sure. But it certainly is an innate fact of the hook-up culture as it exists for us right now in America and on Dartmouth’s campus.
The hook-up culture reasoning also often focuses on the idea of adolescence exploration, both concepts which I also find rather useless. I’ve discussed the age/maturation idea before, but the exploration part could just as easily happen in a relationship, and can potentially be more satisfying and helpful within a relationship as a couple builds up trust in mutual exploration and satisfaction. This does not happen in many “normal” relationships because there are implicit unstated assumptions about what men and women want in relationships and sex. The lack of communication is, though, I feel, worse in hook-ups, where communication isn’t even expected. Rather, the lack of ambiguity is in many cases, appealing. At least generally it is agreed upon that open discussion is a plus in relationships.
My biggest frustration with the hook-up culture though is the lack of responsibility. I understand the value of momentary pleasure amidst our hectic schedules, but life doesn’t necessarily slow down, and taking responsibility doesn’t just happen, it has to be learned.
Our generation is poorly trained to take responsibility for one another, because we live in a very separated, segregated, individualistic, selfish culture. From kindergarten, we start saying “Mine! Mine! Mine!” And this is a blanket statement, I know not everyone grew up with this mentality, but this is the one that consumerism and the media project upon us, certainly. And whereas relationships, between friends, family, etc. are places for compassion and empathy, where we share burdens and take responsibility for the impact of our actions, but the hook-up culture is not. And taking connection out of pleasure may be a “good” thing because then there are no strings attached, but ultimately it allows this discourse of “well, it’s not sexual assault, it’s a bad hook-up” - certainly in bad relationships, this can go a lot worse, but I truly believe that if we teach people ways to get consent, if we have “consent” work-shops and mutual gazing workshops, and workshops that teach singles and couples how to communicate their needs and desires, that the hook-up culture may fade out of existence. Certainly casual sex, with acquaintances or strangers, will never die, but I would hope to see the return of something akin almost to what courtship was to dating. Where there is hook-up etiquette, so that both partners are satisfied, and that both partners are committed to that and hold each other responsible for it and that that is a norm.
I think targeting inequality by not trying to negate it, but providing something that is just so much better, and that works, in a relationship context (mostly because I think the connotations that come with a relationship are currently more conducive to equality than the associations with hook-ups; also because I think the benefits of the hook-up culture can all be achieved within the context of relationships and I think that good relationships are truly helpful for individuals across the board) is ultimately the most effective way to change the existing culture.
So Elliot returns to fsociety’s arcade HQ and meets the other hackers, Darlene, Mobley, Romero, and Trenton.
Post link
Keep an eye out tomorrow for our @tyfofficial interview with @carlychaikin at the red carpet of #tribeca16 on her role in #MrRobot
#wethebold #ramimaleck #christianslater #fsociety #nyc #newyork #TribecaFilmFestival @whoismrrobot
Post link
Mr. Robot Poster now on Sale!
I cannot believe that USA Network used my poster to promote the concluding episode of Mr. Robot’s season 2! It was overwhelming that a lot of people requested for prints and merchs.
So without further ado, please follow these links to see the artwork printed on different things. It’s available both in Society6andRedBubble! Let me know if you’ve bought one already. I will totally appreciate it! In case you’re wondering why the poster has a different color scheme, it’s because that’s the “lighter” version. Ha!
Post link
Mr Robot Fan Art Poster
I’ve been stagnant for so long that I cannot remember when was the last time I made an illustration, poster, typography, design, or even just a fanart for that matter. But this show has given me the excuse to finally make an artwork! The season 2 of Mr. Robot is what keeps me sane right now. If you haven’t tried watching it, I strongly recommend that you do! For the mean time, hope you enjoy this fanart poster!
And oh, I might sell this as prints/shirts/whatever if people like it!
Post link
