Bandits

Bandits

I do not blame people for turning into 'bandits' in some situations, especially when the capitalist society works against the working classes, making it impossible for them to get legitimate ways of earning a living. I do not consider Robin Hood as particularly 'bad' since he stole from the rich to give to the poor, and in my opinion the story has a good moral justifications...maybe it helps people in positions of power to recognise the needy.

I think real gangsters obviously do behave badly but who are we to judge their circumstances and the chooses they made in them circumstances? Maybe we would have done the same! Everyone has a different perspective of the world, whether its a good one or a bad one. They have in their own way educated. I think we have to realise the education is not always about how good you are at academia. Education does not always lead people in the 'right' path.

It is more 'bad' when renowned artists like Beyonce and Jay-Z glamorise Bonnie and Clyde by setting it in recent times. I do not think they really care about the young audiences they attract and the masses who can not distinguish between reality and fantasy..I know I could not!

Although the lecture was quite interesting, it focused mainly on olden day bandits instead of nowadays 'gangsters' that the class probably would have been able to relate to.

ShopliftingIn the stalking lecture we touched upon discussion about shoplifting. Some thought it was a bad crime since it breaking many laws of conformity and important attributes to be a 'decent' person i.e. honesty and trust. What other bad crime is there other than to steal from the Queens land - England? And other thought it was justifiable. The truth is shoplifting is a serious problem and those that so are suffering from poverty or other mental or physical disorder. However, it is not a one way process with 1 in 11 people being shoplifters corner shops and supermarkets a bound feel the strain. Although, it could be argued that supermarkets are more or less unaffected duet products that will just end up in the bin anyway.

Shoplifting is bad anyone knows that, but its not like they going to let some of the hook just because they explained their situation before they do it. So I guess they just take the risk for feeding themselves or their family...would you do the same, having no self-esteem, no confidence, no self achievement or respect with nothing but a rough life? To some extent shoplifting can be justified especially were absolute poverty and homelessness is concerned.
Many are ignorant about the illness some of these individuals suffer from. Kleptomania is a addiction 'motivated by neuritic impulse rather than material need'. 'The vast majority of shoplifters are 'non' professionals who steal, not out of criminal intent, financial need or greed but as a response to social and personal pressures in life. Offenders may describe it was an 'incredible rush' or escapism from the daily pressures they find a struggle. If the NHS was to take this seriously they would be treated equally to that of drug users!

Check out these shocking facts!
http://www.shopliftingprevention.org/whatnaspoffers/NRC/PublicEducStats.htm

Kidz

Kids

The film Kids (1995) that we watched a couple of weeks ago gave me enough time to dwell on the harsh realities that were brought to life. The film revealed the seemingly 'unspoken' realities of the harsh consequences caused by glorified sex and drugs, which some young teens are faced with. This use of sex and drugs were apparent in both sexes although more so in males. The males in the film were presented more gruesomely especially in terms of sex. The so called 'protagonist' Telly had the life amibition of "penetrating" as many virgins and young girls seemed to be an easy target, unaware of the HIV infection he was speading. The parrell ending of Telly unknowlingly spreading the disease and Casper unware that the girl he raping was 'penetrating the diesase creates shock amoungst viewers. The interesting thing here is the unknowingness and juxtaposition bwtween the two victims, Casper and the young virgin, and Telly's control over so many lives. The two victims can also be seen in a different light: the first victim, Casper as deserving the disease as he was raping the girl in the first place and the second victim as innocent and 'harsh'. Did Casper and the young virgins fate lie in Telly's hands?

I thought the film was eye-catching as it touched upon many taboo or even dismissed issues concerning sex and drugs, especially amoung the upper-classes. The film shows that class is not an issue; it could happen to any any young girl no matter how good or bad their parents might be. I feel this reflects the results obtained for a Daily Mail article (the link is provided below) that 'one in five young adolescents are unaware that HIV can be contracted from unprotected sex'. The film should be aimed at both parents and teenagers because it makes people aware of the sorts of revolting things children are potential victims of, and hopefully it will encourage them to take serious precautions, educate and protect their offspring.

Perhaps the age of which children are taught about sex education should be lowered so that health and safety of sex AND drugs are enforced. Maybe shock statergies will work? I think this is particularly important to underpin because of the growing number of underage sex and pregnancies in this country. Is the glorification of sex and drugs in the media to blame?

Here some very shocked statistic I found from the Daily Mail website:

• 83% of the young adults did not know an HIV positive mother could pass the disease on to her child through breast feeding.
• The National Aids Trust survey questioned 2,000 people aged 15 and over. They found public awareness of HIV has declined across the age range compared to 5 years ago.
• 58,000 HIV infested in the UK but 1 in 3 infections are undiagnosed.
• 1 in 7 participate in sexual activity under the age of 16 and are infected with chlamydia.
• 40,000 youngsters under the age of 18 become pregnant each year in Britian.
  
  
  

"Young adults 'clueless' about HIV": http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=315092&in_page_id=1774

"Girls of 11 'pressured into sex'":
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=173483&in_page_id=1879

Masturbation

Whatever term you may like to use (whacking off, flogging it, pumping his pickle, pounding it, beating it, wanking off, etc) masturbation is a very private and secretive matter which some may be hesitant to admit if questioned, even though you might thing there nothing to be ashamed about seen as it been taking place for about 5,000 years! Surely this is a reflection upon the hypocritical and narrow-mindedness of the society we live in.

I’m sure most of you do not need be to explain masturbation techniques as we all know that boys and girls masturbate in different ways, i.e. boys using their hand it rub and girls using a vibrator, dildo or just good old fashioned rubbing!

Whether you believe masturbation is an act of self-love or self-abuse, thinkers like Freud believe that it is absolutely inevitable that young boys and girls become aware of their pleasure senses and explore the ‘sexual act’. In knowing this some parents use to use prevention techniques such as cold baths.

So is masturbation good or ‘bad’? Well if we take Freud’s and other health professional’s views masturbation is natural and even recommended especially to women to increase their self-worth and confidence. I personally take the view of the Greeks that is a ‘safety valve against destructive sexual frustration’. If you are horny it would make sense to masturbation so you can get on with the rest of your day, does it not? Or should you not let yours senses get the best of you? Would it not be safer to practice masturbation every time you are horny instead of having sex with different partners frequently? These are obviously the benefits of masturbation, reducing stress of having a disease or pregnancy.

However, this liberal view has not always been taken! In the Victorian era the act was considered ‘bad’. Religious preachers and authors condemned masturbation and claimed boys who did had mental deficiencies and suffered from insanity. To reach a high morality and spirituality the idea may be to ignore the greedy sense of the body in order to be liberated by a higher force.

I’m sure most of us did not really give masturbation much thought before we attended the lecture and this alone shows that it not much of a big deal anymore and so take the ‘if they do, they do and if they don’t, they don’t approach!’ :)

Check these links out!

http://www.afraidtoask.com/masturbate/History.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masturbation

Stalking

Stalking

Stalking is particularly hard to define seen as most of our 'mags' are filled with images and stories of our 'favourite' celebrities . Are paparazzi stalkers? And if so, are they not breaking the law? These are the sorts of the questions I'm going to explore in today's blog.

I found a precise definition of the term 'stalking' quoted on the BBC website as 'a constellation of behaviours in which individual inflicts upon another repeated unwanted intrusions and communications (Mullen,1999). Intrusion can be taken place n a number of different ways including surveillance, attempting to approach, collection of information about the victim and communication may be taken taken place through attempts to telephone, fax, send unwanted cards and presents.

After much thought and consideration I came to the conclusion that paparazzis is not really a form of stalking although some kind of intrusion takes place but potential celebrities are aware of this intrusion and there seems to be an unspoken contract that "all publicity is good publicity" and comes as pass and parcle of being in the spotlight. According to the BBC definitions, for stalking to take place a combinations of intrusions and communications have to be taken place at close intervals for the police to be involved. Stalking is a horriffic offence and can cause alot of harm to victim and there family, in addition it shows the stalkers own psychological problems and could get up to 5 years imprisonment.

I watching a series from skins the other week which touched upon things we'd discussed in class. This particular series focuses on a gay guy called Maxxie being stalked by a Welsh girl who has a massive infaturation with him. She constantly follows him and takes pictures of him at random times. Although Maxxie suspects something he doesn't quite find out what is actually happening until the end of the episode.

I personally think that the definition of stalking is vague and can be changed in space and time. It is hard to set a distinctive limit to stalking with so many personal spaces online like 'facebook' and 'myspace', stalking probably takes place more then we actually suspect! NEW TECHNOLOGY, NEW WAYS OF STALKING!

Skins Series 2 Episode 2
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23RSo_Eh5lI
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qJoHLpXJNg&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfXdCepf1cI&feature=related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkpSqfGixiQ&feature=related

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/yorkslincs/series7/stalking_advice.shtml

Smoking

Smoking

So what is the continued fascination with smoking and what makes smoking so attractive as a pursuit…?

The act of smoking itself is not sexy or cool but is determined by how the cigarette is being held and further whom it is being held by. The cigarette depicts males and females differently. An attractive man would be shown smoking to assert his 'maleness' as well as looking cool and sexy to the opposite sex whereas as attractive woman smoking would be seen a sex symbol of seduction. Marginalising those who are not considered attractive. If a fat, ugly woman/man was holding a cigarette I doubt we would find it too sexy! ‘Wealth could be indicated by a long cigar, poverty or desperation by a short stub clenched in the teeth’. In this way, being a man, woman, upper class, lower class, young and old demonstrates what it means to smoke.

Just because we see the ‘hottest celebrities’ smoke we are stupid enough to forget about the serious health implications involved in smoking e.g. lung cancer. Although, this was not the main aim of the lecture I feel that it is key in demonstrating what kind of society we live in - a copycat society in which there are 13 million adult smokers and many young smokers as young as 12 and 13.

No matter how many health hazard signs we put up it will always boil down to personal choice. Peer pressures hold a greater significance than any other, being able to ‘gel’ with other people is always vital whether in the education system or in the world of work or just 'doshing'. Smoking is a good excuse for socialising in ‘fag’ breaks, looking cool in front of fellow colleagues and showing that you are an exciting person willing to try different things. Having been to a number of different schools I noticed that it was always the ‘popular’ students who tended to smoke and of course those who wanted to gain popularity followed. Media again had a large influence. Many of the large icons in the entertainment industry depict smoking as ‘cool’ and ‘sexy’ and because of this it is an increasing problem among school children. Although smoking ban in public places helps combat the problem I think that people will just do it elsewhere. After all 'bad' is good!

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/10/01/141918.php

Infidelity

Infidelity

Infidelity has been around since civilisation (that’s if cavemen are acquitted from infidelity) but consequences were harsh due to deeply embedded religious ideologies. Nowadays infidelity is somewhat popular; you only need to turn the TV on to see what I’m talking about – from day-time to films and theatre. Yet the issue is raised. Some people cheat because of genuine reasons for example if they had an arranged married they cheat because they feel like it’s the only way out. I think that the circumstance they find themselves in affects the extent of their social stigma. Although one can comprehend why someone would cheat on their partner i.e. if they unsatisfied marriage, unhappily married or whatever the reason, one may find it difficult to sympathise.

The signs of infidelity are common for example a wife noticing the her husband is coming late home from work and being possessive over his mobile phone etc, would probably raise questions in anyone’s mind. With ‘45-55% of married women and 50-60% of married men engaging in extramarital sex’ at least once during their relationship, it’s no wonder whose in relationships with good partners suffer from paranoia’s. We only need to watch day-time TV shows like the ‘Jeremy Kyle Show’ to see lovers demanding lie-detector tests on one another.

As for the new generation – they are doomed as TV has become central to leisure time in the home and soap being increasingly popular amongst children and adolescents. Psychologist Albert Bandura investigated children’s ‘learning behaviour’ and found that children tended to copy adult behaviour of aggression. I think that the same concept of ‘learning behaviour' can be applied to infidelity. Although, adolescents and even children may not understand infidelity, they are certainly viewing it and are aware of the term unconsciously if not consciously and so there may be a danger that they will think that this ‘bad’ behaviour is socially acceptable because of those who do get away with it and soaps which glorify infidelity ‘Eastenders’ (Stacey Slater and Max Brannings affair). Inevitably people follow examples whether these examples are categorised 'good' or 'bad'.

http://www.life-coach-tips.co.uk/relationships7.html