Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

[thalassa]

Read the post

think Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker also...

Do you think this sort of thing de-values domesticity as a whole...with some impossible to meet perfection?

Would you rather see "the real thing", or the fantasy?

[thalassa]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

My blog (sort-of) response (for now)...though I'm still working on this, at least from a personal viewpoint on what it means to be a SAHM (which I am conflicted about), etc

I mean...Pioneer Woman makes a million a month on advertising alone?

WTF?!?

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

That article completely lost me... I think there's always been an element of manipulation of the authorial persona, but this was a bit OTT to be honest. Sometimes I think the public deserves it too for being so bloody gullible....

[Medusa]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

Read the post

think Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker also...

Do you think this sort of thing de-values domesticity as a whole...with some impossible to meet perfection?

Would you rather see "the real thing", or the fantasy?

Well I am not a stay at home mother. So my opinion is that of single woman who lives in a world full of media.

Do I think it de-values domesticity? That's not as important as WHO is de-valuing it. I mean, Betty Crocker. You think a dude can pick her out of a line up? Probably not. This is media aimed toward women, and moved by women. Women are the ones who are doing this. That interests me more to be honest. Alot of women complain about gender roles and the what not. When it's the women doing the dirty work. We set up our own impossible to meet standard. And why do we do that?

[thalassa]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

Women are the ones who are doing this. That interests me more to be honest. Alot of women complain about gender roles and the what not. When it's the women doing the dirty work. We set up our own impossible to meet standard. And why do we do that?

I think this is more what I see too.

I mean...in a way, this is no different than airbrushing models photos to an impossible standard...but I think subconsciously its more insidious. Like, there is only so much you can do for your appearance...but you should have control over baking a cake and steam-cleaning your carpet. If you aren't aware of it particularly, but even if you are... I think it can still leave the impression that it should be easy and if its not easy then its because you suck.

[Dez]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

Still reading...but I'll have a lot to say when I'm done.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Image for Sale: Blogging Housewives

Well, I've been thinking about this one a lot and why it needles me so much... ordinary women, the sort who actually wash dishes, floors, cook clean, juggle a job, look after their children etc., have no business aiming for perfection in any of it unless they want to make themselves extremely ill and wretched. Those who really want perfection should employ domestic servants. Which is what used to happen years ago.

And anyone who believes you really can have it all is a fool. You can't. You shouldn't even try. You might manage to do a couple of things tolerably well, and if so I applaud you. But if you can't then please, don't worry. In the great scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Honest.

My real ire is reserved for those who try to make others believe that this fantasy world is real. If I had my way they would be sent out wearing long white pinafores, to scrub floors, blacklead the grates and fires, peel potatoes while trying to work, cook, look after the children at the same time, etc.

Or as Mr Penry sometimes says, 'Live in the real bloody world....' [you need the welsh accent to get the full effect ]