you can only see as far as you think (and women)

 women change the world stump

—–

“What I hate is ignorance, smallness of imagination, the eye that sees no farther than its own lashes. All things are possible. Who you are is limited only by who you think you are.”

Egyptian Book of the Dead

——-

thinking multiple thoughts

“We’re all in the same game, just different levels. Dealing with the same hell, just different devils.”

——-

 

 

 

 

Well.

 

 

 

I could write for days with regard to how little we actually see because of the way we think.

 

 

But instead I am going to begin by sharing a TV commercial focused on changing the way we see things <and how we should think>.

 

 

And, oh my, what a fabulous message … what a fabulous visual <that could have been miserably produced if not done carefully> … what a fabulous commercial:

 

women mans world

Break the Box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2GIu5ZpnTM

 

<note: this may be one of the best commercials I have seen in a while … and yet … I would give it a D- grade for meeting its objective … but give it an A+ for inadvertently delivering a better message>

 

 

But.

 

Here’s the deal.

 

 

To me this commercial isn’t so powerful because it is against sexual violence … I think it reaches a higher level … and that is good.

 

 

I think it elevates to the bigger idea … that one person thinking differently … and acting upon it … can make a difference.

 

 

A HUGE difference.

 

I sometimes think we forget one person can make a difference as we get all caught up n the rhetoric with regard to what we are acting upon.

 

Words get in the way.

 

We want to label everything.

 

 

And as soon as we label something … it is like heuristics .. that simple label creates an image, and a thought, and a perception … and sparks an attitude.

 

 

We see and think one thing.

 

 

And that one thing can stop the one act that can make a difference.

 

——–

“Sometimes, all it takes to save people from a terrible fate is one person willing to do something about it.”

Veronica Roth

——–

 

Speaking of taking action.

 

 

The commercial you watched.

 

 

 

To give credit where credit is due … the commercial is from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault <TAASA> who launched a statewide education campaign about two Texas sexual violence directed state laws.

 

——-

The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) is a group committed to ending sexual violence in Texas through education, prevention and advocacy.

They support survivors on their paths to hope, healing and justice. They are a unifying force bringing together parties involved in and affected by sexual assault as a catalyst for change.

TAASA aims to achieve their mission and reach their vision through educating our communities about sexual violence, advocating for public policy change that confronts sexual violence, and finally, addressing and eradicating the myriad root causes of sexual violence.

The campaign can be found at www.HopeLaws.org.

——-

woman when i grow up

Anyway.

 

 

 

That is good stuff.

 

 

And with sexual violence in mind I will focus on women, how society <and men> look at women … and some of the ‘labels’ that affect women … and how society kind of sees women because of these labels <perceptions> … and therefore thinks about them … and then inevitably how we behave with regard to women.

 

 

And I also imagine I am gonna have to mention that godawful word ‘feminist.’

 

 

This ‘label’ may be one of the most polarizing … and detrimental discussions … revolving around women and issues.

 

 

I don’t have to be a feminist to believe in gender equality.

 

 

Nor do you have to be a feminist to discuss women in society and the workplace.

 

 

I am going to use it in the following frame of reference <just to be clear on how I think about it>:

 

——

“Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong. It’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

G.D Anderson

——-

 

 

The word feminist creates a variety of absurd images which make many people only see so far.

 

 

Unfortunately the word, the label, I think also impacts women … how women think about themselves and how they think about each other.

 

 

And that is a shame.

 

It is more than unfortunate.

 

 

Women can be bludgeoned to a point where they maybe lose sight of making a difference as an individual.

 

 

But … one person can truly make a difference.

 

And <maybe tritely suggested> that one person almost always is you.

 

The individual.

 

And where they can make the biggest difference is actually with themselves.

 

Therefore if someone has the opportunity to ignore society they then have the opportunity to not ignore how you think about yourself.

 

 

——-

“Why do you put your self esteem in the hands of complete strangers?

Helena Bonham Carter

——-

 

women rebellion Jett

 

 

By the way … this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek support or look for some affirmation with regard to how you think.

 

 

But it does suggest that some of the simplistic labels may have to be ignored in defining your own esteem or how you define yourself.

 

 

 

Look.

 

 

I do not hesitate to tell anyone that I love the way women tend to think about things … and at times I believe the world would be better off if we had more female leaders <countries & businesses>. It may simply have been my management style … but the women in my groups and companies tended to outperform the men.

 

 

But suffice it to say that, at minimum, I believe we would be a better world if there were a better balance in the women to men leader ratio.

 

 

Regardless.

 

 

How does a woman find support in a society which often bludgeons them with words, labels and images suggesting they are disadvantaged in some form or fashion <beyond a state law like Texas>?

 

 

 

Well.

 

 

 

Women speaking out for women is tough.

 

That may sound weird but hear me out.

 

 

 

Older women speaking out sound … well … old.

 

 

Tired.

Bitter.

Angry.

 

 

Even if they are not really any of those things.

 

<we see only as far as we think>

 

 

Most celebrities don’t sound credible.
<we see only as far as we think>

 

 

 

And the most credible rarely get heard.

 

They aren’t famous and they don’t get the microphone that often.
<we see only as far as we think>

 

 

 

The young sound … well … young.

 

 

And maybe a little naïve on occasion.

 

Sometimes their lack of Life experience makes it difficult for them to articulate thoughts in a way that makes them relevant to a larger audience <they just sound young & inexperienced>.
<we see only as far as we think>

 

Therefore … when a youngish articulate female rolls around with the articulation skills to make people listen … and listen closely … I think feminists <or whatever you want to call someone who wants women to have a fair shake in the world> should be shoving them out into the public as often as possible.

 

<note: I have said this before and until proven otherwise I think Katy Perry, Jennifer Lawrence and Selena Gomez … and maybe Maria Sharapova fit the bill>

 

 

 

Anyway.

 

 

I hate the words we use around discussing women … disadvantaged, unequal, strong women … well … add something to the list … women are … well … other humans … other individuals.

 

 

I tend to believe they mostly are ‘disadvantaged’ by nothing more <albeit it is a big nothing> than how people think.

 

 

They may be disadvantaged by heuristics … the labels and words and silly soundbites we want to use in today’s society to summarize more complex ideas and thoughts.

 

We should be thinking broader.

 

 

We should be thinking beyond some labels.

 

For example:

 

——-

“Screw writing “strong” women.

Write interesting women.

Write well-rounded women.

see with your heartWrite complicated women.

Write a woman who kicks ass, write a woman who cowers in a corner.

Write a woman who’s desperate for a husband.

Write a woman who doesn’t need a man.

Write women who cry, women who rant, women who are shy, women who don’t take no shit, women who need validation and women who don’t care what anybody thinks.

THEY ARE ALL OKAY, and all those things could exist in THE SAME WOMAN.

Women shouldn’t be valued because we are strong, or kick-ass, but because we are people.

So don’t focus on writing characters who are strong.

Write characters who are people.”

——-

 

I like this because I don’t like comparisons between men and women.

 

I tend to believe we should address all people issues equally.

 

 

 

And I think this way because I tend to believe many of the issues which are often deemed ‘gender specific’ would be alleviated <or lessened> if we thought this way.

 

 

I do think it is kind of crazy <as a man> that there is any discussion about ‘well … why are we so focused on women … men have issues too.’

 

 

 

It’s crazy because something like nine out of 10 eating disorders are suffered by women

 

 

It’s crazy because something like 95% of cosmetic surgeries occur with women.

 

 

 

It’s crazy because while men are more likely to experience violence on the streets than women … can a man really suggest that they understand the feeling that there is no point that a woman doesn’t think about security when alone on a street.

 

 

It’s crazy because while men may be physically stronger than a woman <in some cases> that doesn’t mean men are in any way mentally stronger than women <and we men seemed to get this shit confused a lot>.

 

think

Anyway.

 

 

Seeing as far as you think.

 

 

 

Back to that thought.

 

 

Oddly … I find the labels surrounding gender equality create debates which end up being very inward-looking <men to men & women to women>, hostile and relentlessly futile and extremely off putting.

 

 

What about simply being … well … a humanist.

 

 

Because … simplistically … limits on what anyone can be should not be defined by anyone other than yourself … and certainly not by society.

 

——-

“Why do you, or they, or anyone get to determine my limits?”

Veronica Roth

——-

Well.

This puts all onus on the individual … you alone … with no one to blame if it doesn’t turn out the way it ‘is supposed to.’

 

I know.

 

I know.

 

 

Society doesn’t make this easy.

 

 

 

A society which sees only as far as it thinks.powerful beyond measure 2

 

And to conclude … that is why I like what Sarah Silverman says:

——-

“Stop telling girls they can be anything they want when they grow up. Not because they can’t, but because it would have never occurred to them they couldn’t.”

Sarah Silverman

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Written by Bruce