Are you a "Real Guy"? BVD Wants to Know

I copied the following post from the blog "Sociological Images"
by gwen, 19 hours ago at 12:43pm

Chelsea S. sent in a link to the BVD website and its BVD MANual campaign. BVD is a brand of men’s underwear. The site has several tabs that let you “study” men in various ways. In the Chemistry section we see what men are made up of (larger version here):

So guys are made up of, among other things, obnoxium, machisium, bragnausium, and larcenic.

If you go to the Sociology section you can take two quizzes. The first is about getting dressed (take the quiz here). If at the first step you answer that you are male you are taken to a second step that asks “model or guy?” If you answer model, you are directed to the female category. Once on the female track, you get to go through a series of questions playing on stereotypes of women and, apparently, men who don’t qualify as “guys”:

The second one is on being comfortable (quiz is here). In the second step you have to choose between “sensitive type” or “guy,” and if you choose “sensitive type,” you go to the female section:

In both cases, at the end of the female path, the last question is “Wouldn’t you rather just be a guy?”

It’s a great example of the association of “real” manliness with obnoxious characteristics, while men who don’t meet the requirements for being real men are feminized. While real guys are stereotyped (they’re self-centered, obnoxious, and braggy), those characteristics are still preferable to being a “sensitive” guy with “feelings” and “needs.” And of course, it also denigrates women when being associated with femininity is a way of ridiculing men.

Violating social norms

New Views on Cohabitation before marriage

As we begin to explore the subject of sociology, We have been looking at how sociology is more than just 'common sense', or a social science that simply validates what 'everyone already knows'. I asked you about whether living together before marriage increases a couple's chances of avoiding divorce. The 'common sense' answer is, "Yes. If a couple learns about what it's like to live together before they get married they will have less unexpected, unpleasant surprises;" or, "Yes. A couple can find out a lot more about each other when they live together first, and then decide if they want to get married." I then explained to you that sociological research did not support this conclusion. Studies found that there was actually a negative correlation between cohabitation before marriage and staying married; That is, people who lived together before marriage actually had a higher incidence of divorce. The hypothesis was that those who live together before marriage have a weaker sense of commitment than those who wait until they are married to live together.

Turn out that new research finding have recently been published that suggest that this question is far from resolved. Read the story here:

Contexts Crawler » new views on cohabitation

So, other than, "Don't believe everything your soc teacher tells you", what else can we learn from these new research findings? What social factors are at work that influence the lives of young couples? How do sociologists help us to understand the important events and decisions of our lives? How is this an example of using our 'sociological imaginations'?

Implicit racism

How racist do you think you are? Racism can often be hidden in our unconsciousness. Even though we try very hard not to be racist, we are socialized in to think of white as good and black as bad. Harvard University has been conducting a fascinating study of how we very subtly (implicitly) associate certain traits with being good or bad. Take the 'Implicit Associations Test' on race. Your results may surprise you.

Is Race Real?

We all know that people look different.  Anyone can tell a black person from an Asian person--or can they?  Check out this people sorter activity and see if you can classify people according to race. After that, explore other questions and issues about race with the many interactive activities on this website.   

Also, Watch this Dave Chapelle video of the 'racial draft'
via videosift.com

Class Dismissed

Class Dismissed: How TV Frames the Working Class examines television’s portrayal of working class people, from early images of the late 1940s to those on display in recent situation comedies, dramas, and “reality” programs. The film focuses primarily on two issues: television’s under-representation of working-class people and their concerns, and the stereotypes that are used when they are represented at all.

In the United States, commercial television is a huge corporate enterprise, and the backgrounds and interests of those who control the industry have little in common with those of the working class—who happen to be the majority of the American people. Class Dismissed argues that television misrepresentations and stereotypes help to both create and reinforce negative perceptions of the working class.

Watch the program here:

http://www.videosurf.com/video/class-dismissed-how-tv-frames-the-working-class-9230267

Adultescence

Just as the concept of 'adolescence' as a stage of life appears as a result of the industrialization of the 18th century, sociologists (and, indeed, the people at Webster's dictionary) have identified a new social phenomenon that has been labelled 'adultescence', among other things.  I'd like you to read the following articles and comment on your views of this stage of life.  Is it indeed something that is so pervasive in society that it will become as well recognized as the period of adolescence that we all know about and expect everyone to go through?  How is it a result of the structure of our society?  Is it appearing in other cultures besides ours?  Do you know anyone who is currently living this lifestyle?  Do  you expect to be an 'adultescent' when the time comes?

Adultescence

Achieving "adulthood" is more elusive; Transition to Adulthood occurring at a later age

Women should marry younger?