buffy and "empiricism"

Liza Featherstone lfeather32 at erols.com
Tue Feb 23 08:23:31 PST 1999


Paul--


>Sorry, Liza, but there's not ONE iota of proof to back up Yosie's
>assumption.
>
>I am way past tired of all this theory-heavy postings that are
>oh-so-resolutely contemptuous of anything within a country mile of an
>empirical observation.

what exactly has been so empirical about *your* observations? In your posts, despite your assertions, I didn't see any ratings #s to show that Buffy was more popular than the crummy WB teen shows. I didn't see any demographic breakdown to show how few adults watch the show. and there isn't a whole lot of empirical data on the relationship of desire to TV watching, but that doesn't mean people with a bit of sense can't speculate usefully about it. why must leftists believe that because THEY enjoy a TV show it must be ideologically above all criticism and analysis? that's the inane flip side of the Frankfurt Schoolish left that thinks it's all poison. you sure do have a smugly authoritative tone, but it's difficult to see where your authority is coming from


>
>So kindly reread the pompous foolishness I quoted:
>
>"The only perfect bodies under late capitalism are those of teenagers,
>male or female."
>
>Oh? Gee, I guess someone forgot to tell Baywatch, Xena, Melrose Place,
>etc., etc., etc.
>
So maybe "only" was an exaggeration. but big deal. anyone who reads fashion magazines or watches TV commercials knows that teen bodies are WAY fetishized under late capitalism. by adults. now, I'm not saying that's a bad thing all by itself. it's neither good nor bad. but look how poorly we manage/understand this desire and the results of that mismanagement: teen pregnancy (most fathers in "teen pregancies" are adults); incredible restrictions of teenagers' lives (curfews, drug testing for extra curricular activities); and a sexualized fear of teenage boys' (especially nonwhite) that's contributing to the most out of hand juvenile incarceration boom in years.

Liza



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