On the first day of class, we had
to write down what we thought the definition of comedy and society was. For society, I wrote key works like people, culture,
relationships, religion, laws, government, family, and friends. To me, society is the way a group of people
interact with their surroundings and the relationships that form between those different
people. It consists of the different
rules and traditions that form over time.
Culture and society go hand in hand.
We act a certain way because of the way we were raised. While reading Lysistrata, I realized the society I see today was actually forming
while this play was written.
Throughout Lysistrata, it is shown that society was becoming more raw. The open use of sex, naked men and women, and
the talk of being aroused showed how the writer was opening up to the audience
and allowing them to be more involved.
Society was becoming more accepting of generally taboo things to talk
about. There was less of a concern for
privacy and people were being more open with each other overall. Gender roles were switched, leaving women
more empowered.
I feel that same thing is happening
in society today. Sex is
everywhere. I never understood how
clothing stores (I specifically remember Abercrombie and Fitch) advertised
their clothes with naked models. How is
that advertising their brand when the models weren’t even wearing the clothes
they were trying to sell? Also, being
homosexual used to never be talked about.
It was don’t ask don’t tell all the time, not simply for the
military. However, nowadays a new
celebrity says they are gay every other day.
I have met more people who are comfortable talking about their sexuality
this semester than I have my entire life.
I’m not leaning towards one way or another on these certain subjects, it’s
just the way things happen. Society is
changing and we have to accept it. Sometimes
it may be hard if you don’t necessarily agree with the way things are changing,
but we live in an evolving society, just like the evolving society in Lysistrata.
I enjoyed reading your comparison. I do feel that our society is becoming more open about sex like Lysistrata's world. However, I think it will reach its limit one day. For example, I don't believe the topic of sex will ever breach the boundaries of the career world. I know it has already in some shady areas, but I find it very unprofessional and those people who have done it have gotten too personal with each other. It's not good to mix personal life with business/work life in my experience. Also, another area it would reach its limit on would be very young age groups.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you that society is more open to sexual things. But, Alice, like Emily said some companies are using sex/nakedness to advertise their products. Does that not count as sex in the career world?
ReplyDeleteYes. If nudity is part of the job, okay, but I guess I meant to say more on the personal side. I can't imagine coworkers or an interviewer asking "So how's your sex life? How's your [insert specific specific body part]?" unless it was part of the adult/porn industry. If that's actually happening today, well I'll definately learn something new about society.
ReplyDeleteWe certainly see how society, its members, and its conventions are changing and working to encompass more diverse people. While direct discussion of an individual's sexual experience might remain a taboo subject (especially if it might be used to discriminate or differentiate), it does demonstrate the boundaries between public and private identities.
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