Boys and Television

In 'Super Size Me: What Boys watch', a huge discourse is laid out concerning just about everything boys are exposed to through television. Most television for boys begins in cartoon form, or a very whimiscal version of real life- which often makes it very hard to see through beneath all it's bright and childlike trappings. What is important in the studies this article finds is how children who watch a lot of television actually "hold more stereotypical views of gender roles", which is concerning due to the amount of violence, satire, and projections into teenage roles. How boys are defined as characters in cartoons is largely similar all around, with a large emphasis on little boy characters trying to imitate adult or teen behavior. Teen behavior is how things are marketed to children, even though teen themselves might have no interest in the product being sold. Adult behavior period, tends to be translated down through the simplicity of being a child, since it is adults writing for children. Violence, through a large spectrum) is perpetuated through most situations through shows (WWE) and cartoons- talking through problems or creativity is much less thought to be exciting for boys. Extremity, saracasm, and 'facing danger' with plain faces are played over and over in characters on tv (which most of time are also boys), even in Discovery channel shows it can be found.

In 'Dumb and Getting Dumber' the author expands on the notion of 'male stupidity' and how culturally we welcome it in the media, films, even politically. The film Sideways critics saw of a fresh of breath air, a movie about two older guys, both in their 40's- ugly and stupid, yet endearing. Although it may seem revolutionary that men are portrayed in this way, the author argues they are simply grown up versions of 'dudes' from teen comedies. Stranglely the author puts this film and ones like it in constrast with the cartoon Spongebob squarepants. Spongebob is a strange character in that manhood is something that he chases yet is somewhat indifferent to it, as well as his sexuality. His character is not trying to imitate teenagers or adults but to rather celebrate the flexibility of boyhood.

'Dude Tube', an article by Erin Amar, completely breaks down the psychology behind SPIKE: Television for Men. There are four components, which involve 'sensation seeking' situations, naming these situations as what they are ( dangerous! or outrageous!), idealisim and solving problems, and no consequences. If based in reality, results are shown to be simple and goal oriented, if in fantasty, the bounds are pushed far into the realms of violence, stupidity, and shock. Looking at the entirety of Spike's goals and programming, the author poses the question if the channel is worth having at all.

What men really want to watch on TV is disputable since patterns have been set and followed for a long time, sometimes but not often broken. Boundaries have been pushed as far as they can regarding censorship as far as violence, racism and sex go. I feel that TV has a fairly heavy male slant- I find most ads and shows to be agressive- subtely and 'thought' room is hard to find.