Playing and Growing Up through Pop Culture and Media

In 'Wanna Play? What boys Do', the authors lay out a very lengthy in depth look at how media pervades and contructs the actions and desires of boys.  Specifically, it is done through their toys, where certain ideas of masculinity are marketed, and the main messages being violence and control.  Gender construction through toys for boys starts fairly early on, around age three or four, where exciting messages of 'domination' or hints of militarism are found written or constucted through the toy itself.  The world of toys for boys has been written under fairly strict guidelines, a world we often take for granted.  Toys that should seem to be neutral (LEGO for instance) have even marketed their toys in ways that imitates militarism and aggression.  It seems that a neutrality has been lost, even in simple things like bicycles.

Sports is another culture that is ever surrounding boyhood, no matter what stance a boy takes in it, for not playing sports is a statement on ones 'boyness' just as much as playing sports is.  Playing sports is such a multi-faceted word; it encompasses ideas of comradery, self-confidence, love, aggression, fighting, competition.... yet in the media it seems that only the competitiveness and agression seems to really be represented.  Its something we don't even think about. In all forms of marketing towards boys, this 'extremity' and hyperactivity is sold everwhere, from TV commercials to energy drinks. 

It seems that toys are made to carry out fantasies, and if intended to carry out destructive fantasies (natural for boys but also for girls too) that there are more ways to do so than imitating an adult and violent world.   It seems to bastardize perhaps a natural and beautiful thing that males seems to embody, which is strength, and twist it into destruction and aggression.  Masculinity has made itself an exclusive culture, fighting everything that does not represent them (the feminine).

In Jonathan Tutely's article about boys attraction/marketing towards gunplay, he discusses parental role in keeping boys from the age old activity.  He is providing both sides of the argument, and is tending to  say that gunplay should neither be exactly repressed or encouraged.

'Men growing up to be boys' discusses how through the buying things that represent manhood rather than embodying manhood has become the new form of growing up.  Although it certainly doesn't cross over everywhere as it is true millions of men still respect and see marriage and being a family man as a form of masculinity, another message in the media is being pushed.