Posted:
Hello,
I am Ibby. I had a habit of using the TV characters for my essays at University to sustain some arguments relating gender, morality, law and so on. However, I have now turned the tables and now using what I've learned in philosophy school to analyse the TV Shows I watch.
There has been a recent outroar regarding the potrayal of character like Rocky and the circumstances Happy is shown to undergo. In what follows, I take up on some of these concerns and postulate my own view. Before I proceed, however, I want to make clear that I am both a man and a liberal feminist. For me, to empower a woman is like empowering an entire family. So, please by no means think that I am justifying some of the horrible instances shown in this show - except for a consideration where it may be possible to look into why it happens, but that's a matter we are not there yet to discuss. Further, I have not been able to watch the show regularly, only in parts so far. Therefore, if I have missed something or a point of mine becomes invalid, please feel free to show this. All comments are welcome, since they all will let me into your perception.
We all agree that Rocky is a disgusting and horrible person currently. How he perceives Happy and what he aims to do about this perception of his is not acceptable. Only in his own world. The feminist in all of us outcried when he put Happy through what we deem as unacceptable. A lot of us have twisted the situation by labelling it a matter words of man' and woman'. Now, what is important to consider here is, is Rocky's actions towards Happy is based on his view on woman? Or is it based on his view of who Happy is as a person? Rocky has a female friend and if his view on woman was unacceptable, surely he would not have any female friends? Having said this, however, I am not implying that his behaviour towards Happy is justified - what is wrong is wrong. So, then there are questions whether Rocky is in fact a misygonist - since this label is based on a man attacking woman purely because one is a woman. Also, Rocky's Dadi was involved in setting this circumstance for Happy. Is she not a misogynist too then? Or is it because she is of the same sex as Happy, we view dadi's behaviour as something different? Or is it because we do not actually see Dadi physically and openingly abusing Happy makes her less of a criminal? I think not.
Once again, I will make clear that Rocky's behaviour at this instance cannot be justified. What is wrong is wrong. I am not sure if many of us have heard a branch of philosophy called "Existentialism - study of existence. An existentialist called Jean-Paul Sartre says that as an entity we are not fixed - we are constantly in change and becoming. We can redefine who we are and start anew in a world full of possibilities. I believe in this strongly. Since it is apparent to me that my being-in-the-world and that of others is constantly changing. Is it not possible that Rocky could redefine who he is? He could consciously perceive his actions one day that and see that it is wholly wrong? Could he not come to realise the consequences of his actions for himself? For Happy? And the impact it has on the shared world? You see, the past is no more. There is nothing we can do about it and to consider our past and judge who we are seems a little foolish. We should be focusing on what we can do today and what we may possibly achieve tomorrow. Rocky is a human in virtue of possessing an embodied consciousness and being-in-the-world like all of us; eating, sleeping, wearing clothes, thinking and so on. He is not fixed to who he is now. He can change if he wills. Yes, his actions in the past are not deemed right because he has changed in the present, but seeing them as wrong and showing remorse can help us move on. Sartre once said that we are thrown into a world without a guide, there is nowhere it is outlined how we ought to be, what we ought to think and should do. We are practically abandoned into a world where everyone else is different. We are unlike each other and unlike anything else in this world. How we see the world is uniquely only available to us. Perhaps, Rocky has simply gone and be the way he literally wanted to and think the way he wanted to. After all, he has had the freedom in virtue of being thrown into a world as a male - where his sex is valued more than this counterpart. However, though there are no objective guides outlying how we to live, we do have some guides in forms of books, characters, teachers and so on. Therefore, it may be that Rocky may find a guide in Happy. She could be the first in his life to bring to light the consequences of his actions on other people. But, this does not mean that this guidance needs to be shown through telling an unusual love story. There are other ways.
Having said all of that, all I want to say is that perhaps it would be wiser to aim and change erratic thinking patterns. I doubt that it is impossible to change a mindset - since our consciousness remains open to the world throughout our existence. Locking Rocky away does not change the problematic personality. Only the good can change him.
On a different note, there are complaints that why are we constantly shown instances where women are treated negatively. Well, I am not sure if many of you have realised that on newspapers, TV news, several media platforms - it is all full of bad news. This is because "bad news sells. Likewise, on TV bad situations create viewership. Perhaps, this is because bad times create curiosity and a bit of anxiety. We remain curious to see what happens next. It keeps us the edge of our seat. We become curious to see how our beloved characters rise above all their hardships and struggles and what turn their life will take shortly. We are always thinking of what is next. Whereas when we see characters as fully happy, we rarely think of the next bad thing to happen to them. So the curiosity factor is somewhat absent. But, I do know that many of us having watched TV for so long means that TV storylines are now predictable.
Thank you for reading.
Kind Regards.
I am Ibby. I had a habit of using the TV characters for my essays at University to sustain some arguments relating gender, morality, law and so on. However, I have now turned the tables and now using what I've learned in philosophy school to analyse the TV Shows I watch.
There has been a recent outroar regarding the potrayal of character like Rocky and the circumstances Happy is shown to undergo. In what follows, I take up on some of these concerns and postulate my own view. Before I proceed, however, I want to make clear that I am both a man and a liberal feminist. For me, to empower a woman is like empowering an entire family. So, please by no means think that I am justifying some of the horrible instances shown in this show - except for a consideration where it may be possible to look into why it happens, but that's a matter we are not there yet to discuss. Further, I have not been able to watch the show regularly, only in parts so far. Therefore, if I have missed something or a point of mine becomes invalid, please feel free to show this. All comments are welcome, since they all will let me into your perception.
We all agree that Rocky is a disgusting and horrible person currently. How he perceives Happy and what he aims to do about this perception of his is not acceptable. Only in his own world. The feminist in all of us outcried when he put Happy through what we deem as unacceptable. A lot of us have twisted the situation by labelling it a matter words of man' and woman'. Now, what is important to consider here is, is Rocky's actions towards Happy is based on his view on woman? Or is it based on his view of who Happy is as a person? Rocky has a female friend and if his view on woman was unacceptable, surely he would not have any female friends? Having said this, however, I am not implying that his behaviour towards Happy is justified - what is wrong is wrong. So, then there are questions whether Rocky is in fact a misygonist - since this label is based on a man attacking woman purely because one is a woman. Also, Rocky's Dadi was involved in setting this circumstance for Happy. Is she not a misogynist too then? Or is it because she is of the same sex as Happy, we view dadi's behaviour as something different? Or is it because we do not actually see Dadi physically and openingly abusing Happy makes her less of a criminal? I think not.
Once again, I will make clear that Rocky's behaviour at this instance cannot be justified. What is wrong is wrong. I am not sure if many of us have heard a branch of philosophy called "Existentialism - study of existence. An existentialist called Jean-Paul Sartre says that as an entity we are not fixed - we are constantly in change and becoming. We can redefine who we are and start anew in a world full of possibilities. I believe in this strongly. Since it is apparent to me that my being-in-the-world and that of others is constantly changing. Is it not possible that Rocky could redefine who he is? He could consciously perceive his actions one day that and see that it is wholly wrong? Could he not come to realise the consequences of his actions for himself? For Happy? And the impact it has on the shared world? You see, the past is no more. There is nothing we can do about it and to consider our past and judge who we are seems a little foolish. We should be focusing on what we can do today and what we may possibly achieve tomorrow. Rocky is a human in virtue of possessing an embodied consciousness and being-in-the-world like all of us; eating, sleeping, wearing clothes, thinking and so on. He is not fixed to who he is now. He can change if he wills. Yes, his actions in the past are not deemed right because he has changed in the present, but seeing them as wrong and showing remorse can help us move on. Sartre once said that we are thrown into a world without a guide, there is nowhere it is outlined how we ought to be, what we ought to think and should do. We are practically abandoned into a world where everyone else is different. We are unlike each other and unlike anything else in this world. How we see the world is uniquely only available to us. Perhaps, Rocky has simply gone and be the way he literally wanted to and think the way he wanted to. After all, he has had the freedom in virtue of being thrown into a world as a male - where his sex is valued more than this counterpart. However, though there are no objective guides outlying how we to live, we do have some guides in forms of books, characters, teachers and so on. Therefore, it may be that Rocky may find a guide in Happy. She could be the first in his life to bring to light the consequences of his actions on other people. But, this does not mean that this guidance needs to be shown through telling an unusual love story. There are other ways.
Having said all of that, all I want to say is that perhaps it would be wiser to aim and change erratic thinking patterns. I doubt that it is impossible to change a mindset - since our consciousness remains open to the world throughout our existence. Locking Rocky away does not change the problematic personality. Only the good can change him.
On a different note, there are complaints that why are we constantly shown instances where women are treated negatively. Well, I am not sure if many of you have realised that on newspapers, TV news, several media platforms - it is all full of bad news. This is because "bad news sells. Likewise, on TV bad situations create viewership. Perhaps, this is because bad times create curiosity and a bit of anxiety. We remain curious to see what happens next. It keeps us the edge of our seat. We become curious to see how our beloved characters rise above all their hardships and struggles and what turn their life will take shortly. We are always thinking of what is next. Whereas when we see characters as fully happy, we rarely think of the next bad thing to happen to them. So the curiosity factor is somewhat absent. But, I do know that many of us having watched TV for so long means that TV storylines are now predictable.
Thank you for reading.
Kind Regards.
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