Where are the Cleavers?
It seems times have changed since “Leave it to Beaver.” In 50 years, most cartoons and television shows have become risqué and inappropriate. Change is inevitable, but does it have to be change for the worst?
Everyone would always try to look his or her best. For guys, combed hair, belt, tucked in collared shirt and appropriate shoes represented the uniform. For girls, nothing too short or high seemed more of the appropriate standard.
Traditional values have taken a hit these days. There is nothing wrong with change, except when change isn’t an improvement. People’s manners and level of respect for themselves and each other has hit an appalling low.
Just flipping through channels these days, you find anything from MTV, which sometimes has videos that are practically soft porn, to a children’s movie like Shrek 2, showing Pinocchio wearing a thong.
When did the line get blurry? What happened to the Cleavers? These days everyone is interested in being politically correct and being “free.” Also, everyone seems to be less spiritual and more selfish. There is far more emphasis on “I” and “me” than there used to be.
I am not trying to say that the whole world is going to hell and that the only place for women is in an apron behind a stove. I believe in equality. I just feel that things like women’s “freedoms” have come at a horrible compromise of standards.
It seems that for every step forward that women take in their stride for “freedom” and “equality,” they take two steps back by compromising their image and level of purity. Although women have made huge strides in gaining equality, they have lost a lot of ground in their image.
For example, you will see women running companies and making a difference, but their image of wholesomeness has suffered greatly. More than ever, women are basically seen as sex symbols. There are no commercials without some form of sexual innuendos. But even women aren’t always helping themselves either. Their skirts keep getting higher and their clothes keep getting tighter. Still, men’s views of women have changed in other ways too.
Men don’t seem to open doors for women anymore.
Katie Montgomery, a junior CCPA major, said, “I am so impressed when a guy opens the door for me. My dad always did it, but it seems to be rare in my generation.” Guys often do not treat women with the level of respect that they deserve.
The media is not helping kids grow up with a great idea of what a family is by airing shows like “Desperate Housewives.” It is sad to think that this show might be a more accurate portrayal of some of America’s families then we realize. Shows like this set bad examples of what is normal for America’s youth. I don’t mean that the show should be censored, but there should at least be a better balance of family and “contemporary” shows.
Some think that all of these “freedoms” and “times are changing” events are harmless, but it does affect our demeanor. Divorce rates are up, and STDs and drugs are everywhere.
Change is inevitable, but unfortunately, it all seems to be going in the wrong direction.
Whitney Mears is a junior finance major. He may be reached at [email protected].
