Thursday, November 18, 2010
That Palin Disconnect
Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but Gawker runs some excerpts from Sarah Palin's latest book, "America By Heart":
One of the more eye-opening bits (follow link for enlarged image):
"Later, Palin posits that her chaste reality star daughter is a better role model than the fictitious Murphy Brown, a single mother who was a total slut."
But Dan Quayle's actual speech made a more interesting point to which Sarah Palin might like to pay attention:
How is this different from what Bristol Palin is doing? Indeed, the Bristol example is even worse: Brown was a fictional character that had, yes, become professional by working for many years to become a network anchorwoman. Palin has achieved celebrityhood by doing nothing more than being born into an ambitious political family, getting pregnant and then getting swept into the fake-reality culture that rewards those who fit certain profiles and "narrative storylines" on talent shows. Who's more likely to seduce a young woman into the "I can do it all" sensibility? The fake Murphy character -- or the "real Bristol"? But, Sarah Palin, of course sees her daughter as the better role model for young girls!
And, of course, that same Mrs. Palin is upset about excerpts of the book being leaked, tweeting Thursday afternoon, "The publishing world is LEAKINg out-of-context excerpts of my book w/out my permission? Isn't that illegal?"
Um, not exactly. But, then again, it works for reasons both political and pedestrian for the Palins to be cast as victims/underdogs.
Yeah, some really great role models there.
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One of the more eye-opening bits (follow link for enlarged image):
"Later, Palin posits that her chaste reality star daughter is a better role model than the fictitious Murphy Brown, a single mother who was a total slut."
But Dan Quayle's actual speech made a more interesting point to which Sarah Palin might like to pay attention:
It doesn't help matters when prime time TV has Murphy Brown - a character who supposedly epitomizes today's intelligent, highly paid, professional woman - mocking the importance of fathers, by bearing a child alone, and calling it just another "lifestyle choice."Murphy Brown might not have actually called her shark-jumping kid a "lifestyle choice," but the example made -- that an "intelligent, highly paid, professional woman" could have it all with little complication -- is, of course, a problematic one in the real world.
How is this different from what Bristol Palin is doing? Indeed, the Bristol example is even worse: Brown was a fictional character that had, yes, become professional by working for many years to become a network anchorwoman. Palin has achieved celebrityhood by doing nothing more than being born into an ambitious political family, getting pregnant and then getting swept into the fake-reality culture that rewards those who fit certain profiles and "narrative storylines" on talent shows. Who's more likely to seduce a young woman into the "I can do it all" sensibility? The fake Murphy character -- or the "real Bristol"? But, Sarah Palin, of course sees her daughter as the better role model for young girls!
And, of course, that same Mrs. Palin is upset about excerpts of the book being leaked, tweeting Thursday afternoon, "The publishing world is LEAKINg out-of-context excerpts of my book w/out my permission? Isn't that illegal?"
Um, not exactly. But, then again, it works for reasons both political and pedestrian for the Palins to be cast as victims/underdogs.
Yeah, some really great role models there.
Labels: sarah palin
