Crazy

My First-Year Seminar class is called "Literary Depictions of Madness" and we just finished studying One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. We then began discussing craziness in the scope of society and how seemingly normal things are actually pretty insane when you think about it. He had us pick a specific example and highlight a member of society that fights back. This is what I wrote:

I think it is absolutely ridiculous how sexual the world is. I guess I am a bit old fashioned about these things. I value privacy and all that jazz. In the last few weeks, the amount of songs about butts that have become popular are absolutely ridiculous. First it was Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” (which also makes me angry because she ripped off “Baby Got Back”). For some strange reason I decided to watch the music video and it was one of the most disgusting things ever. It has absolutely no purpose. Then it was J. Lo and Iggy singing a song called “Booty”. In case you haven't heard it, the lyrics go like this:

Big, big booty

What you got a big booty

Big, big booty

What you got a big booty

And it just keeps going on and on. There is no point to this, there is no deeper meaning, there is no revelation. There is nothing. I honestly don't care if they sing and right about big butts. Fine, whatever. But it is absolutely crazy to me that this is completely normal. No one questions this. They buy these songs on iTunes (or illegally download them) and they sing and they dance but never do they question. Apparently, big butts are a big deal and that’s what matters.

It doesn't stop with the butts. Sexualized women are everywhere and it has become totally expected. Yet, if you stop to think about this you might just realize how messed up it is to have a nearly naked woman in music videos, on TV, or on billboards.

Mayim Bialik, a scientist, mother, and actress known for her role in "The Big Bang Theory", blogged about Ariana Grande’s nearly nude billboard. She asked questions like “What good does it do for humanity or society? Why do I have to be OK with young women literally in lingerie on gigantic billboards?”. These are completely relevant questions. Sexuality like this might not necessarily cause society any great harm but does it actually provide any benefits either? Bialik received far more heat for her questions than Ariana Grande did for her actions. Bialik was trying to serve as a rational mind that is simply asking the questions that the rest of society is ignoring and she was under fire. Now that is crazy. 

Crazy is everywhere, my friends. Look harder.