Worst Trends of the 20th Century #42

#42- Mucho Machismo
The hard sell of machismo which coincided with honoring bad guys and criminals, a trend that began in the gangster films of the 20s and is still with us- awful. Glamourizing the testosterone overloads in media and general culture hit several high waves in the 20th century. And while I myself have a healthy education in violence I don't like it being promoted as a good thing. That's what machismo is, at heart. Violence. Violence may feel good but that doesn't make it right. In fact, it's dangerous. Who'da figured? So why are we glamourizing and deifying what's bad?

I have a personal deep and abiding hatred of John Travolta. To such a point that I gave away a Warhol- signed "Interview" magazine because it was his mug on the cover. And he sums up, for me, so much of what's stupid and wrong with the US. The Guidos were the idiots then, they're the idiots now. Violent-drunk vapid ignorant narcissists. But we televise them and make them cultural heroes now. In fact, the only thing that matters at all to many of the generations behind is what they own and what they look like.

Have you seen "Idiocracy"? It's looking pretty prophetic.

So yes, I damn all machismo-ness. From that stupidass song "Macho Man" to Huk-a-Poo shirts (I had one disco boyfriend. It happens.) to the plethora of "action" films and war games, real and video. Fie to the indulgence of fantasy violence. We are what we like. And we should like better. We shouldn't be emulating stereotypical bad guys.

And yes I realize the complete irony knowing my loves of fantasy and horror. But it's not the same. No, really, it's not.

I just had to get that off my chest. I'll have Halloweenie stuff later. It's gonna be busy here until Monday but I'll be posting. The days are shortening. Time to go back to the blog, to write (maybe finish one of these books) and settle in.