Fellow Boomers - Help me figure out "Blurred Lines"

Parent Cafe
41

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Oh, goodness! I need stitches after the laughing fit this put me it. Goodness, am I crying??</p>

<p>This song, excluding T.I.'s…erm…segment, is not “rape-y”. If it takes a guy saying, “I know you want it” for people to jump to the thought of rape then that’s on them.</p>

42

<p>^Have you read the lyrics? And I take back what I said about them not being “that bad.” I couldn’t hear all of them in the car. But I can guarantee you some of our kids can recite them by heart.</p>

<p>[ROBIN</a> THICKE LYRICS - Blurred Lines](<a href=“AZLyrics - request for access”>AZLyrics - request for access)</p>

<p>I’m sorry–I don’t see why this is the standard we set for pop music, or why we think it’s something to laugh off. Would you want any guy EVER speaking this way to your daughter?</p>

43

<p>Yes, I have the lyrics in another window. </p>

<p>I simply think this is all being blown out of proportion. It’s a promiscuous song. It is creating a stir just like Thicke imagined it would. </p>

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No parent would want Little Suzy to be spoken to this way. I can see it happening, though.</p>

44

<p>Basically, the entire message can be boiled down to “no means yes.”</p>

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45

<p>What it boils down to is: Is how you’re acting mean you want to get with me?</p>

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When did the girl say, “No.”? </p>

<p>The song is about “blurred lines”. The lack of the separation between no and yes. The ambiguity of the girls intention.</p>

46

<p>And to the song, ambiguity = she wants it. THAT is the problem and it is the stupid and terrible mind set that leads to date rape.</p>

47

<p>It really makes me sad that many young women don’t take offence at the Blurred Lines lyrics but it does kind of explain a lot of the treatment they are willing to accept from boys/men.</p>

48

<p>Are there any songs, ever, where ambiguity leads to, “oh, I guess she didn’t want it” or “I’m not sure so I’ll stop now”???</p>

49

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<p>Exactly. Niquii, are you serious? If the lines are “blurry” then there is no clearly given consent. Please. Next you will be suggesting that young women who dress in skimpy clothing are “asking for it.”</p>

50

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<p>There you have it.</p>

<p>[Is</a> Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ a ‘Rapey’ Song? - Speakeasy - WSJ](<a href=“http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/08/08/is-blurred-lines-a-rapey-song/]Is”>http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/08/08/is-blurred-lines-a-rapey-song/)</p>

51

<p>I think that was sarcasm. </p>

<p>Is this any worse than Under My Thumb - a rock classic?</p>

52

<p>Under My Thumb is awful too. It is also more than 40 years old!</p>

53

<p>I don’t remember Under my Thumb having a verse saying:

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<p>CC took out the B word.</p>

54

<p>Under My Thumb annoyed me when it was new, as did Brown Sugar. I guess I was always more of a Beatles girl, myself (although they did a few problematic songs, too).</p>

55

<p>PizzaGirl is right. It was sarcasm. </p>

<p>This is Robin Thicke guise. </p>

<p>[Robin</a> Thicke - Lost Without U - YouTube](<a href=“http://youtu.be/0DdCoNbbRvQ]Robin”>http://youtu.be/0DdCoNbbRvQ)</p>

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I’m for reals, sally. I interpret this song as addressing the blurry lines of consent. I do not interpret this a song a “rape” song that suggests that rape is “normal” or “what the girl gets for acting such a way”. </p>

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No, I will not suggest that, but a girl bumping and grinding on a guy will suggest something to that guy whether she is intended on suggesting that or not. I am not saying that the guy should act on his interpretation, however. That’s what words are for.</p>

<p>But really, I just think it’s all being blown out of proportion. As Pizzagirl has brought forth, a song like this isn’t new. I mean…I could start linking numerous songs that are like this.</p>

56

<p>Wow, overreaction much? There have been questionable lyrics to songs since I was a kid in the 60’s. I remember when people complained about “Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon” and “Young Girl” being about statutory rape. Who’s old enough to remember those cheery death songs, particularly the ones that glorified suicide like “Running Bear?” I believe “Tom Dooley” was a hit - a little ditty about domestic violence ending in death.</p>

57

<p>I like this piece on Blurred Lines:</p>

<p>[Blurred</a> lines of empowerment - The Daily Californian](<a href=“http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/31/blurred-lines-of-empowerment/]Blurred”>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/31/blurred-lines-of-empowerment/)</p>

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<p>[“Blurred</a> Lines” and rape culture | Women24](<a href=“http://www.women24.com/TVAndGossip/CelebGossip/Blurred-Lines-and-rape-culture-20130723]"Blurred”>http://www.women24.com/TVAndGossip/CelebGossip/Blurred-Lines-and-rape-culture-20130723)</p>

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<p><a href=“http://lizterryblog.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/06/09/blurred-lines-by-robin-thicke-joke-or-dangerous/[/url]”>http://lizterryblog.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2013/06/09/blurred-lines-by-robin-thicke-joke-or-dangerous/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Just google ‘Blurred Lines’ and ‘Rape Culture’. Lots of interesting pieces on it. I don’t approve of this ‘ambiguity in consent is sexy’ thing - you need enthusiastic consent or nothing. I mean, people can do whatever they want in their fantasies/private life, but this song spreads a subversive message IMO. The video also idealizes creepy power imbalances. </p>

<p>But anyways all pop is overly sexualized. I like fast paced, vapid music as much as the next teen/person, but surely you can sing or rap about something else than sex. Change of pace, please!</p>

58

<p>I believe there’s a difference between suggestion/ innuendo and “big enough to tear your ass in two”
You may believe differently.</p>

<p>Eta:posted before #57</p>

59

<p>He’s just warning the girl.</p>

60

<p>Of course there have been “objectionable” lyrics for a long time. Lyrics that degrade and dehumanize women. OK, let’s just continue the trend, right? Great idea! Let’s do the same thing with racism while we’re at it.</p>

<p>P.S. That was sarcasm, but I’m not trying to hide behind it while wearing a tuxedo like Thicke was.</p>