Comments on: Dressing the Part in Zwinky World http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/zwinkyworld/ A Blog for Men's Studies Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:38:14 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: mama5boys http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/zwinkyworld/#comment-55 mama5boys Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:39:41 +0000 http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-55 It is scary that people now try to dress/look like cartoon characters instead of cartooning trying to imitate reality. It is scary that people now try to dress/look like cartoon characters instead of cartooning trying to imitate reality.

]]> By: Hitchcock http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/zwinkyworld/#comment-24 Hitchcock Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:25:33 +0000 http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-24 Fellow Carnivore, I agree that there is something Stepfordish about Zwinky despite all of their attempts to market their avatars as countercultural. Aren't their coy but childish images proof that we're working within a domesticated paradigm? (I'd be interested in your opinion of the Japanese hyper-cute fad that has been popular since Hello Kitty. Is that domesticatedness too - or is it actually a kind of subversion from within a domesticated image?) I like your description of the modern male ideal in America: "rugged-yet-introspective emo male." Is this the same as the (complementary? pejorative?) term "metrosexual"? Fellow Carnivore, I agree that there is something Stepfordish about Zwinky despite all of their attempts to market their avatars as countercultural. Aren’t their coy but childish images proof that we’re working within a domesticated paradigm? (I’d be interested in your opinion of the Japanese hyper-cute fad that has been popular since Hello Kitty. Is that domesticatedness too – or is it actually a kind of subversion from within a domesticated image?)

I like your description of the modern male ideal in America: “rugged-yet-introspective emo male.” Is this the same as the (complementary? pejorative?) term “metrosexual”?

]]> By: Carnivore D http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/2008/07/11/zwinkyworld/#comment-8 Carnivore D Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:02:18 +0000 http://mensstudies.wordpress.com/?p=14#comment-8 The popularity of these avatars stems from the vain desire to recreate for ourselves the type of perfection which most can never have. The sweet, demure female; yet with the right touch of attitude to provide that spark of excitement(e.g., the "Madonna/Whore" ideal many men seek after). The rugged-yet-introspective emo male, brimming with self-confidence and overachieving, while retaining the ability to understand and even anticipate your feelings and needs. Oh yeah, and he's able to coordinate colors with a surprising degree of adequacy! Zwinky and other avatar sites like the one Yahoo offers give you what life would be like with the perfect body and an unlimited budget with which to decorate it. The social conventions they perpetuate, sadly, aren't all that exaggerated after all...in today's hyper sexualized culture, they're practically expected! No matter how hard the PC crowd and the progressive social engineers of today might fight it, the quest for "Stepford living" never really goes out of style. Complicated enough for ya? :-p The popularity of these avatars stems from the vain desire to recreate for ourselves the type of perfection which most can never have. The sweet, demure female; yet with the right touch of attitude to provide that spark of excitement(e.g., the “Madonna/Whore” ideal many men seek after). The rugged-yet-introspective emo male, brimming with self-confidence and overachieving, while retaining the ability to understand and even anticipate your feelings and needs. Oh yeah, and he’s able to coordinate colors with a surprising degree of adequacy!

Zwinky and other avatar sites like the one Yahoo offers give you what life would be like with the perfect body and an unlimited budget with which to decorate it. The social conventions they perpetuate, sadly, aren’t all that exaggerated after all…in today’s hyper sexualized culture, they’re practically expected! No matter how hard the PC crowd and the progressive social engineers of today might fight it, the quest for “Stepford living” never really goes out of style.

Complicated enough for ya? :-p

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