What is the main thesis of this film?
The main thesis of this film is men are supposed to fit into a specific masculine identity, and in today’s society, men are supposed to be even more masculine than ever before. Men are supposed to conform to the masculine standards set by society or men run the risk of being classified as deviant.
2. What were the main arguments in support of this thesis?
For me, some of the most convincing arguments came when the dolls were presented. I was shocked at how much bigger the dolls were than twenty years ago. It was a shocker. I also found it really interesting when African American masculinity was said to be rooted in Mafia culture as well as a way of mimicking white male masculinity. The other thing that was not only convincing but disgusting was listening to Howard Stern when he was talking about the Columbine incident. He actually made the comment that the boys shooting people “should have had some sex.” These things clearly show how male masculinity has evolved.
3. How does the thesis of this film relate to the course?
The main thesis of this film is men are supposed to fit into a specific masculine identity, and in today’s society, men are supposed to be even more masculine than ever before. Men are supposed to conform to the masculine standards set by society or men run the risk of being classified as deviant.
2. What were the main arguments in support of this thesis?
For me, some of the most convincing arguments came when the dolls were presented. I was shocked at how much bigger the dolls were than twenty years ago. It was a shocker. I also found it really interesting when African American masculinity was said to be rooted in Mafia culture as well as a way of mimicking white male masculinity. The other thing that was not only convincing but disgusting was listening to Howard Stern when he was talking about the Columbine incident. He actually made the comment that the boys shooting people “should have had some sex.” These things clearly show how male masculinity has evolved.
3. How does the thesis of this film relate to the course?
This fits with the overall theme of the class because males in our society are expected to fit the role masculinity. If they do not conform to society’s ideas of masculinity, they run the risk of being deviant since deviance is anything outside of the norm,1 and according to Howard Becker deviance can be defined as people who are outsiders,2 which would clearly be a male who does not fit the societal idea of masculinity.
4. Which arguments/points did you find the most convincing?
The most convincing points of this movie were the male dolls and the loud mouth Howard Stern. Those things were very convincing.
5. Which arguments/points did you find the least convincing?
I did not find any part of this movie to have flaws. It was very convincing all the way around.
6. Choose one argument, point or question that most stands out for you from the film. How would you study this point? Briefly design a research study around that point.
6. Choose one argument, point or question that most stands out for you from the film. How would you study this point? Briefly design a research study around that point.
I would like to study how women fit into this equation. I want to know how women view male masculinity and if they believe in the same trends. I would do this by interviewing women and showing them various pictures of men and asking hem questions about what is attractive and what their thoughts are.
Alex Heckert and Druann Maria Heckert. (2010). A New Typology of Deviance: Integrating and Reactivist Definitions of Deviance. In Alex Thio, Thomas C. Calhoun, and Addrain Conyers (Eds.), Readings in Deviant Behavior. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Howard S. Becker. (1963). Group from Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. In Alex Thio, Thomas C. Calhoun, and Addrain Conyers (Eds.), Readings in Deviant Behavior. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
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