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zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

Last night while enjoying an evening libation, I was thinking about the now well-read post, "Where are the Good Women" submitted by Foolsboy. Right after that, I started to watch the latest illicitly obtained taped episode of "Sex and the City" (There are strict censorship laws in this country so I can't reveal my source but you know,
SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES ...!!! By now, JohnSlat is probably screaming, "Get to the point, Woman!").
I enjoyed the earlier versions of this show and I admit to being rather over-awed by the liberal social attitudes of the 4 main female characters (especially the one where Samantha gave a "special gratuity" to the parcel delivery man).
Lately, I'm starting to become irritated with it ......... Sarah Jessica Parker's character must be the most self-obsessed, self-indulgent woman this side of Venus! (John will now say, "At last, she's coming to her senses! " Well.... we already know of some men who are the most self-absorbed this side of Mars!)
Anyway, we're told in the show that Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) knows great sex (from the ad on the side of the bus)!
But, is she typical of the modern American woman as some posters in this forum would have us believe?

(Fade out: Piano theme music from the show, "Sex and the City")

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

A double-entendre ...if I ever heard one..only kiddin' Smile

By the way,when you get up to get another libation,take a lok out your window.Maybe "doors' was down at the pub too long and somehow strayed over from Qatar to Oman...... Smile

zakiah25 · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 155 Location: Oman

If he is, I'll give him directions to Saudi Arabia......but if he hangs around, he can sleep in the stable with Manfred! I'm sure that he could teach that camel how to get the "runs"!

gerard · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 581 Location: Internet Cafe

Sex and the City is sort of a bad habit-like smoking. They used to show it in Korea at midnite and I would set my watch by it. Nice to have a bit of culture from home but I think if I was at home I would change thew channel. It does have its moments though.

johnslat · Posted: Fri May 09, 2003 5:14 am Post subject: Fantasy Island

Dear zakiah25,
GET TO THE POINT WOMAN! Ooops, sorry - guess you did, eventually. And that point, unless I'm misreading your post, was that, after your initial
liking of that show, you now find it irritating. Well, let me first 'fess up - I've never seen " Sex and the City " ( and, for that matter, I've never seen Sex in THIS city, either ). However, I very much doubt that ANY TV show is going to present a " typical " picture of " the modern American woman " ( or, of anyone, anything else, for that matter ). TV both draws on and encourages stereotypes. Since the hoped for audience is the widest possible one, using the Lowest Common Denominator is standard practice. Any relation to " reality " ( and this is especially true in the so-called " reality shows " ) is completly accidental and almost non-existent.
The writers take a " hot topic " (e.g. Women's Lib, Gays ), especially one having to do with sex and exaggerate it shamelessly. The danger about all this is that some ( many? ) viewers, seeing people acting as they do in TVland, may actually begin to think that's REALLY the way it is. And then, next thing you know, they're out there, trying to live the fantasy. Well, in most cases, they get off fairly lightly when reality intrudes, but not always.
I guess you can't really blame the writers for people's being so naive, but I'll bet at least some of them have an occasionally troubled conscience.
Regards,
John

Jojo · Joined: 25 Mar 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Ontario, Canada

Zakiah25,
I thought I would reply since I am a fan of the show "Sex and the City."
I think the show is a hilarious although, I agree with Johnslat,, they oversensationalize the "Sex" part.
Although, you have to remember the show takes place in NYC which is known as "The city that never sleeps." I have been there a few times and the dating scene there is unlike anywhere else I've been. I don't think the show typifies the all American girl because it is after all, A TV show.

Cheers

travellingscot · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 64 Location: UK/Eastern Europe

Have watched the show i'm afraid,but as i'm not an American woman i wouldn't know how accurate it is.What i can say is that it seems to be fairly typical of younger British ladies, who now outdo the men in "laddish" behaviour.
Whilst waiting here in UK for documentation i have frequented many cafes and listened in awe to tales of "What and who i was doing things with last night". The people concerned were usually in need of English lessons,but certainly not sex education.
Perhaps this is fairly typical of modern Western youth culture in general?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

For me the UK is now a foreign country. The immorality you talk of is one aspect of that. YES I AM AN OLD-FASHIONED PRUDE ! Or anyway I do not like sitting in public places being forced to listen to 17-year-olds graphically describing what happened in their bedrom the night before.

Guest · Posted: Tue May 13, 2003 7:33 pm Post subject: Re: Which city

travellingscot wrote:

Have watched the show i'm afraid,but as i'm not an American woman i wouldn't know how accurate it is.What i can say is that it seems to be fairly typical of younger British ladies, who now outdo the men in "laddish" behaviour.
Whilst waiting here in UK for documentation i have frequented many cafes and listened in awe to tales of "What and who i was doing things with last night". The people concerned were usually in need of English lessons,but certainly not sex education.
Perhaps this is fairly typical of modern Western youth culture in general?

HEY!!

As a younger British lady I object to this. Whilst there has been an increase in laddish behaviour amongst girls, I'd hardly say Sex and the City is

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

I thought it was "The City with All the Creeps" Laughing

travellingscot · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 64 Location: UK/Eastern Europe

Katy,i am guilty of a generalisation of course,but was trying to avoid writing a 1000 word essay as i have noticed that longer postings are not always appreciated.
I read several different newspapers,not just downmarket ones,and the behaviour in question has been the subject of several articles.
It does seem to be common behaviour in most UK towns and cities every friday and saturday night,but that obviously doesn't mean that every younger female indulges in such behaviour.
Sorry to appear boring,but i do not get my thrills from establishments where people dance on tables--been there,got the t shirt many years ago.

R · Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 277 Location: United Kingdom

It's the alcopops. That's the problem. We wouldn't have this kind of behavious if they stayed in the lounge at the Dog and Artichoke drinking proper ale and listening to Chet Baker on the juke boxes, the coils of smoke from their Gauloises merging into a nicotine-tempered cloud high above the table... sorry, where was I?

Guest · Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 5:59 pm Post subject:

I'm not entirely sure what the "behaviour in question" means so I'm in no position to defend it.

However, being in a newspaper (or several) doesn't necessarily make something commonplace or even factual. Be careful with your generalisations.

johnslat · Posted: Thu May 15, 2003 4:16 am Post subject: Generally speaking

Dear katy,
Please forgive me - I can't resist.
Yes, generalizations are ALWAYS wrong; you should NEVER generalize.
Threre - got THAT out of my system. Now let me say that I agree with what you wrote - generally speaking.
Regards,
John

travellingscot · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 64 Location: UK/Eastern Europe

If all postings or threads containing generalisations were removed from this site methinks there would be a lot less material to read.Perhaps that would be a good thing but i'm not sure how easy it is to make a point without sometimes making use of generalisations to avoid giving our own life history and show how we have arrived at these conclusions based on our experiences.
My opinion of behaviour in UK today is based on experiences whilst visiting many different towns and cities throughout mainland Britain on Friday and Saturday nights over the past 10 years or more--if anyone wishes me to elaborate in order to prove my point i will be glad to send a rather long private message in return for a few beers at a mutually convenient place and time.
I referred to newspaper articles in order to show that this behaviour by younger people was of sufficient concern to warrant several different studies by people,not always journalists.