I often wonder if we realize the impact of our environment in our lives. So much so that I often go back and forth with a new example or reason that I always seem to shoot down myself. I believe that as men and women we are conditioned to do many things without us fully being aware. Conditioning is not only something that occurs in the animal kingdom but within the human race as well. The most important question to ask ourselves is whether this conditioning has turned into a dangerous form of acceptance. We have become so accustomed to simply accepting that boys are supposed to wear blue and girls are supposed to wear pink that when the situation does not play out exactly as planned everything short of crucifixion occurs. The media has taken so much time out of their busy uplifting schedule to make sure men and women know their roles. My concern is that the audience has forgotten to unplug their media outlet in order to be aware of what is truly going on around them.
The clear cut recipe always has and always will be "boy sees girl, boy likes girl, boy gets girl" With a few minor adjustments here and there this simple three step recipe has managed to silence many females and males for generations and will continue to do so for generations to come. You see this recipe leaves no room for weakness in the testosterone driven world where the male sex is formatted to be the aggressor at all times. If not well that alpha male has now been dwindled to nothing more than a bitch. With out any consideration or hesitation a man who doesn't fit the mold is quickly labeled as homo, or my favorite "is acting like a female" because he just can't seem to behave the way he was told to at birth. I do feel quite sorry for the entire male species who seems to think being looked at as a homo is the worst label known to man. Shame on me for thinking being called a rapist or a pedophile would be slightly worse.
However horrible I feel for my male counterparts I can not forget the horrific conditioning the female species has been subjected to. Its hard to calculate where to even begin in relation to the short comings of a species I proudly and shamefully am apart of. That simple recipe I previously mentioned has also done a number on the thought process and behavior of many women, whom if given a true equal opportunity could be the rulers of the free world. Instead women are silenced and taught to be the receivers of the male aggression. Sit quiet and wait to be approached, don't talk too much, don't talk too loudly or risk the never ending labels of bitch, mean, or my favorite…bird. I myself have been labeled as all three and in one instance simultaneously in the same sentence. Needless to say I did not run home crying but many females believe that is their only option. Throw a tantrum to get your way, manipulate the situation not with your intelligence but with your sex appeal, speak when spoken to, be sexy but not enough to be slutty, and don't you dare give in too easy because then your not worth the chase. "The chase"… as if male and female interaction were a sport or some sort of video game.
That is unfortunately what it has turned into. "I'm not going to call or text he/she first because I was first the last time". When did relationship building turn into a battlefield with tactical moves and techniques taking precedent to actual discussion. When did "I'm sorry I was drunk" take the place of the actual reason "I am uncomfortable/ vulnerable in this relationship and it frightens me" We've stopped taking responsibility and refuse to live in reality because society tells us its okay. Society tells us that men are going to cheat, and women are going to be an emotional wreck so we accept that Lifetime format because it prevents us from taking a real deep look into the mirror. Men must act like men and women must act like women in order for the world to go round. Any slip from that strict criteria leads to many disappointments and a lack of acceptance. I myself would rather be unaccepted by a society that tells me to "Act Like a Lady and Think Like a Man". I would rather act like myself and think for myself.
MJB
