The media has a way of controlling our outlook on so many things. The media shapes what we wear, what we eat and even who we date. The problem with this is the media has a way of showing the most dysfunctional relationships and making them seem almost normal. For young and impressionable girls (like myself) this can be awfully confusing. There are three relationship types I have noticed really highlighted in the media over the last year or so:
The Giant Age Gap:
Relationships like Hef and any one of his many wives is NOT normal. These girls are with him for one thing and one thing only- money. The marriages are strange and the whole living arrangement is down right disturbing. However, I myself sometimes watch “The Girls Next Door” and think to myself…hmm that wouldn’t be so bad…This is NOT O.K. Girls we need to make a vow that we will put a limit on these insane age gaps. Money cannot cross 50 years…lets have a little respect for ourselves!
The Abuser: It is sad but the media has found a way to make the abusive relationship almost seem “cool”. It is not secret Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together. For those who don’t know, back a few years ago Chris Brown hit Rihanna and the pictures surfaced on the internet. The two took a break but Rihanna is now convinced that he has “really calmed down”. Girls this is NOT o.k! Yet again we need to have more respect for ourselves than this! If a guy EVER lays a hand on you there should be NO second chances. I don’t care who he is! Why does the media show this relationship as a normal relationship?!? Both of them need help. He needs anger management classes and she needs to go to therapy for her self esteem!
The Serial Dater: I need to start this by saying I love T. Swift. She is an absolute sweetheart with absolutely adorable songs. That being said, that bitch needs to calm down in the dating world. She doesn’t hang on to a boy longer than a month before she writes a song about him and moves on to the next one. Whats worse? She invests a lot in the boys she dates even after a short period of time. For example she bought quite the pricey boy next to the Kennedy boy’s house but she is already two boys past him now. This is another example where we as girls need to have more respect for ourselves. It is o.k to be alone! This type of relationship shows us that we always NEED to be in a relationship but this is not the case! What does T. Swift need a man for? She has money, fame and fans- she doesn’t NEED anything else…she NEEDS some self esteem!
What other celeb relationships do you think the media make look normal that really shouldn’t be portrayed as normal?
cestlavie22 
I think you’ve got them all covered here. How a beautiful young woman could say she’s fallen in love with someone who is the age of her great-grandfather has me completely beat. It’s really kinda gross when you think about it (I’m trying to get that image out of my mind now!)
Haha! Sorry for the mental image! It just seriously amazes me the things the media puts out there and portrays as “normal” for relationships. When I see Hef with his ladies I just get so baffled- I mean is it REALLY worth it?
They obviously love the money (there’s no other explanation for it that I can think of) ewwww šÆ
Yeah they are all a load of crap, anyone trying to make Hefner’s relationship seem normal and legit is an idiot, all about the dough. Plus it works the other way too, they make normal seem bad.
Totally agreed! They make normal seem boring! I want some normal in my life!
“The media has a way of controlling our outlook on so many things. The media shapes what we wear, what we eat and even who we date.”
Shae, you are absolutely right about that. The media is a very powerful tool in subliminally telling us what’s right and wrong, what’s goes and what doesn’t, what we should eat, what we should wear, etc.
I don’t normally read tabloids, magazines, or read much online about celebrities.
However, being a big Angelia Jolie fan, I remember the media hype about making Angelia look like a “husband snatcher” when she and Brad got together during his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. However, if you look at Jennifer’s track record of marriages and dating, she seems to go through men like tissues. Plus. it takes two to tango, so it could have been Brads doing too.
Great post, girl!
X
I didnt even think of the Brad, Angelina, Jennifer triangle! That is such a good point! Of course I have always been team Jennifer though š
I love this post because you’ve captured three totally different dating patterns. I admit I was the Tsylor Swift dater in my day. It’s a miracle I’ve been married 26 years. Or maybe I knew what I was doing and shopped around till I found Mr. perfect. Ha!
Haha! I think shopping around is a good idea but goodness that girl shops an awful lot! We might need to get her on that show “my strange addiction”!
Their relationships are very strange.
I watched a few episodes of ‘Girls Next Door’ way back and even some of Kendra’s show. They seem to adore Hef as much as he does them but it probably just comes down to them making him feel younger and better than he actually is and the girls getting career advancements/ big money to be connected to him and his empire. In real life, intimate relationships with age differences like that are very rare and bit strange.
Heard about Rihanna and CB, and some references to TS’s dating but must admit that I don’t really know any of them enough to care.
The wife swap shows are strange too, as are the Bachelor ones. And Sister Wives. Although I do admit to being somewhat interested in that last one. I have no idea why. LOL
Good post!
Thank you for posting this!! I honestly sometimes feel women put themselves into positions to make the general population of women seem crazy. Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Cool article!
I dated Taylor, but that was in the past (last week). She’s already seven boys past me.