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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!yale-com!marr
From: marr@yale-com.UUCP (Leon Marr)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Maturity, high school, and the media.
Message-ID: <1795@yale-com.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Jul-83 00:44:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: yale-com.1795
Posted: Mon Jul 25 00:44:09 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 25-Jul-83 04:35:48 EDT
Lines: 58

FLAME WARNING. (flame on)

    Well, when I was in (a typical suburban public) high school about
    four or five years ago, most 'high-status' boys were jocks who cared
    mostly how hard they could hit the opposing linemen on the football
    field and how many girls they could screw in a given week.  Intelligence
    (except that useful on the playing field) was a disadvantage.

    Pretty gawd-awful.

    Most 'high-status' girls, however, were figuring out
    how they could be seen 'going out' with the 'high-status' guys without
    giving in to their not-so-subtle suggestions.  God forbid if you were
    female and acted in some obviously intelligent manner -- you were too
    threatening.  Sure, you could do well academically, but that`s because
    no one considered that terribly important.  Being bright, articulate, and
    incisive was out, unless you could be cute and cuddly (and dumb)
    when the guys were around.

    GAH.

    Most girls (and that`s what they were, then) I knew, while nice people
    and all that, were still stuck doing what they were 'supposed to do'.
    The boys were just as firmly tied to their roles.  If you didn`t fit
    the 'the alternative power images...jocks and rowdies' (to quote Michael
    Ellis), you weren`t interesting to the girls.  If you weren`t like the
    stereotypes, you were 'weird'.  'You don`t like hanging out at parties
    and drinking beer until you puke?!?  You must be weird!!!'

    If I hadn`t known it was 1978, I would have sworn we were stuck in the
    fifties.

    Actually, I wasn`t quite as bitter as I sound.  I was, as sixteen year
    old males often do, feeling just fine.  I drank, got high, drove fast,
    hung out, and generally had a good time.  Few responsibilities, lots of
    fun, and lots of free time.  The only thing I missed out on was the
    educational experience of 'playing boyfriend/girlfriend', which is great
    fun.  I DON`T mean sex.  It`s more the role-playing of 'You belong to
    me, I belong to you, and we reinforce each other alone and in public.'
    I think this is more fun than the sex, actually, even when neither of
    you really means it.  High school is where most people learn how to
    play that game, when there`s much less at stake.

    I really don`t know if you can say that the girls were more mature than
    the boys.  (Or vice versa.)   They were both pretty immature in their
    own ways.  They believed in media images, and acted accordingly.
    (Look at the success of 'Porkys'.  More to the point, look at the people
    who are paying to see it.)

    Let`s hear it for the Ministry of Truth.  Anyone interested
    in a career in marketing?

	     quite happy to be attending a 'subversive eastern university',

					    Leon Marr
					    decvax!yale-comix!marr

			       (flame off)