Shortly before I went on vacation, or holiday, if you prefer, last month, there was this great Internet kerfuffle about this 41-year-old writer named Samantha Brick, who graced the Daily Mail [UK] with a long article about, according to this assessment, “the advantages of her great pulchritude (lots of attention from men, who only have to drive past her in their cars to be overcome with the need to purchase a gift for her) and the disadvantages (unerring hatred from all women, who are jealous of the threat Brick’s very existence poses to their own relationships with said men).”
She took a lot of heat for this from literally, all over the world, including some people who suggested she wasn’t “all that” physically, in that nasty way the Internet can be. I probably would ignore it except for this subsequent article from Salon, which noted that “the backlash to the backlash kicked in.” Too much piling on; enough is enough. She was compared with performer Rebecca Black, noted for the oft-watched, oft-loathed song Friday.
I’m less interested in Samantha Brick (or Rebecca Black, for that matter) than with the notion that women, particularly attractive ones in the workplace, may not be taken seriously, with the assumption that they are gliding by on their physical features. I still recall a prominent newspaper editor make a disparaging remark about CBS News correspondent Laura Logan, assuming – ASSUMING – that she was merely hired for her looks when she in fact had been working in war zones. Brick’s point, if better presented, might have actually been a teachable moment.
Instead, as we’ve seen so often before, we recognize that there seem to be no boundaries as to what people seem to have been given permission online.
Huh. Have not heard about this bit of gossip.
I have to say women who say “Other women hate me because I’m beautiful” drive me frickin’ nuts.
I know many beautiful, intelligent women who don’t go around saying things like that. I enjoy their company.
But when a friend said to me “Everyone has trouble believing I can be so smart and pretty!” it drove me nuts. Is she smart and pretty? Yes, she is. But saying it like that? Ick. Bad character – a sign of vanity.
Because I’m a picky, nasty person, the other end – “Oh my gosh am I ugly/fat/etc.!” – also drives me nuts. Just… don’t talk about it. It’s not polite and a sign of bad character.
When I was in Israel Dina took many photos of me, and exactly on the moment I pulled a strange face . I said to Dina:” I look so ugly I really don’t understand why people are always so kind to me! Lol. ”
Now I do!
Samantha sounds very impressed with herself. Probably more so than other people. I can’t help but wonder why she’s so insecure.
Ever watch how blond haired children are treated in our society, and apparently in England too? They are lavished with attention from the adults (“Ooh, you’re so pretty!”) and singled out from their darker-haired peers for praise and small privileges.
These blond haired kids learn that they are special, but then most of them grow up and meet the world. Usually the results are ugly (from what I’ve observed) but every once in a while one of these blond haired princes or princesses, living in an isolated little world, manages to make it to age 41 without a serious challenge. Then, she/he comes out of his/her isolated little world (a career in TV for Ms. Brick) and is shocked by the reaction online.
That would also explain the backlash, lingering resentment of the privileged blond haired peers.