DANGEROUS ROLE MODELS: TWILIGHT

Stating the obvious on Twilight. http://www.facebook.com/officiallacigreen

tweet me! - http://www.twitter.com/gogreen18

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Do you recognize some of these behaviors? Learn more, or get help: http://www.thehotline.org/
http://www.loveisrespect.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teen_dating_vio...

**Why would Stephanie Meyers write an abusive love story? Now up! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwlcNgEuPkc

**"U R REEDING 2 MUCH IN2 IT!!1!" - I have only recited the plot and dating violence information. Perhaps stop to consider that you are actually repeating the pattern of dismissing critical thinking & abuse. In other words, maybe you're not reading into it enough! In today's world, this happens a lot. To truly understand the relevance of this material, it helps to understand that in the field of psychology, the real effects of media messaging on our behavior and self image are THOROUGHLY DOCUMENTED. Step 1: Do research. Step 2: Learn stuff. Step 3: Become a more informed/aware person. With a little practice, critical thinking can change your life for the better. (Proof: 1000s of sex lives improved with this channel...and all we do here is think critically).

Here's a good place to start your research on the media: https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/IssuesInReligionAndPsychotherapy/articl...

Or here: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/qf/media.htm

Or here: http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Children/AdolescenceWS/Comm...

Now you have no excuses. :)

VIDEO SUMMARY:
In this video, I address the immense popularity of the Twilight Saga in terms of the messages that it sends to its audience (mostly young women). I talk about how the characters of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen exemplify harmful gender stereotypes. Bella's character romanticizes being a submissive dependent woman. Edward's character romanticizes being a hypermasculine abuser. I then talk about how Edward & Bella's relationship is abusive and the ways in which people/Stephanie Meyer/the books dismiss and minimize this abuse (similar to how society in general dismisses and minimizes abuse). I talk about the dangers of these messages going out to a young audience of teens who are beginning to learn about what relationships should look like...as well as express my disgust & alarm.

Music from Jason Shaw at http://www.audionautix.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• breaking
• dawn
• premier
• twilight
• edward
• cullen
• bella
• swan
• twihard
• crazy
• fans
• kristen
• stewart
• robert
• pattinson
• stephanie
• meyer
• abusive
• relationship
• abuse
• domestic
• violence
• when
• love
• gets
• violent
• fairytale
• romance
• romantic
• stories
• movies
• pop
• culture
• eclipse
• healthy
• behavior
• stalking
• physical
• emotional
• isolation
• sex
• positive

[AutumnPepper]

I love what you just said. And to people who think you're reading too much into it, that's what you're supposed to do. It's ok reading/watching it and enjoying it, but without criticism and reading into it's message (what we all do in english literature lessons and film studies for example) nothing is going to progress or improve. So I think it's good that people are analysing it and voicing their opinion, especially when it's one like this, which I feel is important, and also correct.

[Snakepliskinist]

I recently wondered why I watch Twilight movies. Am I a masochist? Do I hate myself? Then I realized: Watching the dismal, empty lives of these characters makes my own life seem interesting and fulfilling by comparison. There isn't a single character whose life I could inhabit for more than an hour without eating a bullet. Most movies offer an escape from reality. With twilight movies I am eager to return to reality, which seems oh so sweeter by comparison.

[PushkaCom]

sado-masochistic

sadistic - pleasure from causing pain

masochistic - pleasure from receiving pain

[Serotonin219]

This was stunning! Thank you so much.

[missmitzijane]

Vampire Diaries FTW

[DeadlyDelusions]

@foreverlily1 The difference is that many fans of Twilight become obsessed with Edward and Jacob, thinking they're the perfect type of man, and start desiring a relationship like the one portrayed in the books/movies.

[foreverlily1]

Honestly everyone is reading way to much into this. Its a fictional book...thats it. I doubt young girls ever think too much about it. I dont see why other people are so upset when there have been so many other popular books with the same thing. Examples: Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw Edward Fairfax Rochester and Jane Eyre Edmond Dantes and Mercédès Edmond Dantes and Haydee Batman and Robin Batman and Catwoman Batman and Bruce Wayne Leto and Jessica Paul and Chani I rest my case.

[SumikoMikazuki]

@to the people saying that she's taking it too seriously

The thing is, it's not just a book. Young girls are reading this and thinking that what Edward and Bella has is a perfect relationship. They want to be like Bella and they want a boyfriend like Edward. That's truly scary.

[hippiebeatlesgirl1]

Read LOTR.

[Xandria622]

I've noticed a trend, I favorite almost all your videos. Love them, keep it up :)

[bshaffer85]

ahhh I didn't mind the books although they truly are "trash." They will never be classics. They do not share any characteristics with literary masterpieces. @BandytaCzasu The films: AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheMystikalmage]

This totally blew my mind. I had not thought of it that way at all....