Question

The author of Ophelia suggests that Western civilization has a double standard about parenting. Describe one specific example from popular culture (books, TV, movies, etc.) of a father who is portrayed in a way that fits this double standard. Do the same thing for a mother. The mother and father don't have to be from the same TV show, etc. Be sure to give enough context so that it's clear how the parents you describe fit the double standard.

Answer 1

Answer:

The 1999 movie American Beauty is one of those examples that fit the description; in the movie, both Lester & Carolyn (Mother and Father) from the Burnham family preach, scold, nag and command Jane (daughter) to behave while pretending to be role models to her, but it's all a sham, due neither one of them is happy with their lives or fit the standards they try to convey, Carolyn has an extramarital affair and Lester seems to be a ped0phile; lack of communication and sincerity contribute to this dysfunctional family, Colonel Fitts hides his own personal insecurities projecting this image of ultra-conservative and fascist person while being homophobic and abusive parent who appeals to violence.

And also, since American Democracy is a 2 party system, people play politics as a sport where communities gather into teams pretending to represent a democratic process but always voting against their own social interest in order to suppot "The Team"; it's more like an oligarchy since the power rests on a small minority group; the double standard is easy to spot through "News Media" organizations who manipulate and distort the "information" depending on their political affiliation by pretending to be neutral; TV News Networks present the information as attacks to the other team (political party) while guilty of the same actions and practices they denounce.