Bechdel test - a way of evaluating whether or not a film or other work of fiction portrays women in a way that is sexist or characterized by gender stereotyping. To pass the Bechdel test a work must feature at least two women, these women must talk to each other, and their conversation must concern something other than a man."a lot of Hollywood movies fail the Bechdel test miserably"
ORIGIN - early 21st century: from the name of the US cartoonist Alison Bechdel, who formulated the criteria in 1985 in a comic strip ‘The Rule’, part of the series Dykes To Watch Out For (1983–2008).
More importantly, why would we ever WANT it to?
18 comments:
We don't notice it when male characters talk about subjects other than women. I wouldn't want to watch a movie specifically crafted to pass the test, but I think it does indicate something. Real literature and art written by females from that perspective can be great. There's been loads of really effective feminine TV over the last couple of years in this country. I haven't checked, but I bet fleabag and killing eve pass the test without trying.
It's critical theory... so who cares? Not me.
I don't know what that is, so I win at not caring ;)
Really? I don't care if ANY TV shows get written by women. The 'author' is dead. Now women all want to be Auters. What's up with THAT? What ever happened to the socialist "ideal" of all books being like textbooks, where no one CARES who authored which part? You're not supposed to be able to objectively interpret/de-construct a literary work by it's author, you just supposed to give it a NEW subjective individualized meaning.
Having a "Bechdel Test" implies that there is.
Rendering critical theory incapable of meeting it's own standards of literary critical worth.
Critical Theory –– the veritable LINCHPIN of Cultural Marxism.
It always strikes me as exceedingly ironic that those most sadly affected and afflicted by the corrosive poison of Cultural Marxism's CRITICAL THEORY can remain blissully unaware of the severe damage it as done to their ability use Critical THINKING.
I see Cutural Marxism as the ULTIMATE Wolf in Sheep's clothing.
I remain interested in the author, if only so that I may seek out further works of authors I enjoy. And do you really not find that culture is the richer for more variety in its participants' background and perspective?
If they're writing in the modern era, no. They might as well be illiterate, for all I care. If you want a variety of perspectives, you're best off going 2,000 years into the past and exploring THOSE authors.
The Lindy Effect applies to books, ESPECIALLY. Charles Murray in his "Human Accomplishment" posits that many modern authors who are extremely well known today won't be remembered within a generation. I believe him.
as Nassim Taleb says, "You can’t fool Lindy: books of the type written by the current hotshot Op-Ed writer at the New York Times may get some hype at publication time, manufactured or spontaneous, but their five year survival is generally inferior to that of pancreatic cancer."
"you're best off going 2,000 years into the past and exploring THOSE authors"
:) Maybe! Especially the op-ed stuff. But I think that some recent fiction has been worthwhile.
Like?
I loved Asimov's "Foundation" series. Frank Herbert's "Dune". Huxley's "Brave New World." But not much more...
As mentioned above, contemporary TV has got some great stuff, it's long since surpassed cinema. Have you read "the Reader" (Berhnhard Schlink)? David Mitchell (the author) impresses me.
There haven't been many female novrlists worth reafing since Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and Edith Wrton left us –– nor many males either since Henry James,John Galsworthy, and Arthur Conan Doyle, though I did enjoy Tolkien too.
@Jez... I'll have to look for them.
@Franco... Lindy effect?
I remember when we took ancing lessons in sixth grade –– before Noah built the Ark –– and w were taught to perform something our white-gloved dancing instructor called the LINDY HOP.
I can't recall havng had further coinact with te LINDY hOP after that memorable year (1953!). It appeared to have died aborning.
Perhaps this LINDY EFFECt is akin to the ill-fated dance of the same name in that it serves as a signal for Cultural Evaporation?
All that aside I still say Marmlstein's cheesecake was notably superior to Lindy's, which proves only that fame and high quality ar not synonymous..
Post a Comment