This:
to this:
OR THIS:
Just like the way people say 'chivalry is dead', we can also say that 'decency is dead'. Take two of the video clips i have attached above as examples of that saying in the entertainment world that most people portray as 'glamorous'. Hello Scandalous, bye bye Classiness. Lets face is: Sex sells. Advertising and sex have been tied together since advertising became a big business. The use of sexually suggestive images to sell just about everything really emphasizes the point that sex is a merchandiser's best friend. However, in traditional Chinese Culture, it was less often thought about this way. Think about the Black and White TV era. How often would you see a young teenager prancing around on the stage dancing suggestively while singing in a bikini? These days it seems like the right thing to do if you want to survive as an artiste. The search for real talent doesn't really exist anymore. I bring this up because I only came across Sun Ho's 'China Wine' video a couple of days ago and I was deeply shocked. This is how i remember her:
What happened? As i watched her provocative video, I wonder if she was really a pastor, a councilor and a mother? What does her Church think? A little hypocritical isn't it? I don't know, I guess everybody is entitled to their own opinions, and you might not oppose as strongly to her change of image as I do, but to me, her being a 'devout Christian' who gets full support from her Church is rather hypocritical. Also, this proves how much the West has influenced our Culture. Selling sex probably was epitomized by the late Marilyn Monroe, and since then countless TV shows and Ads have used sexual images in order to boost sales. In traditional chinese culture women are more conservative. Obviously, our homegrown Sun Ho has fallen out of that category. Why then does the authorities in Singapore take such pre-cautious measurements in allowing import products such as TV shows and music? Even our dear local talent has proven that she prefers otherwise. I recall a local TV show called 'Girl-on-Girl' where in each episode some scantily clad girls have to battle out with each other in physical activities. It was quite a bad production, and it proves my point. It is obvious to the naked eye that we are showing signs that we are moving further and further away from our traditions and root cultures. It is just like saying you have decided to cut your friend out of your social circle because she only talks about herself, when all you do when you socialize is brag about yourself. It is contradicting just as it is hypocritical.
3 comments:
despite our criticisms and flak thats been drawn because of this blantant use of sex appeal to promote or advertise, lets face it, sex does sell. there will always be people who are enticed to use provocative, sexually charged ways to boost their sales, popularity or ratings. we might not all agree with it (i for one don't think anyone should degrade themselves to the level that they have to resort to selling sex) but we must agree that to some extent, it works!
That's how the society works these days, the more you flash and the more sexually you are on TV, the more people want to buy, the more people want to see. I have to admit that it is really hypocritical of Sun Ho of her recent actions in her music videos, because she is always portraying herself as a devout Christian, someone who sees herself as a pastor but to think that she went against her roots and religion, just to be more famous, it shows that she not only does not respect herself but also everyone around her, and especially people who believe in her.
Sadly but truely IT WORKS!
My point is that we are moving away from out culture. I don't think in the olden days one would see a chinese singer stipping down to her undergarments in garish colors prancing around on stage? More and more people take hollywood too seriously. Esp in Singapore, even though it is obvious that the goverment is taking measures to preserve our oh-so-loved Singlish, which is part of our culture, you can see our local programs slowly geared towards westernization.
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