The sexualization of teenagers in the mass media and the part I played
Posted by razzbuffnik on June 2nd, 2008
All the recent hullabaloo in the newspapers here in Sydney about child pornography issues and art, got me thinking about the subject. I don’t intend to comment on Henson’s photography myself, as I feel I that I only have a very foggy understanding of what art actually is. I don’t really feel capable of expressing an erudite opinion on the matter of photographing young semi-naked girls in the name of art. What I do have some experience with, and feel I can comment on, is young girls and the way how some of them respond to being photographed.
Back in the early 1990s, I was invited by a modelling school and agency in Dunedin, New Zealand to photograph all their recent graduates for their portfolios. My contact with the modelling school was a professional makeup artist friend, who was a graduate herself. Over a two-week period, I photographed over 40 young girls and women. The age of my subjects ranged from about 14 up to the mid-20s. It was a great job and I felt that the modelling agency had trained the girls very well.
All the girls had been trained how to pose in front of the camera and most of them were very good at it but what I found very disconcerting was some of the expressions that the very young girls just “turned on”. About a quarter of the girls (mainly quite young from about 14 to 16 years old) affected the very overt and sexual “come and get me look” that is worn by many of the models in men’s magazines. I had to explain to quite a few of the girls that when they become professional models they will be mainly used to model clothing to other women. Since the majority of women aren’t gay, such “come hither expressions” won’t be of much use.
Another issue I found unsettling was the eagerness with which the girls would strip off in front of me to change. This happened once while the girl’s mother was with me and she even didn’t bat an eyelid as her child disrobed in front of me.
Somehow they got it into their heads that models will be required to take off their clothing without much privacy. I found myself explaining to a few of the girls (and their mother in one case) that when they go out in the world to make a living at modelling, they should expect proper facilities than insure their privacy as they get changed. It made me shudder to think how such innocence can be pounced upon, and I warned them that if they were ever working anywhere, where there weren’t adequate facilities for them to get changed they should be highly suspicious, and to be on their guard.
It was fairly obvious to me that many of these models had gone through much of their young lives being told how beautiful they were and it gave them a false sense of what attractiveness actually is. I think that when we are young, due to our lack of experience in worldly matters, things tend to be a little more black-and-white. Due to the youth and inexperience of many of the girls, they had no idea about the difference beauty and raw sex.
I think the word glamour is misunderstood by many people. Glamour means a illusory sexual allure and that’s just what it is, it’s an illusion. I think this confusion between beauty and sexual allure leads to a Frankenstein version of what an attractive self image is, in young minds.
I’m pretty sure that when parents and relatives tell children that they think those kids are beautiful, they’re not usually trying to plant overtly sexual stereotypes in those children’s heads. What are children to think of when they see toys like Bratz dolls and the bump and grind of a Britney Spears or Shakira performance? It would seem that kids aren’t really allowed to be kids any more.
I bet the parents of a beautiful young 15-year-old girl, who I had been photographing, would be absolutely horrified to know that their beloved and precocious little moppet followed me into the toilet, and asked me if she could help me get my equipment out (if you know what I mean).
I wonder how, many parents would react, if, when their beautiful child is asked what they wanted to become when they grew up, their child responded with “I want to be an underwear model”? I also have to ask the question, what’s with these people who put their kids in child beauty pageants? Do they really think that is harmless to make their little girls into painted up sex objects and then judge them? What, if anything, is going through their heads?
I think that this accelerated sexual development is not only harming the children when they are young by cutting short their childhoods whilst perverting, and quite often diminishing their sense of self esteem. It’s also harming the society that we all live in as they get older.
As I have become older, I tend to feel that women fall into two groups. There are people with intellects who happen to be women, and then there are another group who are nothing more than painted up life-support systems for their genitalia (I guess the same can be said for men). I remember once meeting a highly made up woman who didn’t want to shake hands when we met and when I asked her why, she said that she thought that I was just trying to make her breasts jiggle.
Most intelligent women that I have ever met don’t wear much, if any, makeup at all and they tend to dress in a comfortable and casual way. I think that many women who spend an inordinate amount of time on their appearance don’t give themselves a chance to be treated with the respect that they crave.
Being attractive enough to create arousal in men is a biological necessity that enables the continuation of our species. Unfortunately due to heavy advertising aimed at eroding women’s self-esteem so that they will buy more beauty and fashion products, striving to be sexually alluring into old age has become something of a quest for many women.
The seeds that we plant in young people’s minds today will shape the society of the future.
From tiny acorns mighty oaks grow.
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Wow, that was horribly misogynistic, you do realise that right?
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Re: pageant parents. What are they thinking? Vicarious attractiveness through their children to alleviate poor self-esteem partially caused by the “beauty system” they continue to perpetuate.
I think you’re dead right about being told they’re beautiful from a young age. They learn to treat their physical being as a commodity rather than develop the relationship between mind and body needed to form meaningful human connections.
And sexy and sex are two very different things in their head – I don’t think they can really grasp the latter, while learning to base their personality on the former. It’s like an untrained bomb-maker.
June 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Stiggers
No. Care to elaborate?
Brooks
“untrained bomb-maker”
Nice turn of phrase.
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I’m also curious to hear about the misogyny.
June 3rd, 2008 at 2:39 am
Very insightful, good sir.
Not at all misogynistic in my book, by the way.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:59 am
Why thank you my good man!
It’s going to be interesting to hear what the rational is behind Mr. Stiggers’ comment. It won’t be the first time I’ve been told to adjust my attitude and unfortunately I’m sure it won’t be my last.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
I suspect that Stiggers was being a bit facetious in his claim.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 pm
No I wasn’t being facetious at all. All was well and good until I got to “As I become older..”
Thats the start of what I thought was misogynistic.
“there are another group who are nothing more than painted up life-support systems for their genitalia”
HOLY SHIT WHAT? Women puts on makeup = worthless whore?
“Most intelligent women that I have ever met don’t wear much, if any, makeup at all and they tend to dress in a comfortable and casual way.”
Most intelligent women I have met, which is a lot, do not fit into one appearance style. That putting effort into one’s appearance indicates low intellect is retarded! Who are you to tell a woman how she expresses herself? I know so many intelligent, savvy, proud women that put effort into their clothes and appearance. They take pride in how they present themselves. They often wear make up. They normally look very glamorous.
Its their choice. That they put effort in to that does not infer lack of utility or lack of brain cells. They can express their femininity as they like. You portray these women as all victims, unknowingly molded and controlled by market forces. Horrendously presumptuous and also none of your business!
What you say reeks of the thoughts of a man who is terrified of any woman with sexual power. Its a line of thinking that underpins societies that strip all responsibility from women, that they cannot decide for themselves. They should be subservient and cover their flesh. Only then once they have extinguished all spark of sexuality, will they get the respect that they so crave.
“I think that many women who spend an inordinate amount of time on their appearance don’t give themselves a chance to be treated with the respect that they crave.”
Um, what I just said. Fuck this horrible presumptuous generalisation. That a woman cannot get respect if she wears makeup, wears a dress, high heels, gets her hair done. This is as misogynist as the man who says all women are whores and should all dress like them.
It is a crying horrible shame the pressure that exists on young women to be thin, to place such importance in appearance and that culture puts less and less importance of what lies under the skin, everyday.
But to be as equally prescriptive to the other end, is just as controlling.
Saying that only women who don’t wear make up and dress down are intelligent and of worth, is a misogynistic point of view.
Especially when there is THAT group and all the rest are
“another group who are nothing more than painted up life-support systems for their genitalia”
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
lol wall of text.
Basically, despite the venom you have for women who put make-up on, I dont think you mean’t ill. But these things are complicated, more so by the fact that as men we can only have a limited understanding of those issues.
A lot of people can’t deal with complexity it seems, with shades of gray. But you have to be very careful with language, because from tiny acorns mighty oaks grow indeed.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Stiggers
Thanks for the long comment.
“HOLY SHIT WHAT? Women puts on makeup = worthless whore?”
Cool your jets! I didn’t say any such thing.
“another group who are nothing more than painted up life-support systems for their genitalia”
What I meant by that remark is that I think that some women (in my experience) that have been made self conscious and overly aware of their sex appeal behave in a way that seems (to me) to revolve around their gender (hence the reference to genitalia) rather than just being people who happen to be women.
“a woman cannot get respect if she wears makeup, wears a dress, high heels, gets her hair done. This is as misogynist as the man who says all women are whores and should all dress like them.”
I think that when women overly emphasise their gender they are doing themselves a disservice if that want to be treated with more respect then a mere sex object. I’m not saying that all women who wear make up are whores, but I am saying that if one is so focused on being “attractive” there something lacking in their lives.
I don’t have “venom” for women who wear make up, I just think that women who wear lots of make up and dress in an overly sexual way are the victims of an advertising campaign to sell more make up and fashion clothing and I feel that is a real shame they’ve been so ensnared.
I tend to equate intelligence with utility. The smart women (most of the women I know) I know tend to be quite relaxed, flexible and casual. The women that I’ve met in my life who spend a lot of time trying to be “attractive” tend to be up-tight, rigid and in general hard work to be around.
Try to go on a serious hike with someone in fashionable boots with heels that declares, “I wear these because they’re so comfortable”. This happened to me once on a two-day with a friend and his girlfriend. I know that’s an extreme example, but I could go on and on with such examples.
Let’s look at the word “attractive” as used in a fashion sense:
S: (adj) attractive (pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm) “a remarkably attractive young man”; “an attractive personality”; “attractive clothes”; “a book with attractive illustrations”
S: (adj) attractive (having power to arouse interest)
basically it just relates to the surface.
I’m suggesting that it’s helpful if the surface isn’t disguised and the inner beauty is allowed to show.
What I’m trying to say (obviously not very clearly) is that I think that women are so much more than “life-support systems for their genitalia”. It saddens me when I see how so many women have had their self esteem eroded to such an extent that they have to use such artificial methods to bolster their self image. To make matters even worse is when aging women feel compelled to be eternally “attractive”.
I also say “a pox” on men who think that women have to spend so much time, money and effort painting themselves up to appear “glamorous. I say to such men, think with your big head, not your little one.
The whole concept of “glamour” is shit! It’s right down there with “cool” in the way how it fucks up the world we live in.
“horrible presumptuous generalisation”
I think that your comment is more about where your head is at rather that what I was talking about.
As for generalising, yes you are right. I do generalize all the time when I don’t know 100% about something. Which is always.
“What you say reeks of the thoughts of a man who is terrified of any woman with sexual power”
I wonder what you think sexual power is. Is it the power to cause erections in large groups strange men?
In my life of 52 years I’ve had relationships and friendships with many women all around the world. I’ve noticed that the conversations have become much deeper and much franker as I’ve gotten older.
When I was younger I found, either through my own ignorance due to youth or the ignorance due to youth of the women I was talking to, that communication about this subject wasn’t very clear and I feel I received many mixed signals. I’ve had some amazing “heart to heart” talks with women about “attractiveness”, “arousal”, “glamour” and what a pack of arseholes men are for putting them under so much pressure.
Caring about one’s appearance is one thing, obsessing over it’s another. Here in Australia a survey has shown that only 1% of women think of themselves as beautiful. It’s tragedy that such superficial concerns oppress half the population.
I do appreciate your efforts to correct what you perceive as a slight against women.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Cool. Ill try and write a bit more tomorrow but in the meantime, why is gender such a dirty word? People are people, equality is a virtue that society should acheive. But men and women are very different creatures, and thats a beautiful thing.
Another thought, we have 20 years between us and I live in New York City. The feminist movement has changed a lot also and you can see some of that in the difference between what these two blokes on the internet are writing.
Basically, a lot of my girlfriends would want to kick the shit out of you
In their high heels.
Interesting discussion.
June 4th, 2008 at 12:59 am
You’re right about people are people and equality is a virtue men and women are very different creatures, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Gender isn’t a dirty word, I just wish people would be people first rather that just transportation systems for their genitalia. On the same line of thought, I find guys that are macho are just as brainless as some painted up female victims of fashion. Why do some people have to act out such amplified stereotypes?
“Another thought, we have 20 years between us and I live in New York City.”
True there is an age difference and I would posit that I’ve had quite a bit of time to make myself familiar with what feminists have to say and think about it as I compare my experience in the real world to it. As for living in NY city, you have my sympathies. You’re not trying to suggest that you live in the centre of the world are you? What has NYC got to do with the price of tea in China anyway?
“The feminist movement has changed a lot also and you can see some of that in the difference between what these two blokes on the internet are writing.”
Oh puh-leeeease! Don’t tell me that you’re the great arbiter and interpreter of feminist thought.
“Basically, a lot of my girlfriends would want to kick the shit out of you In their high heels.”
Of course they’d be pissed off at me because I’m not prepared to kowtow to their delusions. I’m happy to leave cultivating their friendship to you.
To your friends, I’ve got this to say. “Go and scrub that muck off and put some shoes on that won’t end up crippling you. Try being just yourselves for a while. I think you’ll find it interesting how it affects your relationships”.
Oh and one more thing,
Stop watching “Sex in the City’, it’s poison.
June 4th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I hate that show.
1. the remark about the progression of feminism is just that 20 years ago, the feminist movement was right in tune with you. That wearing makeup, being overtly feminine in dress etc, these were a concession to the male defined universe.
More contemporary thought has taken that power back, so if a women chooses to wear high heels, wear makeup she is not a traitor to the cause or delusional.
Thats academic, Im just saying how that school of thought has expanded. That doesnt make me the arbiter or interpreter???? Just because I pay attention to these things?
I essentially grew up in this modern age, 2 generations behind you, where your thinking was considered an old school of thought. In 20 years, what I learnt as contemporary will have evolved and what I learned will be old school.
There will be nothing stopping me to educate myself on new approaches and thinking.
The raising of New York City merely points out that my experience is different from yours. I live in a city where there are a lot more of the women I talked about. Women who are free to define themselves and not cowtow to a middle aged man telling them they are delusional and how they should live their lives.
Some women here choose to become very masculine, their feminism is to act like men, especially in the corporate world. in order to acheive equality, they think that they have to be as ruthless and handle power in the same way as their male contemporaries. That’s fine, their choice not mine.
You are shallow and archaic in that you prescribe how another person should live their lives. In that you give precisely nothing of worth to the world. The true gift one can give as one individual to another is support and encouragement that they can be their selves and that is entirely within their control to create.
You state that that is your aim, for women to be themselves, but you prescribe how they should do that. Thats a contradiction. You have precisely nothing to offer them. Your thought is the basis of how the Muslim worlds treatment of women evolved. Men prescribing how women should be. It begins and ends there. You are just as bad as the men who want women to be whores.
I only imagine New York because I have a lot more exposure to different women living different lives here than someone living in a less eclectic town in Australia or elsewhere in America. Most of the women I know are professionals, have careers, are succesful… so thats the woman I talk to. They are happy! They are not delusional! They are living their lives how they want.
Also a woman can be sexual without being a life support system for their genitalia. For you obviously, arousal is a bad thing maybe even an unfamiliar sensation. That would explain a fear of a women in control of and at ease with her sexuality.
I personally cant stand sex and the city. Its not remotely my experience of NYC. i have girlfriends who find that show very empowering however, Im not going to deny them that. Good for them. I am not saying NY is better or the centre of the world, I am saying its an astonishing cultural melting pot. Its also a place that gives permission and encouragement for people to define themselves, like no where else I have been.
Maybe I would think differently if all the women I knew were married and raising a family. Well no I wouldnt, because I dont presume to have any credibility or authority to tell those women how to live their lives. The same applies to them, what ever empowers them, makes them happy, at ease with themselves, is how they could live their lives. They are happy!
Alas you have a very black and white view of the world and if a woman does not fit into your cookie cutter view of what a woman should be, she is at best delusional and at worse a life support system for their cunt.
In conclusion you’re well meaning fascist who cant get a hard on anymore!
June 4th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
“More contemporary thought has taken that power back, so if a women chooses to wear high heels, wear makeup she is not a traitor to the cause or delusional”
My question is this: Why do so-called intelligent women feel the need to over-state their gender? I ask this question for the same I reason that I’d like to ask Michael Jackson why he has done what he has, to his face and skin.
“2 generations behind you”
Silly me, and here’s me thinking that a generation was about 25 years.
“You are shallow and archaic in that you prescribe how another person should live their lives”
You’re getting yourself worked up into rather a lather aren’t you? You’re starting to sound petulant and shrill. Take a deep breath and think about your happy place.
The old “I’m O.K., you’re O.K.” social contract doesn’t rub with me. I prefer, “I’m not perfect and niether are you”. I think that you’re just worried that if you don’t defend other people’s delusional behaviour, the role you’ve chosen to play might be open to criticism.
“Your thought is the basis of how the Muslim worlds treatment of women evolved”
Look who’s generalizing (in a culturist manner as well!) now.
I think you’ll find that the west’s stereotypical idea of the Muslim world has more to do with some Saudi cultural practices, than what Muslim’s in the rest of the world (you know, that place outside of NYC) actually believe and practice.
I point you to Wilfred Thesiger’s “Arabian Sands” to give you an idea of how varied Muslim’s in the gulf region’s (never mind the rest of the world) attitudes are to women. You might also benefit from checking this Muslim woman’s blog:
http://uniquemuslimah.wordpress.com/
I think you’ll also find that Muslims in many parts of the middle east are still using kohl and henna (which originated in that area) as cosmetics and medicines.
“I only imagine New York because I have a lot more exposure to different women living different lives here than someone living in a less eclectic town in Australia or elsewhere in America”
You’re really are off with the pixies aren’t you? What’s next? Are you going to wrap yourself in your flag and start singing “Amerika über alles”? You need to get out of town and experience a little more of the world. If you’ve already done a little travel, get out and do some more for a longer time.
“Also a woman can be sexual without being a life support system for their genitalia.”
That’s so obvious that it goes without saying.
“For you obviously, arousal is a bad thing maybe even an unfamiliar sensation. That would explain a fear of a women in control of and at ease with her sexuality.”
Now you’re really loosing any credibility you had. Interesting that you’re trying to attack and provoke me. Again your comment tells me more about your head space than what I was talking about. A woman at ease with her sexuality doesn’t feel then need to over-express it with heaps of make up and high heels.
“In conclusion you’re well meaning fascist who cant get a hard on anymore!”
This is very revealing and I’ve learnt so much from it…….
about you.
Do you realize that every time you try and insult me you are pointing directly to your own fears and failings?
Get a grip and do some thinking for yourself instead of regurgitating pop thought. Keep in mind that all thought is like a pendulum in that it swings back and forth between extremes until it finds it’s centre. If you see yourself as a non-fascist you might want let go of your own dictatorialness and desire of conformity of thought in others.
Since I’ve spent so much time already on this subject and life is too short, it will be that last time, I’ll be responding to your comments.
Clunk
June 4th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Regarding some extreme fundamentalists nation’s treatment of women, I was being lazy and didnt make it more specific. I could have used the Taliban as an extreme example although what is often seen as okay because its “a different culture” is still an oppression of women. My point being is there are acorns planted a long the way, that reinforced those traditions, made men cling to them and resist change. Its a very extreme example to be sure.
Im arguing a nuance, those couple of opinions (and its only a couple) that I originally responded to are very inflammatory.
Which is fine if you hadnt just spent a wall of text decrying a society that tells a woman what to do.
I dont like the pendulum swinging analogy, I think thats bullshit. People fear complexity, I am not telling you to agree with me, Im just pointing out where there might be a use of language which was startling to me. You seem to be very smart, so I am always surprised when very smart people take an extreme subjective opinion. But thats what the internet is for I guess.
Extremes bore me, they are the refuge for the lazy and the afraid. More than that, they are dangerous.
I am an “I’m okay, youre okay” thinker then I guess. I believe in self determination. I couldnt give a shit if how I live is open to criticsm.
For me the thing that is not okay is when people restrict other people’s right to be themselves. Racism, sexism, imposition of ethical structures, classism. All that kind of thing.
When logic and reason gets thrown out of the window and humanity is pissed on.
In this case, my argument was that YOU CANNOT ASSUME THEIR BEHAVIOUR IS DELUSIONAL. To do so on such a black and white, massive brush stroke just riles me as it came out of the mouth (fingers) of someone who is clearly smart.
Oh and by generations, you can call a generation 25 years if you want, thats probably what they did in the olden days. Since then it has been rolling over every 10-15 years. I am referring to its definition as a fluid concept. I said 2 because if I look at the difference between you and me, I can see 2 generations of people. If I look at a 22 year old, its starting to seem so far away, that they are already a generation away from me easily. Things get faster and faster in our information age.
Oh Im an Englishmen living in New York, I have travelled to pretty much every corner of the world and will continue to do so. Theres no city or town in the world that is as diverse and eclectic as this city. I am not saying its better, its just unique.
“A woman at ease with her sexuality doesn’t feel then need to over-express it with heaps of make up and high heels”
I am merely suggesting that there is nuance in this that makes saying such black and white things about what kind of expression of sexuality a woman chooses to make archaic. Im not saying intelligent women feel the need to overstate their gender, Im saying some choose to do those things that you call overstating their gender. So you can judge them but it doesnt mean youre right. But thats fine, Ill leave it alone.
i apologise for attacking and provoking you, I put them in at the end to spice it up.
For my penultimate thought,
I am not perfect, well if you can say Jesus isnt perfect then I guess you could say Im not perfect.
Look, Im not saying Im not Jesus, I leave that for you to decide child.
And for my final thought,
If so much as one of my ho’s reads your blogs and comes to me talking shit about how she dont want to wear make up, she dont want to wear the crotchless panties, that sort of shit. If that happens, Im going to have to slap a bitch. When I pistol whip one of my bitches, its punishment for her but its also a warning to the other ho’s. Daddy’s going to take care of you, you just leave the thinking to daddy. YOu gots to keep them humble son.
So then Im down a ho. I have hoes -1. I am one under-hoed. So I gots to find me another ho.
So you better be finding me a replacement ho if that shit goes down or else you and I are going to start having a problem. And I dont want that between us. You my boy. You say some crazy shit sometimes but I like you. We go way back, dont think that doesnt mean something to me. Sure I remember when we used to ride together down the block, I used to come over to your house for cookouts and shit. Shit nigga, I was the first motherfucker who got you high when you was 9! Oh shit son! Remember that! We got fuuuuucckkkkkkkkkeeeddd up! 420 for real son. Damn.
But this shit is business, it aint personal, so if you fuck with my business, you going to feel some corporate actions all over your ass if you dig.
i-iight peace son, Im out, I think my girls need some incentivising. Dont forget, if you ask me, Ill forgive all your sins. Thats my steez son, thats what I went throuh all that being nailed to a cross shit for back in the day. dont let that shit go to waste!
POICE
June 4th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Oh sorry I was chanelling Jesus Pimp for a moment. Shit. Mia culpa.
I apologise for the personal barbs, they were dumb. Youre clearly a good and smart guy and I enjoy your blogs. Sorry I got a bit faecetious. And that NY shit wasnt meant to be patronising or self righteous. That aint my steez son.
POICE
June 11th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Now I know why so many couturiers are gay. They’re the only ones you could trust around naked nubiles!
June 8th, 2010 at 5:04 am
this guy stiggers seems incredibly unstable…
as a female adding to this very old discussion tucked back here in the recesses of the internet, I’d like to say I appreciate what Mr. Razz has said.
To put a woman’s voice into the argument, I’ll make my testimony. After years of insecurities and struggles with those shortcomings that are made so blatantly apparent by women’s media, I can say that I am finally in close proximity to peace with myself, the way i look, and my sexuality. I dress for the occasion. and I do not read a word of women’s magazines. they are poison.
I find that Mr. Razz’s points are sound. Any of my friends that dress overly sexual and primp incessantly are not asserting their femininity they are asserting their insecurities and in short “need to be wanted.” Sure some women come out the other side and just truly enjoy the art of make-up, fashion, and aesthetics, but those into it purely for the art are rare. i know a handfull, but they are rare.
June 9th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Swiss
Thanks for dropping by and leaving the supportive words. The whole issue seems to confuse so many of us. The fact that there are huge cosmetic and advertising companies out there who spend a fortune to undermine people’s self image and self worth, further muddies the water.
Another issue I have, is that so many people don’t think for themselves. I’m not just talking about the people who get caught up in the fashion thing, but also those people who automatically follow the latest thoughts in any debate as though they are the “truth”, without really thinking them through.