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Does anyone agree that Cosmopolitan is offensive?

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135

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    #62
    embee
    Registered Users Posts: 2,890 ✭✭✭embee


    I buy it whenever there's a nice free bag, sunnies or pair of flipflops \o/


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    #63
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    SW81 wrote: »
    Ah I get it the odd time when I have a 3 hour train journey back home ahead of me, don't see the big deal :rolleyes:
    Maybe that's part of the problem though - apathy. Not just on your part but on that of other posters here. Maybe it should be seen as more of a big deal. Cosmopolitan says to me: "We think females are stupid so let's reinforce that with our content."


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    #64
    SW81
    Closed Accounts Posts: 508 ✭✭✭SW81


    So I have a 3 hour journey ahead of me Friday evening, my head is wrecked all week from paper work and I want to chill out and read something "stupid", who are you to judge me for doing that?


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    #65
    pretty*monster
    Registered Users Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭pretty*monster


    Dudess wrote: »
    "We think females are stupid so let's reinforce that with our content."

    To be fair, some women are stupid, don't they have a right to a magazine that caters to them?

    The only magazine I ever buy is Time, but I don't expect it's everybody's cup of tea.


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    #66
    LivingDeadGirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,150 ✭✭✭LivingDeadGirl


    Dudess wrote: »
    Maybe that's part of the problem though - apathy. Not just on your part but on that of other posters here. Maybe it should be seen as more of a big deal. Cosmopolitan says to me: "We think females are stupid so let's reinforce that with our content."

    How is it a problem if the message isn't being taken to heart?


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    #67
    Dudess
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37,214 ✭✭✭✭Dudess


    It's not being taken to heart by everyone thankfully, but it is by some. Course it is - just look and listen around you!


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    #68
    Pyr0
    Registered Users Posts: 5,967 ✭✭✭Pyr0


    Some people just like that kind of stuff really ! There is no point moaning about it. It's one of those things that won't go away in the future.

    Different strokes etc etc !


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    #69
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    Pyr0 wrote: »
    Some people just like that kind of stuff really ! There is no point moaning about it. It's one of those things that won't go away in the future.

    Different strokes etc etc !


    Some people like to beat their kids too. That won't go away in the future either more than likely but it's still worth complaining about.

    Perhaps the two are not comparable but the idea is the same. If we all just lie back and accept things then nothing will ever change. Dudess reckons these magazines are a bad influence. I'd be inclined to agree to a certain extent and creating the awareness is step one towards people taking your point seriously.


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    #70
    metaoblivia
    Registered Users Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭metaoblivia


    LadyJ wrote: »
    Some people like to beat their kids too. That won't go away in the future either more than likely but it's still worth complaining about.

    Perhaps the two are not comparable but the idea is the same. If we all just lie back and accept things then nothing will ever change. Dudess reckons these magazines are a bad influence. I'd be inclined to agree to a certain extent and creating the awareness is step one towards people taking your point seriously.

    No, they're not comparable. Reading Cosmo and taking it seriously only 'hurts' the person who chooses to read it. I think romance novels are crap, but it's not my place to tell someone to stop reading them, or go on a crusade against the genre. You can't control the way other people live their lives, you can only control what you do with yours and hope to influence others through example. And getting judgmental only pushes people away.


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    #71
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    metaoblivia wrote: »
    No, they're not comparable. Reading Cosmo and taking it seriously only 'hurts' the person who chooses to read it. I think romance novels are crap, but it's not my place to tell someone to stop reading them, or go on a crusade against the genre.
    I don't think anyone has actually told people to stop reading Cosmo. It's just be observed that reading this kind of magazine could lead to negative results.

    Tbh, people who take drugs aren't hurting me but I'd still support a campaign to help people quit.
    You can't control the way other people live their lives, you can only control what you do with yours and hope to influence others through example. And getting judgmental only pushes people away.


    Of course but if no one stood up and said that x, y and z were bad for you then nothing would ever change in the world. Wake up calls can be a good thing.


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    #72
    g'em
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭g'em


    LadyJ, have you just equated child abuse and drug-taking to reading Cosmo?


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    #73
    metaoblivia
    Registered Users Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭metaoblivia


    LadyJ wrote: »
    I don't think anyone has actually told people to stop reading Cosmo. It's just be observed that reading this kind of magazine could lead to negative results.

    In your opinion. Which isn't necessarily shared by everyone.
    LadyJ wrote: »
    Tbh, people who take drugs aren't hurting me but I'd still support a campaign to help people quit.

    Drugs are proven to hurt people. Women's magazines aren't. Again, it's only your opinion


    LadyJ wrote: »
    Of course but if no one stood up and said that x, y and z were bad for you then nothing would ever change in the world. Wake up calls can be a good thing.

    And who decides what is bad for someone? Who's place is it to give a wake up call regarding someone's reading preferences? Should I stop my subscription to International Gymnast because 99% of the people here would find that magazine less useful than even Cosmo?


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    #74
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    g'em wrote: »
    LadyJ, have you just equated child abuse and drug-taking to reading Cosmo?

    No I haven't.

    I used the example to illustrate the idea of how ignoring things can be detrimental. What I'm trying to say is that Cosmo, imo, is a bad influence. If no one ever stands up to say so then no one will ever think twice about it.


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    #75
    g'em
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭g'em


    Ah right. Well I've thought twice and I think it's about as bad as a mildly stale piece of bread.

    Dudess - dental floss knickers are soooo 2005 :p


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    #76
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    metaoblivia wrote: »
    In your opinion. Which isn't necessarily shared by everyone.

    Of course it's my opinion. I'm not saying it's shared by anyone. I was merely explaining to you that the idea has been put forward rather than anyone telling people to stop.


    Drugs are proven to hurt people. Women's magazines aren't. Again, it's only your opinion

    No but then again no one's ever done a study on it so this thread could be the first step. As I said before, awareness has to first be created.




    And who decides what is bad for someone? Who's place is it to give a wake up call regarding someone's reading preferences? Should I stop my subscription to International Gymnast because 99% of the people here would find that magazine less useful than even Cosmo?

    My point is only that I believe these magazines are potentially harmful. I am not telling people not to read them, I'm simply saying that some people are clearly of the same opinion so there's obviously something to the argument. Again, I have no solid evidence that Cosmo is bad for people but perhaps if enough fuss is made about something then someone somewhere might look into it and consider the possibility.


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    #77
    Karen_*
    Registered Users Posts: 1,610 ✭✭✭Karen_*


    maple wrote: »
    Don't read it. Don't buy any of those girly magazines, lots of superficial content about bagging a man, getting rid of a man, holding on to your man, keeping your man happy, how to eat chocolate and never gain an ounce, wrap yourself in clingfilm every night to ensure peach smooth skin so as not to lose your man. Blah blah blah.

    They're crap. And out of 200 pages of trivial bs, there'll be one "serious" article about the dangers of plastic surgery or something like that.

    IF i do buy a magazine, its one of those Chat/Take a break ones. They're fascinating. There's a whole other life form of mad people out there, its like Jerry Springer in print. They reassure me that i'm not actually that mental.


    Take a break is my fave:D


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    #78
    metaoblivia
    Registered Users Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭metaoblivia


    In that case, I've thought about and while it's not my cup of tea, I don't see the harm in someone choosing to read Cosmo. So in that regard, we shall have to respectfully agree to disagree.


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    #79
    g'em
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭g'em


    LadyJ wrote: »
    My point is only that I believe these magazines are potentially harmful. I am not telling people not to read them, I'm simply saying that some people are clearly of the same opinion so there's obviously something to the argument. Again, I have no solid evidence that Cosmo is bad for people but perhaps if enough fuss is made about something then someone somewhere might look into it and consider the possibility.
    Actually there's a whole host of studies that have been done and continue to be done about the portrayal of women in the media. As with any broad topic of research there are studies to show virtually every arguable point - some say that the more a teen is exposed to sex the more likely they are to begin having intercourse earlier. Others say that various media sources provide sex ed that teens are lacking in school and at home.

    Women are highly sexualised in movies, on tv and even in videogames. Stereotypes are passed off as the norm everywhere we turn. Questioning that is, of course, healthy and some sections of the media are working on improving it. But censoring it? Thanks, but we live in enough of a nanny state as it is.


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    #80
    metaoblivia
    Registered Users Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭metaoblivia


    g'em wrote: »
    Questioning that is, of course, healthy and some sections of the media are working on improving it. But censoring it? Thanks, but we live in enough of a nanny state as it is.

    Agreed :)


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    #81
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,460 ✭✭✭✭fits


    g'em wrote: »
    Thanks, but we live in enough of a nanny state as it is.

    I agree. The only reason Cosmopolitan exists is because people are willing to pay money for it. Criticising the publication doesnt really get to the core of the problem, which is, why do women buy these magazines in the first place?

    Cosmopolitan doesnt offend me, it just doesnt interest me.


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    #82
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    g'em wrote: »
    Actually there's a whole host of studies that have been done and continue to be done about the portrayal of women in the media. As with any broad topic of research there are studies to show virtually every arguable point - some say that the more a teen is exposed to sex the more likely they are to begin having intercourse earlier. Others say that various media sources provide sex ed that teens are lacking in school and at home.

    Women are highly sexualised in movies, on tv and even in videogames. Stereotypes are passed off as the norm everywhere we turn. Questioning that is, of course, healthy and some sections of the media are working on improving it. But censoring it? Thanks, but we live in enough of a nanny state as it is.

    I have to say that I'm not a fan of the idea of censorship either. As I said earlier, Cosmo sells because girls and women want to read that kind of thing. But I guess it just depresses me that this is the case.

    People are entitled to read whatever the hell they like but it would be nice if we could all grow up without the idea that our lives should revolve around men. Cosmo fuels that idea, imo, but I suppose ultimately it is not the root of it.

    Mainly I'd just prefer if my daughter (should I ever have one) chose not to read it because I honestly think it would do her more harm than good. However, as has been stated, that is only my opinion. I can't say that it is necessarily true.


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    #83
    g'em
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,819 ✭✭✭✭g'em


    LadyJ wrote: »
    As I said earlier, Cosmo sells because girls and women want to read that kind of thing. But I guess it just depresses me that this is the case.
    The overwhelming opinion of all the women on this thread who do read these mags is that they read them as light-hearted entertainment. Why not have faith in your fellow women-kind and trust that the majority of other women out there who haven't got the joy of boards.ie read it for the same reason?

    I really truly don't believe that there are that many women out there who run their lives according to the "gospel" that is Cosmo. And those who do? Well like I said before, they'll be impressed upon by anything and everyone but whatcha gonna do - hide them all in big bubbles for their adult lives??


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    #84
    Crumble Froo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭Crumble Froo


    hey, dudess, if you ever get round to actually getting cosmo banned... could you throw sex and the city in there too please? was too tired to get off the couch last night and ended up watching it for a bit, and it's really just cosmo in drama format.


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    #85
    cacio
    Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭cacio


    I buy cosmo every month. I also buy Glamour, Look, Elle and Company.
    I don't drink a whole lot, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I prefer to spend my money on magazines and clothes. I don't see the harm in this. I certainly dont take them seriously, but I love looking at the fashion section. I get ideas on what's around without leaving the house and I often get discounts for stores online and in town.
    My boyfriend gives out because he thinks they're a waste of money. But he sees no problem in spending €7 on cigarettes everyday. What one person enjoys, another person has no interest in. It's a magazine and should only be viewed the same way as a tv programme, film or an internet site.
    This site can be viewed the same way as magazines.
    It's harmless and I don't think there's a need for this thread.


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    #86
    Crumble Froo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭Crumble Froo


    cacio wrote: »
    It's harmless and I don't think there's a need for this thread.

    well, as the OP obviously thinks there is a need for the thread, and you think it's harmless, then this thread has obviously stirred some conversation, and given people on both sides of the fence a chance to air their views, and to see the views of the other side.


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    #87
    Orlee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,274 ✭✭✭Orlee


    xzanti wrote: »
    Sure there's nothing in it, it's just all ads :confused:

    That's true - every second page is an ad for something utterly useless


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    #88
    cacio
    Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭cacio


    Crumble Froo wrote: »
    well, as the OP obviously thinks there is a need for the thread, and you think it's harmless, then this thread has obviously stirred some conversation, and given people on both sides of the fence a chance to air their views, and to see the views of the other side.

    I apologise. I should have clearly stated what I meant. The thread is fine but I don't think there's a need to have the magazine banned or even compared to taking drugs. I simply cannot see how a magazine will influence or harm a person. If they are influenced by it then they would probably be influenced by anything and magazines like this would be blamed first.
    As people said before, it's a lighthearted read and the people who buy it are certainly not all dumb or obsessed with every word in it. I am not the smartest person but I would not consider myself stupid for buying cosmo. I can distinguish light-hearted reading to facts and I don't occupy myself with trying to fit into the editors standard. (even though it's probably not the editors standard - they just know what sells.)

    OP - You obviously dislike this magazine and that's fine. But I can't see your point and you probably can't see mine. I don't mean to imply you're silly for starting this thread so I apologise if that's how it comes accross.


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    #89
    LadyJ
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,122 ✭✭✭LadyJ


    cacio wrote: »
    The thread is fine but I don't think there's a need to have the magazine banned or even compared to taking drugs.

    I seriously didn't mean to imply that reading Cosmo was equal to taking drugs. I was really just trying to highlight the idea that some people here believe Cosmo is a bad influence and when people believe that something is such then the way to highlight it is to start a debate and bring it to people's attention.

    Drugs was only an example to highlight the point.


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    #90
    LuckyStar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 510 ✭✭✭LuckyStar


    I agree with you all- Cosmo is very expensive and full of ads and "How to give your boyfriend a great blow job so you can keep him" type articles.

    I mean look at this photo gallery- it includes tips on how to dress so that he looks at your boobs/ass/legs! The "advice" beside the photo of Sarah Jessica Parker includes "play on the cute factor so he'll be putty in your hands"!!!

    http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/index.php/base/editorialgallery/?aid=63553&pic=4

    I enjoy Glamour, it's not so bad.

    Company is OK.

    More is just toilet paper with photos of Essex girls printed on it. Honestly, it's terrible.

    New Woman used to be good but now they are trying to be all controversial. Sections like "Eco Slut" and "Travel Porn". I stopped buying it full stop after something they said about Owen Wilson. I think the article was about celebrity men who aren't that attractive but that lots of women fancy. Under Owen Wilson's photo they had something like "Cute, but you couldn't leave him alone with your razor blades". I was absolutely disgusted.


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    #91
    ali.c
    Registered Users Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭ali.c


    I was thinking about this some more, and honestly meh its not something i would choose to read but then who i am to judge. In all honestly I think the playboy stationary aimed at young girls is far more offensive to my sensibilities.


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