Does anyone agree that Cosmopolitan is offensive?

ntlbell

g'em wrote: »

I buy Women's magazines and so do other girls on this thread. So according to you we're either morons or in denial?

regardless of what magazine you buy, if you pay and put people in jobs who talk at/treat women like morons I can't think of a better word for you.

If you want to take that as been sh!tted on.

be sh!tted.

g'em

ntlbell wrote: »

regardless of what magazine you buy, if you pay and put people in jobs who talk at/treat women like morons I can't think of a better word for you.

If you want to take that as been sh!tted on.

be sh!tted.

And if you resort to calling women names to put your point across, what does that make you?

ntlbell

g'em wrote: »

And if you resort to calling women names to put your point across, what does that make you?

I know what i am, but what are you? :rolleyes:

Please.

I think we can see why people shouldn't read these mags.

That is all.

Dragan

ntlbell wrote: »

regardless of what magazine you buy, if you pay and put people in jobs who talk at/treat women like morons I can't think of a better word for you.

If you want to take that as been sh!tted on.

be sh!tted.

Why? Many of the people who work for Cosmo are......would you believe....women.

So what if they portray or, heaven forefend, even BELIEVE in a different goal, or target or tangent for womankind to take and model themselves on.

Becuase it varies from yours they MUST be MORONS!

But, according to you, anyone who even looks to these magazines for some light relief is a moron. I imagine i am also a moron simply for disagreeing with you....right?

Go on, you can call me a moron. This is only the internet so manners can go completely out the window.

Do it, do it, do it! You know you want to. Most likely because you lack anything to add other than "Nope, people who read it are MORONS because i said so."

ntlbell

Dragan wrote: »

Why? Many of the people who work for Cosmo are......would you believe....women.

So what if they portray or, heaven forefend, even BELIEVE in a different goal, or target or tangent for womankind to take and model themselves on.

Becuase it varies from yours they MUST be MORONS!

But, according to you, anyone who even looks to these magazines for some light relief is a moron. I imagine i am also a moron simply for disagreeing with you....right?

Go on, you can call me a moron. This is only the internet so manners can go completely out the window.

Do it, do it, do it! You know you want to. Most likely because you lack anything to add other than "Nope, people who read it are MORONS because i said so."

Another one.

This is really simple, it's all ready explained above and you might of missed it because i didn't use WOMANS OWN font, but trust me it's there.

Have another read.

Dragan

ntlbell wrote: »

Another one.

This is really simple, it's all ready explained above and you might of missed it because i didn't use WOMANS OWN font, but trust me it's there.

Have another read.

You know, for someone who doesn't like being spoken to, or treated like or even to read words that might imply you are a moron.........your really do like talking to other people that way.

Also.....i am a male. You know, one of those things with a penis? WOMAN'S OWN font would have been total gibberish to me.

And i know exactly what your saying......what your saying is that you are defending your right to read what you choose while telling other people to read what you say.

Yeah, thats about what i took away from your posting in this thread.

ntlbell

Dragan wrote: »

You know, for someone who doesn't like being spoken to, or treated like or even to read words that might imply you are a moron.........your really do like talking to other people that way.

Also.....i am a male. You know, one of those things with a penis? WOMAN'S OWN font would have been total gibberish to me.

And i know exactly what your saying......what your saying is that you are defending your right to read what you choose while telling other people to read what you say.

Yeah, thats about what i took away from your posting in this thread.

Let me try break it down.

I chose forms of media that give me the information *I* need and give it to me in a way that they assume I have some sort of mind of my own/intelligence.

Now, for me and everyone *I* know not to be treated like a moron is very important and they most definitely don't want to have to pay for it again, their choice, maybe they're a bit mad I'm not sure.

So as a man I won't even attempt to dictate what a woman should read or feel after reading it, but man or woman who wants to be spoken to like a moron I can't put any other name to it than moron.

I hope this clears it up for you.

I can write in much smaller words and draw pictures or relate it to the latest footballers affair with a tango'd 15yr old from north london with fake boobs.

Whatever helps!

Dragan

ntlbell wrote: »

So as a man I won't even attempt to dictate what a woman should read or feel after reading it, but man or woman who wants to be spoken to like a moron I can't put any other name to it than moron.

Hang on.....hang on.......I almost got it....no, wait. Still makes no sense to me.

Why are you making the assumption that the people who are reading Cosmo and want to read it WANT to be treated like moron's?

Maybe the don't see that they are moron's. Maybe the don't know that they are moron's......maybe, in the face of your evidence, they are NOT actually moron's?

That simple little element of the bigger picture appears to be escaping you entirely dude. YOU have made the decision that anyone who reads Cosmo is a moron and apparently they choose to be treated like so.

If you choose to use this as an absolute in your reality then by all means, go ahead and do so, but do not expect everyone else to bandwagon jump and start making completely arbitrary decsisions about people based on what they read.

It's just......well......moronic.

g'em

ntlbell wrote: »

So as a man I won't even attempt to dictate what a woman should read or feel after reading it, but man or woman who wants to be spoken to like a moron I can't put any other name to it than moron.

rofl. You won't tell a woman what to read, you'll just tell her she's a moron for reading it?

ntlbell

g'em wrote: »

rofl. You won't tell a woman what to read, you'll just tell her she's a moron for reading it?

ok your both in fitness and both read these mags.....your not helping here..


let me see if this will bounce

"but man or woman who wants to be spoken to like a moron I can't put any other name to it than moron"

magazine or no magazine, if you want to be spoken to like a moron AND pay for the pleasure you are a moron, see no mention of reading or mags.

try it one more time.

ntlbell

Dragan wrote: »

Why are you making the assumption that the people who are reading Cosmo and want to read it WANT to be treated like moron's?



If you choose to use this as an absolute in your reality then by all means, go ahead and do so, but do not expect everyone else to bandwagon jump and start making completely arbitrary decsisions about people based on what they read.

It's just......well......moronic.

The mag does nothing else but treat the reader like a moron, if the reader cannot see this maybe there's bigger issues than first thought.

I don't want anyone to change what they read it makes very little difference to me, the reason i came to thread in the first place was I was very surprised that dudess had to even ask the question.

Now can the fitness jocks leave me to my train spotting manual.

please.

Bullies.

Dragan

ntlbell wrote: »

The mag does nothing else but treat the reader like a moron, if the reader cannot see this maybe there's bigger issues than first thought.

So does the Bible....in my opinion. Does that give me the right to walk into a church and scream at people that they are morons?

Nope, it allows me to doubt the bible, maybe throw a question mark over those who accept the whole thing at face value and thats about it.

Personally, i don't think your that bad a guy that you think all people who read Cosmo and such related mags are moron's.....i think the net just made you forget your manners for a bit is all.

Also, your still basing your insulting a few million women off what is, in effect, your own opinion as opposed to fact. I have yet to see you post anything to contradict me on this?

And, lastly, i don't really read Cosmo....i flick through it in friends houses when using the facilities.

( Yeah, that's you G! )

g'em

ntlbell wrote: »

ok your both in fitness and both read these mags.....your not helping here..

I would just love you to expand on this.

ntlbell

Dragan wrote: »

So does the Bible....in my opinion. Does that give me the right to walk into a church and scream at people that they are morons?

Nope, it allows me to doubt the bible, maybe throw a question mark over those who accept the whole thing at face value and thats about it.

Personally, i don't think your that bad a guy that you think all people who read Cosmo and such related mags are moron's.....i think the net just made you forget your manners for a bit is all.

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere sweetheart.:o

ntlbell

g'em wrote: »

I would just love you to expand on this.

I bet you would.

I'm not that brave gem tbh

Dragan

ntlbell wrote: »

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere sweetheart.:o

Well, you've already proven what i was secretly thinking so thats all good.

But i can't tell you want that was.

Else it wouldn't be a secret.

ali.c

ntlbell wrote: »

This doesn't seem to be going anywhere sweetheart.:o

ROFL with the patronising tone!

anyhow lets leave the aside the people thrashing and calm the hell down.

Just an analogy according to a some people I am sure I have moronic taste in a few things (cept i dont read these magazines) this doesnt define me as a person.

People who read this magazines as this thread shows treat them as light entertainment so what's it to you. If they choose to spend what 2/3 hours a week/month reading one its hardly the vast quanity of their time.

From what position to you sit so highly and judge other people based on such a very small part of what they do.

Silverfish

ntlbell wrote: »

regardless of what magazine you buy, if you pay and put people in jobs who talk at/treat women like morons I can't think of a better word for you.

If you want to take that as been sh!tted on.

be sh!tted.

Don't call people morons. 1 week on the naughty step.

LuckyStar

Ah lads stop arguing or I'll write into the Cosmo agony aunt for advice about dealing with conflict on an online forum!!!!!

Despite my earlier post I actually buy loads of these magazines every week. I avoid Heat (the 3 page photo spread of Will Young dropping a tenner-wow, big news- just put me off for life), and Now is way too bitchy- but I will buy Company, Glamour, Cosmo, (and sometimes More for the novelty of having multi coloured glossy toilet paper). I love a bit of light reading, I know they're nothing but fluff but I don't care. I read enough serious books with difficult concepts when I was studying for my degree (Biology), I often spent hours working away on assignments, figuring out what this means and learning off all 24 steps of that process. Also I spent a lot of money on books/library fines so only ever had about 20 euro to spare every week, which invariably went on drink! So now I am finished college and earning decent money I really appreciate being able to still spend a good bit of money on what I read, but this time it's stuff I can just flick through while watching telly!

I do buy other magazines aswell though, I like Practical Fishkeeping and Your Horse, I enjoy the odd flick through Car Buyer's Guide aswell.

StinkerbelleSix

I read all the magazines, and I don't find Cosmo offensive just grossly irrelevant for 2008. Yes, I know I'm allowed have sex. Stop ramming it down my throat Cosmo! (No pun intended ....tee hee) There IS more to life:rolleyes:

Blush_01

I started to read this thread with the opinion that whatever you want to read is up to you, and to be fair if someone reads a magazine, at least they're reading something. Shockingly, there are people out there who never read if they can get away with it. Talk about mentally stunting.

I might have bought Cosmo in the past, I genuinely can't remember. I know I've bought Glamour a few time, because it's small and handy for planes, but I couldn't tell you what other magazines I might have read. I don't think that much about them. I don't consider them condescending, I don't think the advice they give applies to me - I have this funny detachment from the whole thing, like a previous poster. I genuinely don't think of these magazines as applicable to my life. These days books are so inexpensive that I'd prefer to buy a fluffy chick lit novel for the same price as the magazine if I need a brain break - but that's my prerogative. I don't look down on the people who do read those magazines, because it doesn't register as an issue with me.

As a teenager, I used to read Sugar. My older cousin Deirdre used to bring over a few months worth at a time. We weren't technically permitted to read them, my mother thought they were trash. But funnily enough I've got to the age of 23 without having three kids, or an STI, or being stabbed by my best friend's boyfriend's gang... I can't figure out where I went wrong! Moral of the digression - just because the magazines out there can be considered condescending patronising rags by some people doesn't mean that they have to be taken as such. I'm a bit strange in that I don't see condescention in things other people find offensive. I can acknowledge sh!tness, but most of the time it's so blatantly obvious that I gloss over it. It's not worth the mental hassle to assess the quality of writing in magazines bought regardless of literary content. At the end of the day the magazines in question are bought by people who want to buy them. I've NEVER gone into a newsagents and had someone hold a gun to my head, forcing me to drop the Reader's Digest or Sudoku puzzle book and pick up Marie Claire. If these random ambushs are happening around the country, I say we should take a stand against the media vigilante groups who're perpetrating such violent crimes against the defenseless public. Maybe we could arrange to shop for our light reading in groups, there being strength in numbers and all.

My good friend Zoolander once said "Words can only hurt you if you read them. Don't play their game!" I have to say I agree with him. IF you find these rags (oops, sorry!) mags offensive, then DON'T READ THEM! You can wish people would read something you find less derogatory and more intellectually stimulating, but you have a long and pointless struggle ahead of you if you're going to try to force a global nation to ignore the things they do for fun, or for tips they use to stabilise their lives in the way they find productive (I know it's a stretch, I'm even finding it a struggle to imagine someone like that, but I know the funny things that keep some people sane, it's not completely out of the question), or merely for a brain break, simply because YOU think they should drop what works for them. You could always try to write for those magazines yourself in an effort to change things from within. "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days", although fluffy, makes a point about how difficult that appears to be. But those magazines sell by the hundreds of thousands monthly because there's a demand for the fluff they sell. If it's not your cup of tea, don't drink it.

Black Swan

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

The thing that concerns me most about Cosmo is the legions of women out there who take it seriously!

Let's not talk about the red tops that sell at checkout either! Yikes!

ali.c

Blush_01 wrote: »

I don't think that much about them. I don't consider them condescending, I don't think the advice they give applies to me - I have this funny detachment from the whole thing, like a previous poster. I genuinely don't think of these magazines as applicable to my life.

Nice post, on this issue though maybe its because you are pretty secure etc you dont feel like its personal?? I know for me if I feel someone is questioning my intelligence I can get quite defensive but on the other hand if someone is talking to me like i am a moron i just assume that they have the problem not me.

I read sugar too lol, anyhow the marketing of crap at teenage girls well sometimes for me anyhow your sense of self, self confidence and self-respect starts at home rather that in what magazines are available.

Also at times I also feel the these very traits are threatened more by the influence of other negative women than anything else. I have seen women/girls be wonderfully successfull and instead of "go girl" the attuide is more bitchy towards them almost as if how dare she go ahead and do something that other women havent managed or are afraid to do. If we (as women) could stop putting each other done and take genuine happiness from our individual success then really it wouldnt matter what cosmo was saying.

Blush_01

I agree with that Ali - women are remarkably bitchy towards each other for no reason a lot of the time, and will then turn around and be as nice as pie to the person they've just been bitching about. There's lots of different reasons, although disturbingly it frequently appears to be that one person has a beef with another, and a few in the middle don't know who to ally themselves with, so they become allies of both and neither, bitching about one with the other and vice versa in order to keep the peace and avoid one of the two warring factions turning on those in the middle. Melts me head! I say well done to those who succeed at what they want. How does it hurt me in any way if you're happy? You know what I'm getting at.

As for the secure thing... that's debatable. Maybe I am (I hope I am, but you know yourself) and I know this'll make me sound like a bit of a looper, but I grew up in a part of Ireland so different to the situations in those magazines, at least the ones that I read at the time, those that lead into Cosmo etc. that I just couldn't relate to them, and pidgeonholed them as English issues. I still can't associate them the people I know, although they do apply. I'm not oblivious to the fact that what's discussed does apply to a large number of women worldwide, regardless of location etc. etc., but it still refuses to compute. I suppose there's an air of pandering in them that they impose on women - be it to employers or partners, whoever - that I just don't understand and so ignore. Call it selective ignorance. Yup, I like that, I'm selectively thick.

Nightwish

I never read Sugar, but I do recall reading More when I was 15-16 and I found it funny. I dont recall ever learning anything from it. I've bought Cosmo 2 or 3 times, while hanging around airports and its complete drivel, mindless drivel, but something to pass the time and throw in the bin afterwards and never think about again.