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Is this an appropriate facebook photo?

Category: feminism
Posted on: May 21, 2009 6:46 PM, by Greg Laden

An Image

Probably not, but not for the reasons suggested by the subject of this excellent post by Sheril Kirshenbaum.

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Comments

You haven't even *begun* to explore inappropriate FB photos..

;)

Posted by: Lou FCD | May 21, 2009 8:45 PM

I just read Sheril's post, and the original article by Katie Roiphie. Am I going way out on a limb here in guessing that Katie Roiphie has no children?

From her article:

…the trend of women using photographs of their children instead of themselves as the main picture on their Facebook profiles.

I haven't noticed this specifically, but I frequently see people using photos of all sorts for their profile picture. Many of these people also change their picture frequently.

She continues:

These Facebook photos signal a larger and more ominous self-effacement, a narrowing of our worlds. Think of a dinner party you just attended, and your friend, who wrote her senior thesis in college on Proust, who used to stay out drinking till five in the morning in her twenties, a brilliant and accomplished woman. Think about how throughout the entire dinner party, from olives to chocolate mousse, she talks about nothing but her kids.

Self-effacement? Yes, there are people who like to talk about their children more than any other subject. There are also people who like to talk about Proust more than any other subject. So what? Some people also refrain from staying out drinking till five in the morning. I, for one, have been there and done that, and have little desire to do it any more.

Katie goes on to say:

I have a friend whose daughter for a very long time wore squeaky sneakers. These sneakers emitted what was to adult ears an unbelievably annoying squeak with every single step she took. I asked my friend once why she put up with the sneakers, and she said, “Because she likes them!” Imagine being in this new generation, discovering with every joyous squeak of your sneakers, that Galileo was wrong, and the sun is not the center of the universe, you are!

Aha! Yes, this indicates to me that indeed, Katie is not a parent. For myself, both of my daughters were, at some points in their lives, the center of my universe. They are beautiful, thoughtful, intelligent, etc., and they are my children, and I love them. I don't think that Katie has experienced anything quite like that.

Posted by: Dan J | May 21, 2009 8:52 PM

I just read the original comments. Roiphie is in left field.

Posted by: Lou FCD | May 21, 2009 9:00 PM

Greg, those eyes don't look like normal "I'm on a carnival ride" type emotions. They look more like bloodlust, like "I'm going to swallow your soul when I get off this ride, because I hate people taking pictures of me with the fire of a thousand suns."

Looking straight... into... my soul.

Seriously. I'm going to have nightmares now.

Posted by: Jason Thibeault | May 21, 2009 9:04 PM

Stupid "error 500 - timeout" tricking me into thinking it didn't get posted.

Posted by: Jason Thibeault | May 21, 2009 9:12 PM

Jason: Every year we go to the same ride (at the State Fair) and get the picture. This way we know how long we've all been together.

But every year I act more and more complaisant. Most recent one I think I look kinda bored like I'm thinking of the grocery list. Next year I think I'll be reading a book.

Posted by: Greg Laden | May 21, 2009 9:15 PM

You could take a chessboard... :-)

http://xkcd.com/chesscoaster/

Posted by: Joel | May 21, 2009 11:25 PM

No way, man, that's photoshopped!!! Mine are real!!!

Posted by: Greg Laden | May 21, 2009 11:27 PM

what the heck thats not an appropriate who ever did this thing is stupid
(no affens)
its just a little familey riding in a rollercoster
duhh

Posted by: lexy | October 7, 2009 5:31 PM