To elaborate on this argument further, it will be necessary to highlight key contextual information. During the 1980s and 90s, significant changes happened to men. As previously mentioned, President Reagan, during the 1980s, aimed to bring back unambiguous and traditional male values, as he, and society, believed males had ‘gone soft’ (Boon, 2003; Vogel, 2015, p.464-465); and it is argued that males were unhappy and felt they lacked an authentic masculine role model within popular culture. As a result, males felt emasculated as a consequence of consumerist culture; this argument is supported by various literature (Ta, 2006, p.266; Jordan, 2002, p.372-373) including Giroux, 2001:
‘…the shift from an industrial to an information economy…the male body has been transformed from an agent of production to a receptacle for consumption.’ (p. 7-8) …show more content…
The hegemonic ideal of powerful, strong and aggressive masculinity became the benchmark which all American men were considered to hold themselves against, and this as represented in popular culture, such as Hollywood films; for example the biggest selling stars of the time were men like Bruce Willis (Brod & Kaufman, 1994, p. 124; Vogel, 2015, p.473). Unfortunately, this did not provide a quick fix as also during this time, other changes to gender roles were occurring; minority groups such as women and homosexuals were demanding equal opportunities and the destruction of traditional gender roles (Hammond, 1986; Giroux, 2001, p.7; Ta, 2006, p.266). This also exemplified by popular culture; for
‘…the shift from an industrial to an information economy…the male body has been transformed from an agent of production to a receptacle for consumption.’ (p. 7-8) …show more content…
The hegemonic ideal of powerful, strong and aggressive masculinity became the benchmark which all American men were considered to hold themselves against, and this as represented in popular culture, such as Hollywood films; for example the biggest selling stars of the time were men like Bruce Willis (Brod & Kaufman, 1994, p. 124; Vogel, 2015, p.473). Unfortunately, this did not provide a quick fix as also during this time, other changes to gender roles were occurring; minority groups such as women and homosexuals were demanding equal opportunities and the destruction of traditional gender roles (Hammond, 1986; Giroux, 2001, p.7; Ta, 2006, p.266). This also exemplified by popular culture; for