Social Issues – Life's Adventure

The Barbie movie has generated significant controversy and mixed reactions from various groups. Some of the main issues raised include:

1. Political backlash: Republicans have accused the movie of fabricating culture war issues and promoting LGBTQ+ themes, which they believe neglects the core audience of families and children[1][3].

2. Feminist themes: The movie has been praised for its feminist themes, but it has also faced criticism from conservative commentators who argue that it is overly “woke” and portrays men negatively[8][11]. Some have even accused the film of being “anti-man”[5].

3. Undeveloped storylines: Some viewers have criticized the film for having too many undeveloped storylines and not adequately addressing certain issues, such as unrealistic beauty standards and the idea that women can never be good enough[4][16].

4. Casting controversy: Ryan Gosling’s casting as Ken has been criticized by some fans who believe he is too old for the role[13].

5. International issues: The movie has faced several international controversies, including a raunchy translation on the French poster and being banned in Vietnam due to the appearance of a controversial map[7][9][15].

Despite these controversies, the Barbie movie has been a box office success, achieving the highest-ever opening weekend figure for a female director at $356 million worldwide[14].

Citations:
[1] Why does the Barbie movie have Republicans in such a tizzy? | Katrina vanden Heuvel https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/20/barbie-movie-republicans-reaction
[2] Opinion: ‘Barbie’ breaks box-office records while crushing … https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/23/opinions/barbie-movie-right-wing-opposition-obeidallah/index.html
[3] ‘Barbie’ Largely Praised For Feminist Themes—But Draws Anger From The Anti-Woke https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/07/21/barbie-largely-praised-for-feminist-themes-but-draws-anger-from-the-anti-woke/?sh=24ab548458bd
[4] The Barbie Movie That Was Barred from Theatres | The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-barbie-movie-that-was-barred-from-theatres
[5] ‘Barbie’ casting directors say these 3 celebs were ‘really bummed’ to turn down roles https://www.today.com/popculture/movies/barbie-casting-directors-celebrities-turn-down-roles-rcna96185?ex=rt
[6] The hype around ‘Barbie’ is huge, but so is the debate. Here are 6 reasons the movie is sparking discussion on social media. – Insider https://www.insider.com/barbie-dividing-opinion-social-media-debate-reasons-2023-7
[7] As Conservatives Slam ‘Barbie,’ Whoopi Goldberg Fires Back https://variety.com/2023/film/news/barbie-conservative-backlash-whoopi-goldberg-fires-back-1235679936/
[8] Is Barbie a feminist icon? It’s complicated – NPR https://www.npr.org/2023/07/27/1189987314/barbie-movie-feminist-history
[9] Is Barbie Really Everything Or Trying To Do Too Much? – Pop Culture Planet https://www.popcultureplanet.net/articles/1yb8pnoaw08r0ev4it9m2v7jvjzyrf
[10] ‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Responds To The Movie’s Right-Wing Backlash – HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/barbie-director-greta-gerwig-responds-to-right-wing-backlash_n_64c1760be4b0dcb4cabb270a
[11] ‘Barbie’ Map Got Film Banned: Here’s What It Means in the Story – Variety https://variety.com/2023/film/news/barbie-map-meaning-why-banned-1235662437/
[12] ‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig On Political Backlash & The … https://deadline.com/2023/07/barbie-greta-gerwig-backlash-political-right-wing-ryan-gosling-snl-skit-kenergy-1235448242/
[13] ‘The fear of being labelled feminist is real’: Barbie movie flops in South Korea https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/02/barbie-movie-flops-south-korea-feminism
[14] What Is Barbie Going For, Exactly? An Investigation. – Vulture https://www.vulture.com/2023/05/barbie-movie-2023-plot-details-references.html
[15] Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken in the Barbie Movie sparks controversy | Here’s why https://www.spieltimes.com/cinema/ryan-goslings-portrayal-of-ken-in-the-barbie-movie-sparks-controversy-heres-why/
[16] Why is Barbie so controversial? How ever-changing standards for women have affected the famous doll – Harper’s BAZAAR https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/a44516323/barbie-controversial-figure/
[17] Right-Wing Backlash Against ‘Barbie’ Movie Is Flopping https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/barbie-movie-right-wing-backlash-ted-cruz-ginger-gaetz-1234791386/
[18] The ‘Barbie’ movie ushers bimbo feminism and hyperfemininity into the mainstream https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/barbie-movie-ushers-bimbo-feminism-hyperfemininity-mainstream-rcna94892
[19] This Plot Should Have Been Cut From ‘Barbie’ – Collider https://collider.com/barbie-mattel-plot/
[20] ‘Barbie’ controversy: Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling film’s rocky road to theaters https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/barbie-controversy-margot-robbie-ryan-gosling-films-rocky-road-theaters
[21] ‘Barbie’ Movie Controversy, Explained | The Mary Sue https://www.themarysue.com/barbie-movie-controversy-explained/
[22] Conservatives are jumping to criticize the ‘Barbie’ movie https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/barbie-movie-conservative-republican-18260449.php
[23] Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie is a ‘feminist bimbo’ classic – and no, that’s not an oxymoron – The Conversation https://theconversation.com/greta-gerwigs-barbie-movie-is-a-feminist-bimbo-classic-and-no-thats-not-an-oxymoron-210069
[24] ‘Barbie’ movie: Iconic doll has ‘existential crisis’ about real world | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/barbie-movie-iconic-doll-has-existential-crisis-about-real-world-2023-07-19/
[25] Barbie: ‘Adult’ movie poster’s racy pun sparks controversy in France – Marca.com https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/movies/2023/07/05/64a56b7eca47419e218b4581.html
[26] The Dark Side of Barbie: Crime, Racial Issues, and Rampant Sexism – Rolling Stone https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/barbie-controversies-greta-gerwig-mattel-ruth-handler-sex-doll-sexism-racism-1234792205/
[27] Greta Gerwig responds to right-wing backlash over ‘Barbie’ https://ew.com/movies/greta-gerwig-responds-barbie-right-wing-backlash/
[28] FELLAS: ‘Barbie’ fails as feminist film – The Vanderbilt Hustler https://vanderbilthustler.com/2023/07/28/fellas-barbie-fails-as-feminist-film/
[29] How Barbie Came to Life – Time https://time.com/6289864/barbie-time-cover-story/
[30] The three actresses in contention to play Barbie before Margot Robbie’s casting – Marca.com https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/movies/2023/07/28/64c3ca7746163fee328b457d.html
[31] Fox News left confused by map that shows Republicans … https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/fox-news-republicans-barbie-backlash-b2381103.html
[32] Barbie movie sparks feminism conversations, expert says – 1News https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/07/26/barbie-movie-sparks-feminism-conversations-expert-says/
[33] Read User Reviews and Submit your own for Barbie – Metacritic https://www.metacritic.com/movie/barbie/user-reviews
[34] Doll to Icon: Barbie’s Feminist Evolution – HealthNews https://healthnews.com/mental-health/self-care-and-therapy/barbie-movie-feminist-evolution/

By Perplexity at https://www.perplexity.ai/?s=m&uuid=f2bea1a4-f3b8-44b1-960d-8a0220c23357

Jason Aldean’s song “Try That in a Small Town” has been at the center of controversy, with some accusing it of promoting racism and violence. However, a closer examination of the song’s lyrics, context, and the artist’s intentions reveals that these accusations may be unfounded.

The Artist’s Intention

Jason Aldean has stated that the song is about the sense of community he experienced growing up in a small town, where neighbors took care of each other regardless of their differences in background or belief[1][2]. He has also emphasized that his political views have never been hidden, and that the song is not meant to promote violence or racism[1].

The Lyrics

The lyrics of “Try That in a Small Town” address crime and the deterioration of smaller towns, urging people to take care of their own communities[2]. While some lines in the song mention gun ownership and criticize certain behaviors, they do not explicitly promote racism or violence. Instead, they emphasize the importance of community values and taking care of one’s neighbors[1][4].

The Music Video Controversy

The music video for “Try That in a Small Town” initially included footage from the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, which led to accusations of racism[3]. However, the video was later edited to remove this footage, with Aldean’s label citing “third party copyright clearance issues” as the reason for the change[12]. This alteration suggests that the inclusion of the footage was not intended to promote a racist message.

Conclusion

While “Try That in a Small Town” has generated controversy, the artist’s intention, the song’s lyrics, and the edited music video all indicate that the song is not meant to promote racism or violence. Instead, it is a reflection of Jason Aldean’s experiences growing up in a small town and the importance of community values.