Closer Look {The Fear; Lily Allen}

 Music & Lyrics

Closer Look

Yesterday in class we read an excerpt from a book, unfortunately my professor only gave us the PDF of the portion he wanted us to read. Anyhow, this essay was written by Sandra Lee Bartky titled: Foucault, Femininity, and the Modernization of the Patriarchal Power. Prior to reading and discussing this essay by Bartky I honestly had listened to Lily Allen for years now and not thought much more of it, and really I would maybe even put her in the category of music that I have as guilty pleasures, not because of it being poor music but because the lyrics can not be the most beneficial and border on problematic. After reading this article in conjunction with many things I have learned about our culture and thinking critically about what our statues quo is for women I think her music and her as an artist is a good example of being the product of the music industry and society functioning within a patriarchal power structure.

Bartky starts her article by referencing the findings of Michel Foucault and his argument that the way that our institutions, government, media, and society alike can now maintain the standard way of thinking by controlling people by the fear that someone is watching them and taking tabs on every movement. He uses the example of prison and that eventually inmates will follow protocol and routine solely due to the fact that they think someone is watching and that they will get punished if they don't, even if in reality there's no one taking notice. Foucault argues this is not much different than how people move about their lives in society. Now I bet one is asking...how does that have anything to do with femininity and patriarchal power?  I would say what doesn't it have to do with it?

Bartky argues that the same fear that inmates have of their superiors people have of the judgment they can face by peers, work, law enforcement, people in academia, the list could go on...is what keeps them from being different or an outcast. She says that this is particularly dangerous for women especially with the ideal of femininity and the expectations that come along with that. Here are a few examples...

Every morning before women are "expected" to start the day by...

~ Shower and clean themselves so they smell a certain way, followed up by putting on purfume

~ Clean shaven pits, pubic area, and legs

~ After that clean their face down so there is no signs of aging, pimples, or blemishes

~ Wear appropriate bra for whatever occasion

~ Accessorize and paint your face so that you can look "your best"

....do you catch my drift?

And why...even if it's not consciously because it is what society expects of a beautifully feminine woman but maybe even indirectly because what we can do to be "the most attractive" and get the most regards from the opposite sex? This doesn't even start to brink the surface of the long list of plastic surgeries and procedures women get to stop the aging process, loose weight, etc. etc. 

I could go on all day about this article and re-articulate the discussion we had in class, but I know you at this point might close the window and not even care what I have to say. However, during class my mind was brought to this song I had listened to many times before by Lily Allen. At the end here I have posted the music video and lyrics, and I want to ask you do you think that "the Fear" that Lily Allen is talking about in her song is the fear of judgment, imperfection, and isolation? Are all these fears caused by the same patriarchy that instilled the values of the perfect woman that is unattainable naturally and now has every women in America and abroad comparing themselves to this feminine ideal. I hope this makes you think about your routines as a female every morning and ask yourself why you do what you do every morning in order to be ready for the day?

The Fear - Lily Allen

I want to be rich and I want lots of money
I don't care about clever I don't care about funny
I want loads of clothes and fuckloads of diamonds
I heard people die while they are trying to find them

And I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless
'Cuz everyone knows that's how you get famous
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah I'm on to a winner

I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cuz I'm being taken over by the Fear

Life's about film stars and less about mothers
It's all about fast cars and cussing each other
But it doesn't matter cause I'm packing plastic
And that's what makes my life so fucking fantastic

And I am a weapon of massive consumption
And its not my fault it's how I'm programmed to function
I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror
I'm on the right track, yeah we're on to a winner

I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cuz I'm being taken over by the Fear

Forget about guns and forget ammunition
'Cuz I'm killing them all on my own little mission
Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner
Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner

I don't know what's right and what's real anymore
And I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cuz I'm being taken over by the Fear