Masculinity on Die Hard's message for the ages

The type of masculinity Bruce Willis displaces in the Die Hard movies is by no means new or innovative, but is still entertaining. In the Die Hard last movie Bruce kinda turns the reigns over to the iconic new hero, the technology geek with an attitude, so prevalent in media now is a norm.

The same form of masculinity is present in allot of other movies that also had the same impact if not more on the viewers,with most movies that is directed to man as the primary viewers the level of violence is a direct correlation to the value of the movie. The Terminator series with Arnold Schwarzenegger for instance is a prime example of the more violent the film the more successful the movie. Therefore in the Arnold S. Terminator movies the masculinity factor is greatly exaggerated due to the fact of the kind of actor Arnold was and that his character was a un-killable cyborg. During the Terminator movies the viewers would see feats of super human strength, endurance and intellect all while in the body of a good looking, muscular, no non sence movie super star.
The Terminator is such a hardcore killer the heroes in the stories have to adapt and compensate to survive the random attacks and this is the message the public sees and influences them. It's not so much as if there's a killer robot chasing you you have to do what you need to do to survive, but more along the lines that the ends could justify the means. In One conversation Reese has with Sarah Connor in the first Terminator movie is when he say's " There's no reasoning with it, no Talking to it, and no pleading with it. It will come for her no matter what you do, no matter what happens, it will keep coming as long as it can still move, it will hunt her down and cut her f***ing head off because it has too". When the people seeing this and similar conversations learn to disconnect them selves with the Terminator character that just happens to receive increasingly destructive and vicious violence between the two sides right after this rant is viewed.

I don't believe it's a coincidence, after a few comments meaning to detach your self from the characters because you know they are very quick to die or be mortally injured the anti of violence is raised to the main characters in the story. Its like the reigns of violence against women, men and children is now going to be excused because the unfeeling killing machine (the ultimate sign of true masculinity) is on the loose.
Terminator in the Police station

Other movies follow the same kind of releasing the heroes from moral restraint's by disconnecting the viewers with the characters. Such movies as the Rambo series with the Vietnam torturing and killing american soldiers for seemingly no reason at all. The Rocky series (excluded the first Rocky movie) did the same thing with main villian in the respective movies by Appolo wanting to humiliate and berate Rocky or Ivan Draggov beating and killing Rocky's best friend to death in an exhibition boxing match.
Rambo,going crazy. Viewer beware
Rocky losing it after Apollo dies

So when Rocky or Rambo went on the quest to obtain true masculinity again the fans cheer and support him no matter the means. Really this setup is not new to Hollywood and will probably continue on forever in action and adventure films. Case and point is the Fast and Furious films were supposed to be about fast cars, fast women, and fast money but really what you see if more than just the fast track to life but illegal stockpile of increasing broken laws.

The next time your watching one of these movies, don't judge it for what it isn't or what it is. Look at the film for what the entertainment value is and what it could have to offer and try to remember that the ends don't justify the means.

Opponentgetic

When you hear the word "news" you expect an unbiased view on current events and the happenings around the world. However with the state of mega media and media conglomerates conducting business as they do there are few places anyone can find real news.With MSNBC depicting the democratic point of view and down playing the democratic faults or blunders and passively defending democrats daily. Fox News is the opposite side of the spectrum and Republican standing, Fox News vilifies democrats as un-american and destroying this country,claiming to be for women's rights and that they care about the american woman but in the same breath say women don't have the "right to choice", and quick to berate any woman that doesn't fit the republican ideal woman. More than enough of the time Fox News is out right lying about issues to the viewers and trying to avoid the truth put foward by Democrats.So this really becomes a problem when viewers rely on one station for its news day in and day out constantly being told that the problems with the country are coming from the republicans or democrats.Then the heavy viewers start to resent the opposing parties and refusing to vote for them, even if the candidate is more qualified and genuine then the candidate the viewer is constantly subjected to. Of course people want to hear what they're own personal views, before they hear someones else's especially the opposition, but it's to a point were no one knows the real news or who's lying and how to determine it. For those out there that actually want to hear or see the unbiased news, it seems that its impossible to find that unless you look at unconventional avenues like comedy central with John Stewart, and Steven Colbert or Bill Maher (during the debate segment, but does tend to lean towards the democrat side). Its a shame that the only place to get news you can rely on is during a comedy sketch or while the host is poking fun at someone. I for one am not satisfied with receiving my news from a comedy network when every network should be broadcasting the actual news not just a portrayal of what the viewers want to hear. I think that there should be a agency that puts regulations on the networks and how biased the news they can provide or how they portray the opposition. The FCC is supposed to do this to an extent, but if they did what would make the news from Fox actually watchable then there wouldn't be so many Controversies on how Fox conducts itself. If this kind of controversies are even being mentioned then there is a big problem and needs to be addressed.