Changing Generations

After reading “The Death of Pretty” by Pat Archbold and “Men Growing Up to be Boys” by Lakshmi Chaudhry, I came to the conclusion that both authors seem to have a problem with how the newer generations have made a major shift from how the men and women of their time once acted to present day. In “The Death of Pretty”, Archbold believes that women no longer desire to be innocent and pretty, but strive to be considered as “hot”. What was known as the norm throughout women back in the day, to uphold their innocence and lady like character is now seen as the “good girl” no one wishes to be labeled. Instead, what has taken place is the aspiration to become hot because it gains more attention. Now women cannot take all the blame for trying to obtain this attention grabber look they try so desperately for. As Archbold explains, the sense of being hot has become a popular commodity amongst men, but he also expresses how its usefulness is only temporary and is seen as consumable. This ties into the thoughts of Chaudhry in his article “Men Growing Up to be Boys”, on his beliefs that the men of today no longer have the same values and goals as men in the past. Chaudhry goes on to explain that men are resisting adulthood, still wanting to live in their childish ways.

If these two were to sit down and have dinner together, I believe that it would be quite entertaining hearing them go back and forth about today’s generation and how the times have changed. I think both authors would agree with each other on the various points that were brought up in the two articles. However, as Chaudhry seems to think that mostly women are the only ones set out for commitment, Archbold believes women strive for hotness to gain attention from many men before settling down with just one.