I loooved this. I think athleticism/jock energy is something we’re collectively and tentatively re-negotiating after the world hit the logical extreme of nerd energy (Marvel movies, um actuallying, romanticized introversion, Silicon Valley) in the late 2010s and realized it sucked
Thank you! And yeah, that's such an interesting point. I wonder how much the whole cultural love for himbos also a side effect of nerddom/ know-it-all dorky men becoming mainstream (and often toxic!)
As always, nonpareil writing Christina! Downright envious of your ability to seamlessly drill beneath superficial norms and elucidate hyper-specific tropes with ease. And as a baseball fanatic, I'm surprised I haven't checked out "Everybody Wants Some!!." I need to change that.
Great essay—keen to check out these films now. I always like to say that toxic masculinity doesn’t mean masculinity is toxic per se but rather that it has toxic elements as do aspects of femininity.
Excited to read more of this! Wondering if Buster Keaton’s College or Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman might be of interest, a look at how jocks were viewed in the 20s?
I loooved this. I think athleticism/jock energy is something we’re collectively and tentatively re-negotiating after the world hit the logical extreme of nerd energy (Marvel movies, um actuallying, romanticized introversion, Silicon Valley) in the late 2010s and realized it sucked
Thank you! And yeah, that's such an interesting point. I wonder how much the whole cultural love for himbos also a side effect of nerddom/ know-it-all dorky men becoming mainstream (and often toxic!)
As always, nonpareil writing Christina! Downright envious of your ability to seamlessly drill beneath superficial norms and elucidate hyper-specific tropes with ease. And as a baseball fanatic, I'm surprised I haven't checked out "Everybody Wants Some!!." I need to change that.
Great essay—keen to check out these films now. I always like to say that toxic masculinity doesn’t mean masculinity is toxic per se but rather that it has toxic elements as do aspects of femininity.
Excited to read more of this! Wondering if Buster Keaton’s College or Harold Lloyd’s The Freshman might be of interest, a look at how jocks were viewed in the 20s?