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Hi Aaron, Just wanted to say that I loved your article on age and gender constructs. I actually did a communications degree in 1992, and have always loved your writing because it reminds me of this era! So when you mentioned your love for Madonna through that period, it made me laugh in the fondest way! It's completely different now, isn't it? I have a niece who is now doing that degree and it's completely different. Anyway, I loved your discussions about the relevance of age in how society perceives women as sexual entities, and am also watching the latest Madonna album with this in mind. I think it's great to have her back putting these ideas in our faces again, it's been a long time, and so what that she's 50?! I think it can just be added to her other social taboos which she has knocked for six. I hope I look that good when I'm 50, and if I don't, I still want anyone who does to be able to! I know you're a busy boy, so I'll let you go, but thanks again for your writings, I always enjoy coming to your website! Thankyou, Kathryn Hi Kathryn, Thanks so much - a big nod and a wink, from one early 90's communications student to another ;) And you're so right, it's changed so much. I went back to university in 2002 (not for communications, though, for psychology), and was astounded when I finally did some work in the communications faculty, how much it had changed from our time. I think academia, in general, was very different. For a number of reasons. But our time was one of self-indulgence, of intellect for the sake of intellect. I think we were lucky (or were we actually dysfunctionalised, socially?), because now uni has been changed by the era of empiricism (a very different way of viewing the role of the academic, intellectually) that has affected even non-scientific faculties. It's also due to Howard, too. Uni has become a factory for worker bees; there's no economic room, now, for anything else. Communications is now completely based around this; you don't get away with writing essays on what Madonna means to you, anymore, that's for sure. It's all broadcast policy, and there's very little creativity, because it's seen as anti-commercial and useless. And because of the funding wars, the humanities is completely dying, and so too it's general intellectual perspective, as even these faculties try to look like they have the attributes to warrant funding (which means they sort of betrays themselves, in doing so). Sigh.... At least we got to be shaped by that old world of it all. Thanks again, Aaron
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