I was brought up to be uncompromisingly bloody-minded by my mother. She equipped me, without knowing it, to be someone who is creative rather than an entertainer. Not many girls are brought up like that, to never rely on a man. To not be a housewife, not be a mother.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of independence and creativity in women, shaped by a mother's influence.
Viv Albertine reflects on her upbringing, highlighting how her mother's teachings instilled in her a strong sense of independence and creativity. She points out that not many girls are encouraged to embrace their individuality and to pursue paths that defy traditional gender roles, such as prioritizing personal creativity over conventional expectations like being a housewife or mother.
In practice
During a women's empowerment event to inspire young girls about their future.
In the 1970s, girls didn't do anything. It wasn't their fault. For me and the other working-class girls I hung around with, our route was plotted - you were a secretary and a wife. I wanted to hitchhike around the world, go on motorbikes, be in bands.
Revolution is usually a bloody affair. Our Revolution of 1911 did not shed much blood because our people are a peace-loving people. This peace-loving quality is the greatest virtue of the Chinese.
...we're told by TV and Reader's Digest that a crisis will trigger massive personal change--and that those big changes will make the pain worthwhile. But from what he could see, big change almost never happens. People simply feel lost. They have no idea what to say or do or feel or think. they become messes and tend to remain messes.
You cannot easily fit women into a structure that is already coded as male; you have to change the structure.
Nothing is static. Even the Mona Lisa is falling apart. Since fight club, I can wiggle half the teeth in my jaw. Maybe self-improvement isn't the answer. Maybe self-destruction is the answer.
Sometimes you got to hurt something to help something. Sometimes you have to plow under one thing in order for something else to grow.
If I can be in a place where my image is encouraging people to see different people behind the camera, and my image and the images I make can help open up a certain world view, I think that's all a part of a larger spirit of change and progress, and I'm happy to be part of it.
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