*Trigger Warning: This article contains heavy topics.
There is a crushing weight, a burden of sorts, that comes at a certain point in life. There isn’t a specific identifying moment, but it exists nonetheless, where you stop and recognize the world around you. The heartbreak and sorrow, the fullness and laughter, the dissolving of relationships, and the ignition of new ones. All these things make up the human condition; all these moments and feelings define what it is to be alive. Nowadays, it is very easy to find yourself slipping deeper and deeper into the abyss of never-ending despair, where you may struggle to reach out for help. I’m here to tell you that as long as you find a light of hope, a single spark in that darkness, then you will make it.
Now, I’m sure you may be wondering how this ties into the ‘Barbie’ movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, spoiler alert ahead and I highly recommend watching it. The ‘Barbie’ movie is more than a happy-go-lucky kids’ movie, it also isn’t just a movie to reflect on the nostalgia of childhood. It is both of these things, but at its heart it is a movie on what it means to be human. Many heavy themes are covered in this movie, like aging, being “perfect” and coming to terms with the beauty of imperfection, patriarchy, and several more. Overall, a movie about a famous plastic doll has blossomed into a movie that every viewer can relate to in some way. At our core, all humans are the same. We all face struggles, we all feel hatred, and love, and pain, and joy. As people, it is really hard to come to terms with being human. There is such beauty in the little things and in being human itself. The scene where Barbie is in the “Real World” and is sitting on a park bench taking in all of her surroundings is one of the most moving scenes in a movie. It is so simple: the camera panning around the park at a couple fighting, another couple laughing together, the sun rays peeking through the trees, the peaceful sounds of the world. The scene closes with Barbie interacting with an older woman, and Barbie tells her, “You are so beautiful.” This stark contrast between a doll who, over the years, has represented perfection and an old woman is so endearing. Seeing the confidence radiate off of the woman, and seeing Barbie shed a tear from the power that humanity holds fills my heart with love.
I also think that behind the superficial plot of this movie (women are powerful and life is scary sometimes) are so many deeper plots. This movie covers many things, all of which are covered in such a simplistic way that children, young adults, and adults can all learn from them. Take being a mother for example. America Ferrera’s speech on what it is to be a mother and a woman makes me sob every time I watch this movie. She speaks on the impossible expectations society holds for women: be accountable for men’s behavior, don’t complain about anything, be thin, be pretty, but not so pretty that you threaten other women, never fail, and never be praised for doing anything right because somehow you’re still doing everything wrong. It is the most powerful monologue in a modern movie, and really details the struggles of just existing in the world. No matter what anyone does, it will never be enough for some people. We’re all expected to exceed expectations, but we’re never praised for doing so, and on top of that it still isn’t enough. Currently, I’ve applied for about 30 jobs in the last month for after I graduate, but I’ve only gotten one interview, and they’ve since ghosted me. It also seems that every job I see that claims to be entry level wants at least three years of experience in the field. How can we, as a society, expect to hire strong, capable people to work when every job application is set up for us to fail, when the whole world is set up for every day, working people to fail?
This movie covers so much directly, but the context of each new societal conflict allows its audience to expand on the topics. The ‘Barbie’ movie is a pipeline to deep discussions on humanity, beauty standards, aging, perfection and imperfection, patriarchy, and from that there are so many discussions waiting to be had. Again, I implore everyone to watch this movie, after watching initially for fun, and really think about how the topics covered in the movie affect you and the people around you. This movie should be taught in schools for students everywhere, as there are topics that will speak to students no matter their age.
Whenever things feel like they’re getting to be too much, I implore you to just people-watch, or sit outside somewhere peaceful. Disconnect from social media for an hour or two, read a book, cook, listen to music, do whatever you have to do to feel present in your own life. It’s so easy to lose yourself in the fast-paced world of today. Trust me, I understand. The world will continue to spin, and life will go on as it always has, but you are one person who deserves some relief during the rush of life.