"Womanizer" by Britney Spears - A 3D Review
Background/summary: Britney Spears' handlers have launched an all-out effort to return the fallen pop princess to a position of dominance in preparation for the release of her sixth studio album, Circus, on December 2 of this year. The first single - "Womanizer" - was pre-released off the album on September 26, making a record-breaking leap from #96 to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart on October 15, the same day that Spears launched her brand new interactive website. The song is Spears first #1 single on the Hot 100 since her debut single, "Baby One More Time." "Womanizer's" first-week download tally was the biggest ever by a female artist. Look for the November 30 MTV documentary on Spears - For The Record - to further fuel the singer's resurgence. Like it or not, Britney Spears is back.
Discover: What is the message/worldview?
The song is a full-on assault on males who are womanizers. The video's male character represents all womanizing males in our culture as Spears pounds him with an unmistakable lyrical and visual message appropriately embedded in a hard-beating dance tune. She tells him, "You can play brand new to all the other chicks out here/But I know what you are, what you are. . . .You're a womanizer." This is a girl-power anthem.
The Spears who's singing the tune is the real Britney Spears, visually portrayed fully nude throughout the video, as her sweat-covered body writhes suggestively on a sauna bench as she teases the camera and everyone behind it.
Interspersed with these images is an unfolding story of a young male advertising executive (the target for her message) who wakes up at home and then leaves for the office and a day full of womanizing, going from one woman to another, all of whom are portrayed by Spears.
The main character played by Spears is his female companion who's been cheated on and wronged. She cooks him breakfast as she sings her message, all while again dressed, singing, and moving seductively, this time while wearing a short and skimpy open robe.
He leaves the house and enters into a series of encounters with dominating and seductively tough take-charge females (all played by Spears) who tease him, then walk away. First there's the naughty secretary who answers his advances with a lap dance, followed by the put off. He goes to lunch and encounters the same with a tattooed waitress who takes him into the kitchen, throws him down on a prep table, and then eagerly climbs on top. She seductively eats a cherry then shows him the stem twisted in a knot, signifying a message that says, "You're going to miss out on what I can do with my tongue." Finally, a female limo driver jumps in the back seat with him for a make-out session, all the while steering the car with her stiletto heels. His fear of crashing forces him to focus on getting away from the girl and to the wheel.
As the video ends, the man comes home and is confronted by Spears and all her other characters, driving home the "you can try but you're not getting any. . . you womanizer!" message of the song.
Discern: How does it stand in light of the biblical message/worldview?
On the positive side, the song's lyrics and many of the story's visuals do issue a value judgment against flirting, cheating, objectification, lust, and sexual promiscuity. Womanizing is definitely cast in a negative light. The Biblical call to relational and sexual faithfulness affirms these morals.
Still, the video's message is one of great contradiction and irony as Spears goes as far as is permissible visually as the naked, teasing sexual object. . . thereby inviting everything she's at the same time condemning. This imagery is sure to do two things besides proving that Spears is on the hunt for renewed commercial success: 1) fuel the lustful fantasies of male viewers. . . . particularly very impressionable children and teens, and 2) foster the fast-spreading culturally defined gender role for females who are told to engage in visual "foreplay" as the objectified boy-toy, but then walk away as a way to exert sexual dominance and power over males.
The video presents terribly destructive a-biblical solutions to real-world problems that exist in today's youth culture. It is not right to choose a "solution" or "response" to the reality of womanizing, unfaithfulness, objectification, and sexual dominance by choosing means that lead to the end of an equally immoral resolution. In the video, these faulty means include gender role reversal as females are encouraged to tease ("come and get me, you can have me"), dominate (Spears is always aggressive, tough, and on top in her portrayed personas), launch the God-ordained bio-chemical reaction to sexual foreplay. . . . and then walk away. The video is filled - from start to finish - with horribly flawed portrayals of identity and sexual expression.
God has ordained the process of adolescent physical development. It is a curious and confusing time that requires Biblically sound instruction, guidance, and input. Sadly, the void of healthy role models will lead sexually developing and curious teens to turn to the video as a foundational definer of gender roles, sexual values, and parameters for sexual behavior.
Decide: What do I do with it?
"Womanizer" is one of the edgiest music videos ever produced and mass-marketed. When the young target age for Spears musical audience is figured into the equation, it is devastating to think about the possible immediate and long-term fallout as the video shapes the worldviews of children and teens. This presents parents and youth workers with a deep dilemma. On the one hand, this video would be considered by many to be pornographic. Yet, it is a pervasive and increasingly familiar mainstream cultural force. We must discuss the song and its message with kids. However, be very, very careful in regards to your choice to view the video, either by yourself or with kids.
Parents and youth workers must grapple with the fact that music and music video - including "Womanizer" - is offering a powerful road map for young females. We must correct the erroneous messages of this map (which requires familiarity with the map), pointing kids by our word and example to finding their identity in Christ and Christ alone.
The video raises several very real cultural issues our parenting and ministries must address in order to offer clarity and truth in a very confused world: these include but are not limited to sexual identity, gender roles, love, commitment, sex, revenge, conflict resolution, grace, and redemption.
"Womanizer" should lead us to grieve for our kids and our culture. But we must not stop there. We must pray for our kids, for Britney Spears, and for her captive young audience. We must answer "Womanizer's" message and the cultural realities that occasioned it with the Truth of God's Word.
Conversation
I think an analysis of the
I think an analysis of the song and the video is necessary and should be discussed among youth groups. As youth workers we have to understand and deal with the fact that our kids are exposed to these things and it is our job to place them in the proper context. It also allows for a controlled discussion of what they think is going on, not just what the adults think. Kids need to be able to discuss these issues in and out of church so that they can properly decide what they will and will not accept as good. To that extent, I was thinking about something similar in regards to the Pussycat Dolls. While the clothes and dances are suggestive, not all of their music is. Most of it is pro-women and about not being used by men. But if you had to go with a safe female group with absolutely nothing objectionable, then go with The Cheetah Girls.
Point being, we can't control who they listen to or watch, but we can give them the tools to properly evaluate the messages that the world is sending them. Not to insulate them, but to prepare them.
I am a Sunday school teacher
I am a Sunday school teacher of young children and although they would be too young to even discuss or watch the "Womanizer" video.. even if they were older, Would I want to? My answer is for heaven's sake, "No" it shouldn't even be an option. We as Christian's shouldn't even allow such secular wordly videos into our youth groups,or daily lives period.. What we need is a back bone and to stand up in the face of all of the so called popular music of today and pray that God would give us discernment. What about good old fashioned "Family" Day and having what's called "movie" night where you tranform the santuary into a movie theater and have popcorn and hot chocolate and watch "Polar Express" and pass out gold movie tickets and bells and promote fellowship and community. There are godly and morally uplifting alternatives in this world as opposed to the sexual pornography shown in most videos and mainstream music of today. Find a church that offers different programs and activities to suit the needs of all age groups and become involved. Raise your children up in the ways of the Lord and when they are old.. will not depart from it. God bless... Pam
This is in response to what
This is in response to what Joe said.
I believe it is good to note what the world is doing, because realisticly, this is what the kids are exposed to. It takes a very mature young Christian to seek Christian music, but for the most part, Britney Spears is who they will see most of the time. Its important to note that regardless of how far Britney seems, God still loves her and there is a chance for her. Jesus came for the sinners, not the righteous. I believe that a good Christ centered youth group should be willing to tackle the issues that are presented. these kids need to know what to do with the things that they are inevitably going to see.
My sweet wife wrestled with
My sweet wife wrestled with whether or not to show the video and debrief it with her group of girls as well. Ultimately, she chose not to show it because
1. NONE of the 13 girls had seen it, although most had heard it, and
2. Even though she would attempt to lead a great discussion, the conflicting image Spears gives would be lost on them (jr. high girls). All they would really get was that they need to look like her. and that is EXACTLY the opposite of what my wife is teaching.
great discussion of a very oxymoronic experience. I can't think of a good enough reason to show this to guys.
Hmmm, and why would any God
Hmmm, and why would any God following/fearing person, youth leader or not, ever expect to find ANYTHING remotely redeeming from Britney Spears videos or music???!! If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, etc.... NEWS FLASH - it's probably...you guessed it A DUCK!! For heaven's sake there is a spiritual gift called discernment that it sadly seems is all too lacking in this "review", kinda like common sense. Jesus help us all if this is all the better we can do for todays youth. How about a review of an Christian alternative to this worldly swill like reviewing something from Superchick, Barlow Girl, This Beautiful Republic, or Sanctus Real? Their music upholds Godly views and values and is of far better quality that Britney and her ilk. We are to think about that which is GOOD not that which is of this world because Jesus already warned us about how bad this world was and how much worse it is getting. Wake up church!
Great discussion here folks.
Great discussion here folks. This isn't an easy one. . . . but it's pervasive and it's been seen. Now, what are we going to do with it, about it, in response to it? This is just one more example of how life in this world is never squeaky clean. . . and the world's continued groaning for redemption. I thank God everyday for youth workers who are willing to step into the muck, address it head on, and point kids to the cross.
The world is waxing worse
The world is waxing worse and worse. I am so saddened that our kids are exposed to this stuff. I would never show it to my kids at church. Talk about it, yes, but never could I be the one in charge of presenting such filth. Pray. Pray hard and pray often. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, EPH 6:12.
I am 18 year old young lady
I am 18 year old young lady that is majoring in Early Childhood Education as well as Youth Ministry and Britney Spears' new music video, "Womanizer" does bring up a lot of controversial issues. I never saw this video of hers until I read this article. I think it's really difficult to show this to a Youth Ministry without them getting so involved with the temptation of sex because there is so much pressure concerning it already. Just to look at my friends (both younger and older than myself, both Christian and non-Christian), temptation is getting more and more difficult. But, like many of you have already said, we just have to pray for everyone and continue looking at things, like Spears' new video, in a way that we can help glorify God's name.
Thank you for this article. It's giving me a lot of insight!
God Bless.
Faith
I have to admit that I am
I have to admit that I am torn. I know the explicit nature of this video but I also know that all of the teen boys in my group have seen it (not an assumption, I asked them). Having struggled with pornography in my past, I am saddened by the sensual nature of the video. However, I have used videos in the past as an object lesson. It is easier to show what I am talking about then to be accused of bias and assumption by not showing it. Please do not judge me as I wrestle with to show or not to show. I have just found that when you can communicate what you are talking about by example, it makes it easier for our teens to dissect and make a 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 decision. I have brought them a long way in the movies they watch but videos are still another thing. I guess it is growth by bite-sized chunks but still growth nonetheless.
Ok I watched it... I felt
Ok I watched it... I felt filthy just viewing it. As a woman and a staff youth pastor I am grieved by the message(s) delivered. Sex, gender bashing, twist & tease porn, skin, it wasnt even a relevent song or cleaver by content, it didnt even pretend,,,just plain porn! Where to even start? What also alarms me is the fact that most of the world will not pay attention and if they do... will they care, and even if we as chritians see it, even repulsed, what will we say and do to send a message to the youth to hopefully not glorify it ...but also deal with it. It truly is the sign of the times we are living in, wow! I know we are in the world not of it, I also see how youth are constantly romanced by this trash and get to the point they actually say, "Yea so what, it's no big deal." Forgive us Father.
Woah. I just went to youtube
Woah. I just went to youtube to watch this video. (shakes my head) I am starting to pray for the kids in my youth group right now. Thanks again Walt for letting me know what 'next' sad and shocking thing they are being exposed to. God bless you and your ministry!
I'd rather you have warned
I'd rather you have warned me up front versus at the end that the review I was about to read could be hard to read for guys tempted to go surfing and look up everything sexual you were about to describe. Now that I've read it (including the great descriptions of Spears looking virtually nude), I'm going to ask for you to pray for me to not look this video up online.
.
Because right now, I really, really want to.
Thanks for sharing this 3D
Thanks for sharing this 3D view. I happened to see this video this morning while flipping the channels. I rarely watch any secular music videos, but do so on occasion to see what my students are being exposed to. I was shocked, yet not surprised, by what I saw in the video. It's easy to see why so many of our students struggle with sexuality and gender roles with the culture they are exposed to. I look to share this with parents of our students in the near future as we work through Youth Culture 101. Thanks again for sharing this review.
Thanks Walt for your
Thanks Walt for your ministry! Thank you Walt for your passion for today's youth. Your article is helping in the fight to "hate what is evil and cling to what is good." I think this issue with the Spears video needs to be addressed with our group and the parents need to be advised as well. God bless, Nathan.
It is strange how the non
It is strange how the non Christian community will completely forgive and restore a person who has had so much shame and disaster in their life, maybe we should take some notes.
The other sad part is to watch another Disney kid throwing their life away to please the thrill/shock seeking pulic.
I am not a woman but it seems simple, if you prefer not being treated like an object,dont display yourself as one.
I would neever show this to my small group of guys for discussion they wouldnt recover.
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