Is Marilyn Monroe a “role model”?

Submitted by davesthread t3_10q8wiz in movies

Having watched Blonde, and having limited knowledge of her personal life, I’m curious why people would consider her a “role model”.

Although she clearly had a massive impact in pop culture, it clearly came at a cost. Her life should be remembered and discussed, as a lot of what she experienced is still taboo and experienced today. But is that something to look up to?

My personal opinion is that a lot of people’s idolizations are towards the facade that Hollywood presented.

Edit: it’s been noted in the comments that the movie is more fiction that truth. Just to be clear, I didn’t intend to say I’m trusting the movie 100%. But I do think it paints the opposite extreme spectrum that the movie industry has done with image.

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sadlibra t1_j6onkp7 wrote

I don’t think I would describe her as a role model, but I also wouldn’t trust Blonde to be anywhere near historically and factually accurate.

She was just a beautiful woman taken advantage by her industry and the time period and many men in her life. She was complex and smart and talented, yet is often reduced to a sex symbol. Her life was quite sad.

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davesthread OP t1_j6onyht wrote

This was my “limited” understanding.

Which is why I questioned why some girls in high school, or some adult women today, look up to up to her as inspiration.

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chadisdangerous t1_j6op9zh wrote

Many idolize her purely for aesthetic reasons (ie her beauty and style), but many also idolize her for persevering and creating a remarkable career for herself despite the many abuses and personal problems she suffered.

Like this person said she was more intelligent and proactive than she's given credit for. She wasn't a piece of clay that was molded into the Marilyn Monroe we know, she was a hard-working businesswoman who developed a persona that had mass appeal and had the talent to back it up. It takes an incredible amount of resilience and strength to accomplish that despite the aforementioned abuse and addiction, and there's plenty to admire or idolize in her personal character even if you put her appearance aside.

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BEE_REAL_ t1_j6ojmud wrote

Blonde isn't real, it is based on a fictional book

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davesthread OP t1_j6omdj9 wrote

That’s fair. As I mentioned, I don’t know much.

That being said, is she still worthy of a “role model”?

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GoldStarGranny t1_j6olgv8 wrote

I think Marilyn is more of a fashion/style icon than a role model. I was obsessed with her as a teenager, but it was only about the aesthetic.

I don’t really understand your last sentence at all though, OP. Can you clarify?

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davesthread OP t1_j6onocd wrote

I can totally understand the fashion aspect.

I do however remember girls in high school, and even adult women today, who looked up to her.

Just curious if there was more that’s she’s done.

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ToFitSomewhere t1_j6oorsp wrote

People look up to people they look up to. If you don't "get it" perhaps it's not for you to get.

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davesthread OP t1_j6op0se wrote

What kind of response is this?

This was posted as a discussion to understand.

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amyaurora t1_j6ojzsz wrote

Blonde is based of of a novel. A novel that took real elements of her life and added fiction to it.

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Tayreads608 t1_j6ovlo9 wrote

Marilyn Monroe is a character that was created to sell a product. A lot of time that product was sex in an environment that was relatively sexless. We still use that character to sell shit like posters and candy bars. I think to look at Monroe as a role model is just another reinvention of that brand.

Norma Jean was the person behind that and whether or not she is a role model is a complicated question that doesn’t have one definitive answer. She was a woman with a lot of brilliance that managed to get ahead at times in a system designed to digest her, but at the end of the day it did in fact consume her.

Blonde is an exploration of the way we create and consume celebrities. I think rather than asking if she is a role model, we should be investigating the way in which we as an audience consume these women.

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davesthread OP t1_j6owkyp wrote

I would agree that our societal consumption of celebrities and images is unhealthy, especially women and sex.

I posed the question literally because I’ve heard her presented to me as someone’s “role model” several times. Was curious to hear why.

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PineappleBetter8444 t1_j6pg71c wrote

I think the idolization stems from her "persona" and the fact she died well over 50 years ago under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Throw in the idea she was relatively young when died (36), and it perpetuates the myth in a way.

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Think of James Dean. Similar to Monroe (both died young and are still idolized to this day). While Dean's death was far more obvious, the fact he died young adds a kind of mystique and allure that wouldn't be there had he died at a much older age. I feel it's a very similar concept with Monroe

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mickeyflinn t1_j6ouvln wrote

NO. Everything to do with Monroe's public image was Hollywood fantasy from start to finish.

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WatchMoreMovies t1_j6oy8l0 wrote

Probably shouldn't be. Although Blonde is admittedly fiction it kind of takes a Darkest Timeline approach to her life and shows just how rough patches of it could have been. And that version of her certainly suffered terribly.

She's good as an example, though. If anything. For modern people to look at the scum involved in her life, who used and abused her, and to identify and recognize if anyone in their lives behave similarly, gaslight them or manipulate them. Maybe knowing how to spot that sort of thing ahead of time can save someone else.

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NoHandBananaNo t1_j6pdwfk wrote

  • Marilyn Monroe isnt a role model she's an icon. Young women like her because she's sexy, glamorous, and had a relatively large dress size by celeb women standards.

  • That wasnt a biopic and you probably have a very distorted idea of who she was and what she's known for irl.

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gaussian-noise123 t1_j6pgpbk wrote

Never met anyone considering her as a role model, she’s vastly considered as a pop culture icon, the Hollywood golden girl, which are far far way from a role model

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DeezSaltyNuts69 t1_j6omiqj wrote

How could a dead person be a role model in 2023?

If you asking if she WAS a role model when she was alive, ask your grand parents

The movie is based on a novel AKA not real it wasn't an autobiography

Do you have an actual movie related question?

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davesthread OP t1_j6oogwj wrote

Are you saying only people alive can be role models?

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DeezSaltyNuts69 t1_j6owq8p wrote

Yes that is exactly what I am saying

How are you going to look up to someone who wasn't alive when you were alive?

You have to go by other people's accounts of that's person's life which may or may not be accurate, and your post is a great example of this - The movie blonde isn't factual it was based on a novel - it was NOT a biography of MM and the movie wasn't a bio pic

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