INSIGHTS
Barbie and the dumbing down of America

PLEASE NOTE: Mobilized is apolitical. We do not endorse any political party or candidate. However, in these divisive times, we recognize that open discussion is necessary for the resolution of divergent opinions. Consequently, we have added a new section called FORUMS that will host important OPINIONS posted my Mobilized Members. These are the opinions of the members alone and do not represent Mobilized News.
By Michael Caporale
My Ex and I have a great relationship. Mutual respect and intelligence live on far past our marital differences. She is a dyed-in-the-wool feminist, an informed and opinionated authority but unfortunately enamored of the full frontal, overly obvious, feminist message cementing the recent Barbie movie.
I was not so impressed. The basis for her approval lies in the film’s simplistic message, which in her belief was that of Barbie’s originator, Ruth Handler. She maintains that Ruth conceived the doll as a feminist icon simply because her stated purpose was said to be inspirational.
While it is true that Ruth imagined transitioning doll toys from the typical baby-dolls of the period, ones that fostered mothering, to a full-figured grown woman with breasts, it was not until much later that Barbie became a career woman and eventually diversified as a woman of color. Without the slightest degree of cynicism, it’s easy to understand that these changes were a commercial necessity to extend Mattel’s market rather than an altruistic attempt to make the world a better place. Politics has always been a great marketing tool, as the many country and western singers who have increased their fortunes with songs extolling patriotism, usually aired during an unpopular war, can attest.
The original Barbie doll was a model of unrealistic proportions only seen in fashion illustrations of the day. Tall and skinny, with abnormally long legs, a tiny waist and bullet shaped boobs resembling those of Jane Russell in a push up bra, Barbie was, if anything, largely responsible for a wave of body shaming that followed. In 1965 my fifteen-year-old girlfriend would brag that her measurements were 34/23/34, yet with a waist of only a mere 23 inches, she
religiously wore a girdle to further compact her waist. Why?
She grew up with Barbie!
“In her book “Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Living Doll”, author M.G. Lord argued that Barbie is the most potent icon of American culture of the late 20th century. ‘She’s an archetypal female figure, she’s something upon which little girls project their idealized selves,’ she writes. ‘For most baby boomers, she has the same iconic resonance as any female saints, although without the same religious significance.’”
Greta Gerwig, the film’s director is much like a Barbie, in that she is more of a marketable commodity than a director.
Call me old-fashioned but in my day the great directors were Kubrick, Coppola, Spielberg, Bertolucci, Scorsese, Cameron and many others who were bona fide auteurs creating enduring cinematic literature with their original voices. Gerwig’s career was set on a forward path with her breakout film, “Lady Bird,” a trite, sophomoric coming-of-age tale regurgitating the overused, standardized themes of parental conflict and unrequited,
forlorn puppy-love, the universal teen experience with nothing new to be added by Gerwig. It is her fortune that political timing required a marketable commodity by virtue of a more diversified recognition of female directors and, let’s face it, she was the low hanging fruit. But compared to the many truly great women directors that preceded her, people like Mira Nair, Joan Chen, Nora Ephron, Penny Marshall, Sophia Coppola, Jane Campion, Katheryn Bigelow and Ava Duvernay, she pales by comparison.
Further exploration of her career confirms the vapid nature of her direction as simplistic fluff. With her next big film, “Little Women,” she reduces an important piece of literature by modernizing it into a “90210” version palatable to teens who have never seen the inside of a library. Following in the footsteps of Sophia Coppola’s film, “Marie Antoinette,” and Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellows,” she parrots their successful use of contemporary music to add
energy and meaning to their stories. But in her attempt, it’s no more than pablum fed to infantile children.
She is no less than a contributor to the dumbing of America.
Recently, my opinion of her directorial stature was confirmed when she appeared on the “Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. She floundered in response to his questions, often stammering indecisively to formulate a response. On another night, this was also confirmed (unwittingly) by Billie Eilish who in the telling of the story about how she came to be hired for the film’s theme song, she revealed the same indecisive lack of direction by Gerwig. Yes, the argument can be made that film is a collaborative process, and yes, it was the right thing to give Eilish complete freedom to create, but the manner in which it occurred was more like a default than a direction. To be clear, the only redeemable quality of the Barbie film was Eilish’s song, “What Was I Made For,” deeply poignant, appropriately moody and a tribute to Eilish’s ability to interpret the essence of the Barbie problem in a way that both challenges and confirms the dolls very existence. She is truly brilliant.
In contrast, I have to wonder WTF is Ryan Gosling doing both performing and recording a Christmas version of “I’m Just Ken” as a follow up to the film. Is he riding the coattails of the film’s success or was this a marketing plan he was contracted to? Either way, it’s debasing.
And as befits this tired fairytale, Greta Gerwig was recently elected to be the President of the Cannes Film Festival Jury… and they all lived happily ever after.
INFO-COMM
The Painful Truth about AI & Robotics

By 2045, there will be virtually nothing a human can do that a machine cannot to better for a tiny fraction of the cost. A robot that has a lifetime cost of $10,000, works 22 hours per day, and lasts 5 years would have an hourly marginal cost of just 25 cents. And when robots are building all the robots, they will cost a lot less than $10,000.
The marginal cost of labor will plummet toward zero as adoption of humanoid robots powered by increasingly capable AI explodes across every virtually industry worldwide. Humans simply will not be able to compete.
Join Adam Dorr, RethinkX Director of Research as he relays his latest insight on the inevitable and painful truth of the coming disruption of the human labor engine by AI and humanoid robots…
Visit the RethinkX Website for more groundbreaking insights: https://www.rethinkx.com
Connecting the Dots
A Call for Public Media in a Broken Democracy

Courtesy of Pressenza
To confront the barrage of executive orders and undiplomatic policies from the U.S. government, the opposition is focusing on restoring institutions to their pre-Trump state—without recognizing that it was precisely those institutions that created the conditions for the current crisis.
The democracy they claim to defend was largely formal: it worked for some while leaving millions marginalized. For decades, no serious action was taken to stop the relentless concentration of wealth, the decline in living standards, or the dehumanizing effects of unchecked technological development. These issues remain unaddressed.
Now, the new administration is threatening to cut federal funding for public radio and television, accusing these outlets of being too “leftist” or “woke.”
But perhaps even more revealing than the threat itself is the reaction of public media institutions. WNYC in New York, for example, has leveraged this threat primarily as a fundraising opportunity, urging listeners to donate out of fear rather than conviction.
This response exposes a fundamental contradiction. These institutions speak of “democracy” and “public service,” yet they are unable—or unwilling—to mount a truly democratic response. Why aren’t they calling on people to stand up for public goods? Why not organize a large-scale campaign, like a concert in Central Park, to advocate for a federal public funding system that remains independent of presidential politics? New York has plenty of artists ready to contribute and stand up for others.
The question becomes clear:
Will institutions like WNYC and NPR help advance genuine democracy, or will they gradually transform into privatized versions of non-profit entities? If we want democracy, we need active public participation. If we accept privatization, we merely need people’s money.
Today, there is no visible leadership in our so-called democratic institutions that is mobilizing the population to build a new democratic system—one that addresses economic redistribution and real public participation. This isn’t just about public broadcasting. What future awaits Social Security, Medicare, the U.S. Postal Service, public libraries, and other essential public services?
These institutions cannot be privatized. No modern society can develop without deepening democracy, improving standards of living, and ensuring collective well-being. A society governed primarily by self-interest ultimately undermines itself.
So today, my call is to WNYC and NPR: Please stop trying to merely save yourselves in a collapsing system. Instead, help move the country forward. Mobilize people. Inspire engagement. Become a force in building a new, inclusive society for all.
INSIGHTS
Flip the Script: An Open Call to Community Leaders Everywhere

In every corner of the world, communities are confronting intersecting crises: environmental collapse, social injustice, economic inequality, misinformation, and broken systems. But behind the headlines—beyond the noise—a different story is being written.
It’s a story of courage, collaboration, and collective wisdom.
It’s a story that isn’t being told loudly enough.
That’s where you come in.
We are MobilizedNews.com, and this is an open invitation to flip the script—to break free from crisis-driven media loops and become part of a global, cooperative network of community leaders, media makers, and changemakers who are turning knowledge into action and stories into systems change.
Why “Flip the Script”?
Because we’re tired of narratives that divide, distract, and disempower.
Because we know there’s more to the world than corruption, conflict, and catastrophe.
Because we’ve seen what’s possible when communities lead with ethics, inclusion, and imagination.
“Flipping the script” means reclaiming the narrative—telling the stories that corporate media won’t, and building the systems that status quo institutions can’t.
It means showing what’s working, who’s rising, and how we’re moving forward together.
What Is Mobilized News?
MobilizedNews.com is not just a media platform—it’s a collaborative movement and a living library of solutions, strategies, and shared wisdom.
We connect:
- Community leaders and organizers
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Together, we’re co-creating an ethical, decentralized media ecosystem that amplifies truth, fosters cooperation, and spotlights real, systemic solutions—across sectors, cultures, and continents.
What We Offer
✅ A platform to publish your stories, initiatives, and blueprints for change
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Whether you’re launching a circular economy hub, leading a mutual aid network, running a local school garden, or organizing for indigenous land rights—your story matters here.
Who We’re Calling In
- Neighborhood organizers and social justice leaders
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- Co-op builders, educators, and public health champions
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- Dreamers. Doers. People like you.
You don’t need a fancy press kit or a big budget.
You just need a truth to share—and a will to build.
Get Mobilized
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Final Word: This Is the Media We Need
Corporate news thrives on fear.
We thrive on connection, co-creation, and courage.
Mobilized News is the future of media made by and for the people—a place where movements can move together.
So if you’re ready to reclaim the narrative…
If you’re building something rooted in justice, care, and imagination…
If you believe another world is possible—and happening now…
Flip the script. Get Mobilized. Join us.
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