Bismarck-Mandan has a number of high-quality free publications available, one of which is called Inspired Woman. I like Inspired Woman; it features local women and what they are doing for the community. While out on errands, I walked by a magazine rack and my eyes brushed over the cover. In a Freudian slip of the mind, I found myself thinking that “Insipid Woman” was a terrible magazine title.
I realized my mistake moments after the thought went through my head, but it gave me pause.
Insipidity, or lacking in qualities that would make a person interesting or stimulating, would be a terrible characteristic to highlight in a magazine. I can only imagine what kind of articles such a publication would contain, or what such a publication would look like.
Except, I don’t have to imagine.
I thought about the magazines I see on the racks in the stores, filled with fat-laden recipes next to ways to lose weight, airbrushed celebrities giving inane interviews about their sex life and personal spirituality, guilting us into being “green” as a trend and completely missing the irony, or articles telling us how to love ourself and look out for number one.
Insipid women is the goal of most women’s magazines, as it turns out.
Several years ago, I was asked if I would be interested in participating in a possible new magazine start-up that would feature people who have done amazing things to help others. I was all for it, but the project never materialized. As it turns out, it is difficult to get funding, advertisers, and interest for such a thing. Inanity sells. In fact, because I am forever a closet snob, I am willing to bet that there would be a market for a magazine entitled Jejune You! because it sounds French (it isn’t) and exotic and would be ever so easy to fill. The content would contain the usual blather you might find in Operah’s self-serving lovefest, mixed in with two parts Glamour and one part In Touch.
At least former-felon Martha Stewart’s magazine, which inevitably leaves me feeling unqualified in handicrafts and cooking, attempts to hide its inanity by educating me on pale neutrals and tasteful methods of tying bows.
This leaves me thinking about women’s magazines, and what women want.
Frankly, I don’t know. I don’t get most women. I’d like to hit some women every time they open their mouths, but I don’t get them.
What content would I put in my magazine, if I were to create one? I do know I enjoy reading Men’s Journal. They often have great articles about adventure and political intrigue and gadgets. Wired is a fun magazine. I like crossword puzzles. I like recipes. I used to borrow copies of Ellery Queen and Asmiov’s Science Fiction magazine to read. I used to get PC World, but that’s an online-only publication now, and I get most of my tech info from online sources anyway. I had a subscription to the Economist which I enjoyed. I get The Week as a sort of news aggregator (had a free subscription), somewhat like a Weekly Reader for grown-ups.
Magazines defined as “women’s interest”, in general, don’t inspire me anymore. I don’t give a rat’s ass what kind of suit coat makes my waist look slimmer, frankly.
I have a feeling my magazine would not be a success, due to classification problems.
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Oprah’s not my guru either.
A woman (insipid? I don’t know) has written a book in which she details her project of living by the rules of Oprah for a year. I would like to read it if she concludes that it’s a bunch of fertilizer. Otherwise, no.
Not that that has anything to do with magazines. But your posts always bring to mind many different things.