I have a young daughter and I think a lot about the values and ethics I can give her so she grows up to be a smart, assertive woman. I would feel like a failure if she turned out as vacuous and unthinking as Jade. Many little girls go through a princess stage and that’s fine and natural, but if the parents have ensured their little girl is rewarded for educational achievement rather than for being pretty, then she should grow out of it with a proper sense of self-worth and more ambition in life than wanting to meeting Mr Perfect.
I don’t hate Jade, I feel sorry for her. At almost every general knowledge quiz she’s shown herself to be a complete dunce, and I’m sure it’s not because she’s just stupid, it’s because, like many pretty teenage girls, she was allowed to get away with not working hard at her studies because of her looks. How do you think the stereotype of the ditzy blond came about? They’re not all genuine dimwits because of the colour of their hair or because they’re good looking. It’s a cultural thing, where pretty girls are expected and encouraged to be good looking and compliant, and not much else.
Bloody hell, could you imagine how Ed would react if Jade was smart and assertive? He’d run a mile! But the more involved they become, the more submissive and unthinking Jade becomes. She has repeatedly and willingly chosen to be a doormat. Sure, she’s young and everyone makes mistakes when they’re young. For this reason I pity her rather than hate her. But, again, it just shows her low level of expectation - find a great looking guy and pin him down. As a father I think this is so disappointing. Initially I really liked Jade, but I reckon Tim had it right last night when he said that Ed and Jade are turning into each other. She wants nothing from Ed except for him to love her back and as a result is willing to overlook his persistent weaknesses and lack of gumption.
