The Beauty Backlash
- Thread starter AmberEyes
- Start date
I think it's to some degree, a mutually dysfunctional relationship.... we do allow ourselves to be lead to the trough via the advertising, but I still think that if we exercise some awareness of what our buying power is perpetuating, we do have the power to change the course of the media machine.
I didn't miss the main idea, I simply hold that the premise is invalid. I attempted to illustrate that by pointing out that women living in cultures with little or no media exposure, endure the same pressures as far as attracting a mate is concerned. My argument was that women's focuses are steered not by media, as can be demonstrated, but by something little more biological.
Perhaps I missed something here. Not quite sure of what context you have in mind when referrring to style, spelling, grammar, etc. has to do with your comment that the medium is the message. This might be of interest to some; http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm
BTW, "the medium is the message" was McLuhan's comment.
Biologically speaking, it is predominantly the male of a species that fights for a woman's attention as can be seen by the myriad of male creatures which are more colourfully adorned than the female of the species.
Looking back in hooman history, it was, for a time, a large woman who commanded the attention of the males. Why? Because a large woman presented the appearance of wealth due to her never having to want for food. These days women are raised to fear food because of the superficial attitude instilled in people by the media.
ummm no, doesn't make sense, you did not define who you were referring to with the 'we' and therefore it was safe to assume you were speaking for the group present within the discussion. I wanted to make it clear you were not speaking for me. (Can I now assume we're got that clear?) :lol:
As I just said, yes it was inferred.
I don't know what boat you're on, but yes I do think you're missing something here. I can only speak from personal experience on this one aspect of your theory: I have never considered myself on the outside looking in when it comes to beauty, nor have I ever considered myself to be one of those who fit that elusive ideal (thank gawd!) and yet I do find the media plays a huge role in demonstrating for me what standard - attainable or not - that somebody, somewhere has decided is what my goal as a woman should be. This certainly hasn't caused me to feel alienated from society - but it has caused me to be diligent in teaching both my daughter and my son to beware of allowing the media to do their thinking for them, and to look deeper than physical looks before deciding what is beautiful in another.
And that's when hypocrisy set in. You take exception to my use of the word "we" than two short paragraphs later you introduce "all of us" to the argument. For the record, I do not believe myself groteque, nor do I believe myself incapable of critical thought. Yet, I am in almost total disagreement with the argument offered by the esteemed forum member.
You've manipulated my words with the above quote. What I said was: "You underestimate all of us who know ourselves to be beautiful and capable of critical thought". How much more clearly could I have defined which "we" I was referring to?
I disagree with both statements there. Assumptions should at least be based on something that more than a rare few believe before being introduced as valid within a discussion of any kind. I also think your assumption is terribly far off the mark, and motivated more by a generalized and self-admitted dislike of women than anything truly valid.
You seem to be using a specific form of media in generalized terms. Perhaps you could benefit by the definition of the word "media": take it from an expert on the subject of "media"; http://deoxy.org/media/McLuhan
lmao The media is constantly pressuring people in general to buy this, think that, etc. So you are basically saying that women alone are not being steered by the media to buy things? That they are not being steered to thinking certain ways?
Thank you so much for the laugh.
lmao Yes of course. Men have no brains and are limited to one emotion, lust. :roll: Perhaps the hormonally driven teen is like that, but grown up men have a little bit broader horizons than just sex. At least this 53 year old does.
That sounds like a personal issue and you are being highly subjective and I might say, projecting your own views as that of every man.
Only in your mind.
Ah, finally a little factual info from you. Yes, part of the pressure does come from other women. But that does not negate the fact that media and men are also part of the problem.
Yes, women have no brains. Just bodies. :roll:
Yes there are no powerful older and ugly women. :roll:
lol I agree. But you have done that exact same thing: let me refresh your memory and quote you; "Men are just horndogs. They just want to screw". Also you've done nothing but paint women all with the same brush. You really are a comical little fella.
I am beginning to feel sorry for you. Misogyny seems to drive your thoughts.
.....
Ahah! I knew it, a definite, dyed-in-the-wool misogynist. No bias in your views. lmao
Ahah!! Resorting to the ad hominem attack as an argument. tsk tsk.
.............
Laughable
It's only BS to you.
Have a nice day.
Last edited:
Yes we do. If we all actually pointed out to the media that what they think we want and need is wrong and they should actually pay closer attention to what we DO want and need, it'd be a start. Unfortunately we all just won't do that because we are apathetic, lazy, etc. So it is up to a few to speak for the masses. And this just feeds the problem all over again.
You really have no idea what media is, do you? Yet you ASSUME that you do and pontificate about it profusely. You are funny.
I'm a large middle aged woman. Im cool with that. I buy magazines like "Scientific American". I do wax my chin though, middle age brings itchy hairs. I don't do it to be more appealing. I do it to be more comfortable.
And just for the sake of saying it, if warrior was my son I'd slap him upside the head.
Now where was I. oh yes, body image. There comes a point in life where you assess your overal value. What you have been taught by your family, by society, and by advertising will play a role in that, but as an adult with a brain you have the OPTION of discarding the negatives.
My mother put me on a diet at age 4. I stayed on it through high school and eventually became anorexic. She did it because HER mother did the same to her--and her mother did it because in the 40's and early 50's glamour was everything. Im pleased to say that my girls are not only a healthy weight, but are also comfortable in thier bodies.
I would like to lose 100 pounds for health reasons. I don't wear makeup unless it is a very special occasion. I have comfortable clothes and shoes without those crazy heels. Ive never had a problem getting laid. Ever. Even when I was larger than I am now.
I worry about things like the economy, the household things, whether my kids are getting the education they should. Beauty et al has no place in my mind. Ive done my assessment and discovered Im just fine being me. THAT is what we need to be teaching our children.
Thus ends my menopausal rant for this evening.
And just for the sake of saying it, if warrior was my son I'd slap him upside the head.
Now where was I. oh yes, body image. There comes a point in life where you assess your overal value. What you have been taught by your family, by society, and by advertising will play a role in that, but as an adult with a brain you have the OPTION of discarding the negatives.
My mother put me on a diet at age 4. I stayed on it through high school and eventually became anorexic. She did it because HER mother did the same to her--and her mother did it because in the 40's and early 50's glamour was everything. Im pleased to say that my girls are not only a healthy weight, but are also comfortable in thier bodies.
I would like to lose 100 pounds for health reasons. I don't wear makeup unless it is a very special occasion. I have comfortable clothes and shoes without those crazy heels. Ive never had a problem getting laid. Ever. Even when I was larger than I am now.
I worry about things like the economy, the household things, whether my kids are getting the education they should. Beauty et al has no place in my mind. Ive done my assessment and discovered Im just fine being me. THAT is what we need to be teaching our children.
Thus ends my menopausal rant for this evening.
Can't we all just be friends?
Zen, thanks for the welcome. I must have come in through the back door. I didn't see an intro thread.
L Gilbert, I was quoting McLuhan but not meaning anything so enigmatic. English in its own context, a work of language written for an English professor - I have spoken literally.
Perhaps Warrior got out of the wrong side of the bed. Surely we needn't resort to a misogenistic interpretation of his bitterness against feminism. He has simply missed the end of the battle of the sexes. A penile napoleonic complex is a blinding thing.
Finally Amber gets some better balanced grist for her essay. Surely enough is here. But what is the word count target, and when do we see the next draft? I guess it's a popular subject.
I posit that the battle of the sexes ended in profound symbolism at 11:39 A.M. EST January 28, 1986 when a school teacher named Christa McAuliffe rode the rocket to death and stopped the American space program in front of the whole world in the Challenger disaster.
Now we are just cleaning up, acknowledging error, taking additional precaution, and making the path straight for half the human race. Women are not always their own best allies, and the entertainment media is too often a dead ender, abetted by women to the point of self-destruction.
Zen, thanks for the welcome. I must have come in through the back door. I didn't see an intro thread.
L Gilbert, I was quoting McLuhan but not meaning anything so enigmatic. English in its own context, a work of language written for an English professor - I have spoken literally.
Perhaps Warrior got out of the wrong side of the bed. Surely we needn't resort to a misogenistic interpretation of his bitterness against feminism. He has simply missed the end of the battle of the sexes. A penile napoleonic complex is a blinding thing.
Finally Amber gets some better balanced grist for her essay. Surely enough is here. But what is the word count target, and when do we see the next draft? I guess it's a popular subject.
I posit that the battle of the sexes ended in profound symbolism at 11:39 A.M. EST January 28, 1986 when a school teacher named Christa McAuliffe rode the rocket to death and stopped the American space program in front of the whole world in the Challenger disaster.
Now we are just cleaning up, acknowledging error, taking additional precaution, and making the path straight for half the human race. Women are not always their own best allies, and the entertainment media is too often a dead ender, abetted by women to the point of self-destruction.
very good essay. i agree with all of it.
there is, however a simple solution to the problem: don't read it, and don't let your kids read it.
also, i'd like to point out that "it's" is a contraction of "it is" and not the way to show that something belongs to "it" (you use "its" there).
there is, however a simple solution to the problem: don't read it, and don't let your kids read it.
also, i'd like to point out that "it's" is a contraction of "it is" and not the way to show that something belongs to "it" (you use "its" there).
There was no word count, it was supposed to be about a 6 page essay, double spaced. It was not meant to be the final word, and with such a small limit there's no way I could stuff anything else into it. It was a draft, the final copy is in the hands of my english professor. The essay posted was already proofread, and so whatever punctuation/spelling errors were present were already eliminated way before I put it up for scrutiny.
Hi I'm darkbeaver, nice to met you, can I get you some tea or coffee. I was curious about your suggestion that a profoundly symbolic event for women had occured 11.39 AM EST January 28/86. I posit that Margaret Meade or Golda Mier or one of thousands of other women throughout history would have preceeded the wreak victim.