Slender Body

Pean kolmapäevaks kirjutama järjekordse referaadi. Sellega seoses vaatasin üle vanu kirjutisi ning leidsin ühe aine raames tehtud kokkuvõtte Susan Bordo artiklist “Reading the Slender Body".

"Diet – in the earlier it was meant for few for improving “self”. Slenderness was put in use by status seeking middle class who wanted to show off – slender wives became showpieces of their husband’s success. Diet for improving body has become “tyranny of slenderness”.

Media implicates that being extreme with dieting is bad, being fat, ugly and otherwise different perhaps even worse. Self-criticism is focused on being tighter, smoother, on being fit. Often the whole body isn’t considered to be problematic but simply parts of it. Mostly become problematic soft areas such as stomach. Monster coming out from stomach and half-man half-monster theme can be considered as a visual representation of psycho-cultural anxieties.

In the media is a call for violent assault on the enemy – “attack”, “destroy” imperfections, “burn” fat. All is up to willpower and self-control. We are in a battle, fighting against our bodies and pain is simply natural part of battle.

Modern world has created dualism by being “producer-selves” and restraining ourselves, being fit, controlled and also being “consumer-selves” and want immediate satisfaction of our desires. Some examples in a result to dualism are anorexia as an ultimate self-control, bulimia and obesity as the path of totally giving in for the desires. And still looking normal is the only choice that is socially accepted.

Slender body is created by culture and influenced by media. No body can escape!"

Tuleb varsti alustada enda võitlust keha ja selle nõrkuste vastu. Sessi ajal oluliseim neist on uni. Mingi aeg mõtlesin selle üle, et tänapäeval on hoolimisest ning soojast suhtumisest saanud samuti nõrkused, iseloomu vead. Sellised väärtushinnagud võivad tuleneda eelpoolmainitust. Vajadus on olla tugev, olla vormis. Vaja on võidelda enda ja kogu maailma vastu, sest iga inimene on oma elus üksi. Igaüks iseenda eest. Pole ime, et sinna juurde ühtlasi on vaja psühholoogilist abi.