Men unhappy with their bodies... - Page 3

Pheebs · 12-09-2008, 18:33

Hmmm... maybe I'm not conveying myself right.

Okay. Hypothetical:

A young girl called Molly has a birthday and is bought a present which is some girly mag (I don't know any... let's call it Bimbo!) So yeh. Molly gets Bimbo for her birthday (*waits for fay to pop in and say he want's a bimbo for his birthday*

) It has lots of pictures in it of pretty models who have been cropped and paintshopped up to the max. It also has make up in it and hunky boy band posters for her to stick on the wall and a fashion section of the newest hippest things around.

Do you think that Molly wouldn't feel at all influenced/strained/pushed to be like or wear stuff like what she sees in the magazine - which all of her friends have also got?

And if you're going to say "It's what Molly wants!!" how does she know she wants it? She's super dooper young! If she was born into some tribe in the jungle she wouldn't want it!

Another way to look at media influences is through tribes who have little - if any - contact with the media. From studies I have read I have the understanding that very few tribes have body issue problems similar to us...? One study... I will have to dig it out of my old psychology book... looked into TV and it's influence on children. They introduced TV to a small society of people who hadn't had such a thing previously and conducted a long term *argh*... something study (christ I'm dusty and have forgotten the type of study I mean... it'll come back to me). Anyhoo.. after 5 years the scientists discovered that the children had grown up to suit stereotypes more than how they had prior to having TV within their society. They also conformed to the fashion more so and there were increased cases of bullying.

I know studies have to be taken with a pinch of salt with problems arising about biased views/people being aware of being in a study and therefore conforming to what they think the scientists would want to see... but when reading it and looking at the statistics it spoke volumes.

Lana · 12-09-2008, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by cleanbluesky

No one is forcing anyone to watch the media, the media is a servant to the desire of the people. If we didn't desire it, why would we spend money for it? If we didn't desire it, why would they not provide something else?

Not sure I agree that the media is a servant to the desire of the people. I think that the media is a leader instead of just a reflection of what people want. When Marilyn Monroe was around and famous, women wanted to be bigger and more curvy like her. When Twiggy was a top model, everyone wanted to be stick thin like she was. Girls now want to have a J-Lo booty and Angelina's lips.

I think that the media has a whole lot to do with problems with self image. By taking something inachievable to most people and making that the ideal, it's setting a lot of people up for disappointment.

cleanbluesky · 12-09-2008, 18:40

Tribes are more complicated because social pressures are communicated in different ways - they can't pick up a magazine, but some of them go to extreme length to appear attractive - sticking discs in their lips and stretching their necks.

As far as 'body image issues' are concerned, psychologists should be taken with a pinch of salt much of their push to classify disorders is so that they can secure more funding. I think that the only difference between a person in a tribe is that they get much more benefit from their social status that someone in the West because the West can be so faceless and impersonal due to the size of our society and the way that we can live in much, much larger and impersonal communities.

Pheebs · 12-09-2008, 19:00

Have to pop out - food shopping requirements!

I agree with you to a certain extent but think there's a lot more to it

As said - it's all very complex! May debate later - probably won't as food needs to be eaten and wine needs to be drunk!

12-09-2008, 18:33	#21
Pheebs Deep Throat Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 6,512	Hmmm... maybe I'm not conveying myself right. Okay. Hypothetical: A young girl called Molly has a birthday and is bought a present which is some girly mag (I don't know any... let's call it Bimbo!) So yeh. Molly gets Bimbo for her birthday (waits for fay to pop in and say he want's a bimbo for his birthday ) It has lots of pictures in it of pretty models who have been cropped and paintshopped up to the max. It also has make up in it and hunky boy band posters for her to stick on the wall and a fashion section of the newest hippest things around. Do you think that Molly wouldn't feel at all influenced/strained/pushed to be like or wear stuff like what she sees in the magazine - which all of her friends have also got? And if you're going to say "It's what Molly wants!!" how does she know she wants it? She's super dooper young! If she was born into some tribe in the jungle she wouldn't want it! Another way to look at media influences is through tribes who have little - if any - contact with the media. From studies I have read I have the understanding that very few tribes have body issue problems similar to us...? One study... I will have to dig it out of my old psychology book... looked into TV and it's influence on children. They introduced TV to a small society of people who hadn't had such a thing previously and conducted a long term argh... something study (christ I'm dusty and have forgotten the type of study I mean... it'll come back to me). Anyhoo.. after 5 years the scientists discovered that the children had grown up to suit stereotypes more than how they had prior to having TV within their society. They also conformed to the fashion more so and there were increased cases of bullying. I know studies have to be taken with a pinch of salt with problems arising about biased views/people being aware of being in a study and therefore conforming to what they think the scientists would want to see... but when reading it and looking at the statistics it spoke volumes. __________________ http://www.spiffingdesigns.co.uk

12-09-2008, 19:00	#24
Pheebs Deep Throat Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 6,512	Have to pop out - food shopping requirements! I agree with you to a certain extent but think there's a lot more to it As said - it's all very complex! May debate later - probably won't as food needs to be eaten and wine needs to be drunk! __________________ http://www.spiffingdesigns.co.uk

12-09-2008, 18:40	#23
cleanbluesky Abandoned Ship Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 492	Tribes are more complicated because social pressures are communicated in different ways - they can't pick up a magazine, but some of them go to extreme length to appear attractive - sticking discs in their lips and stretching their necks. As far as 'body image issues' are concerned, psychologists should be taken with a pinch of salt much of their push to classify disorders is so that they can secure more funding. I think that the only difference between a person in a tribe is that they get much more benefit from their social status that someone in the West because the West can be so faceless and impersonal due to the size of our society and the way that we can live in much, much larger and impersonal communities.