Test 3: The Body Flashcards
immutability
something inherited, fully made up by genes + not product of society
Embodied Selves
-societal pressures to make body recognized as proper + right
•immutability: things do not change
•in fact many ways societies impact bodies
Embodied Selves: Perfection and Satisfaction
–working on body formed into desirable
-bodies as a task: requires daily care + attention
+ something to work on
-society sets standard for desirable + approved shape
•standards vary from place to place, context to context, age to age
Discrimination based on the Body
-Failure to comply with standards = shame
-subjected to routine discrimination
-disabled ppl + non-accessible buildings
-bodies objects of social conditioning
•not looking presentable, smelling bad
•some no matter what they do, others will still judge them on how they look
•stigma that makes someone feel diff, excluded
•can be structural discrimination
Body as site of Anxiety
-industry + set of marketing techniques part of discourses of body: foods good/bad for us
•repository of our emotions, experiences
•conscious of what we our putting in our body
Body as site of Pleasure
-industry prompts us to seek sensation: films, soaps, magazines, commercials, books tempt us
-eating + drinking social occasions pleasurable sensations + exciting experiences
•variations in how ppl seek out pleasure
Pursuit of Health and Fitness
- train + exercise to be more healthy + fit
- Health about restoring state of balance
- Fitness about pushing oneself ever further
The Body and Desire
object of desire
- ppl see first, always on display
- tend to judge by what they can see
- attractiveness, beauty, elegance + charm that will entice others at first.
- forms first impressions
The Body
- manage it learnt while + how others see us product of common expectations
- Deviations = reflection + reaction in others
- different at disadvantage
The Body
-shape, way dressed + made up + way it moves: messages
•ppl see themselves that way because that’s what ppl say
•some ppl judged more than others
•problem if it’s the only message taken
The Body and Society
- socially defined
- Enhancing body image to conform to prevailing norms important in urban, industrial societies
The Body and Society: Socially
urbanized more opportunities to meet + interact with strangers = desire to transform their bodies
The Body and Society: Technologically
created technologies to transform the body
supplements, anti aging cream
•reason why there’s more products out there
•keep you coming back
•concern over body has some universal features
The Body and Society: Economically
industrialized: afford tech that transform body
higher in places where there’s disposable income
Social Construction of Disability
- physical/health condition reduces ability to perform tasks would normally do at given stage of life within range of “normal” human activity
- socially constructed
Social Construction of Disability
depend on social attitudes + social + physical environ
•diff definitions
•visible vs. invisible (ppl can perceive at first glance – mental health)
Disability in Contemporary Society
number is increasing:
-Advances in medical technology
-born with disabilities more likely to survive infancy
-more willing to report disabilities
•being able to live longer even with a disability
•more awareness + education
•various levels of support