Body image in America - aka help me with my paper!

[Flare]

Ok, so I have to write a paper on body image in America and we're supposed to ask peoples their opinions on it. If you're not an American, you can answer if you want too. Also, if you wanna include your first name so I can quote you or something in it, that'd be great. He gave us some questions to go off of, so here they are:

[Crimson_Angel]

I think the world would definitely be a better place if this view were accepted by more people throughout the world. Alot of American's probably gain weight because they feel bad about the way they look, and they just stop caring. It may be that they drown their sorrows with food just to take away the pain. The pressure to look "perfect" becomes too great, and people snap when they see themselves as less than perfect.
I answered the questions in one big lump, hope that's ok :). My first name is Paige, just in case you use something from it.
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[Ranadiel]

My first name is Matthew, but I think you know that since I believe you are on my facebook friends. :P

Now before I answer the question, I first have to tak point with the assertation in the first sentence that it is saner for a person should just accept their body. This assertation is clearly a poorly conceived exageration. There is nothing better about this position then the average American view, as it would result in massive amounts of health problems resulting from people who are either dangerously over weight or under weight to never seek help putting their lives in danger.

Now as for why society has chosen the current ideal form as that of the super skinny, it is simply a status symbol. In olden times, being a little plump was seen as a good thing as it meant that the person could afford food, more food then they actually needed, meaning that they were likely well off. However as society has changed to the McWorld where it is relatively easy to get large quanities of food relatively cheap, the status of being plump has in fact reversed. Now to get the foods and other items required to maintain a thin frame, at least for those who aren't natural skinny, costs more then it does to buy the fattening foods. Alternatively being skinny can be acquired through large amounts of exercise which those in the lower class simply don't have the time to do. As such being skinny has in fact become a symbol for success whether it be financial success, genetic success, or success in time management.

If the attitude was more widespread then people would simply find some other way to quickly mentally identify social status to replace being thin. This could come in the form of some new fashion accesory that everyone must have, hair styles, or countless other things. These could result in less self destructive behavior for people or more, it really depends on what catches on as the replacement.

More Americans weigh more then they medically should because most people simply are unable to do what they have to in order to get to that ideal weight. Americans are just too busy to exercise properly, or at least they claim to be. Additionally it is just much easier for them to grab unhealthy food which makes the problem worse then it is for them to go for something healthy. Plus the American view of trying to find the "quick fix" to their problems just doesn't work when they try to shed the pounds. Instead of losing 10 pounds in a week like they would like when they go on a diet, they lose 1 and think it is a lost cause, this tends to result in them taking five steps back when they then leave their diet. Finally there is the view that many many people share where they believe, whether in their waking mind or unconscious mind, that they are invincible so they don't care about the medical risks associated with their weight.
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[Nimble Jack]

As Ranadiel did, I'm also going to have to disagree with the a person accepting their body weight and not fretting about it being a saner position. It seems like saying that this view point would be a good answer to the last question asked in the prompt of; "Why do more Americans weigh more then they should, from the current medical point of view, precisely at the time when pressure to "look good" grows?"

I think that rather people should accept what they look like, rather than their body weight. How much you weigh is a valid concern since there is a clear correlation between body fitness and overall health. It may be seem like splitting hairs but I think that there is a clear distinction between the two.

It also seems like the questions are steering you into answering the questions in a certain way. The first question sets up the attitude in question to be a saner position than whatever else it maintains American's have. The second question would then lead you to say that things would be better because everyone would be saner than they previously were. Bringing you to the third question with the mindset that Americans think that people should not accept their body weight and should fret about it. So the third question is asking you, why do more people, who don't accept their body weight and fret about it, weigh more than they should, precisely at the time when pressure to "look good" grows? Which really seems to be asking the question with some answers in mind.

If I had to write the paper, I would take beef with the saner clause (including the lack of an "it" at the end of it) and say the other two questions build off of that clause being true, and when proven false are useless questions. I wouldn't suggest putting so bluntly because your teacher could get slightly offended but that's what I would suggest doing.

My name is Jack. Hope I helped.
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[Starslasher]

*stands up* Hi, uh, my name is Imad. (*Hi Imad!*) And I'm, um, concious about the way my body looks.

I'll try to asnwer your questions the best that i can. That is, i'll be answering from my personal experience and point of view:

[Kohaku]

The name's Arifandy and not an american.
I had a quite healthy body thanks to constant training, 173 cm (around 5"8) and 72 Kg. The kind of ideal body in my mind is a healthy body, no matter the shape (but I never believe that people who got obesity could be healthy with that much weight).

First, let's talk about obesity.
As I know, there's a lot of case of obesity in the US. To me, you should accept your body as it is if there's no way to change it in a natural way (don't take this the wrong way, I mean this for those who are obesed aka way too fat for their own good). They had the chance to had a healthier body, but they didn't take it (junk foods, etc). And a lot of them, from my experience, are really inclined to do sports. It's not just your body that would look better, but also, the most important, your own health.

If people think about their body image, perhaps it would be harder for a post-pregnant mother to do. The Tissues will be sagging, and here's a child to take care of, so they probably didn't have enough time to care for their own body. Again, it's still possible for them to maintain a healthy body, perhaps the shape wouldn't change much but at least at the inside they're healthy. The other problem for a lot of the mothers is the lacks of confidence due to the Great American Body Image (slim waist, perky breast and nipples, nice butt, and other meaningless things), as, under the certain circumstances, there's nothing they could do about their own body. There's a blog out there for post-pregnant mother, named "shape of a mother", that mainly deals a lot about consoling women that think how pregnancy had destroyed their body -and their life, and telling them that there's a lot more wonderful things in life other than thinking about how some people think of them -their children, to be precise. The blog is full of images that may cause uncomfortable feelings for some, also some NSFW images, so if you still want to see it, don't say I didn't warn you.

About body images overall, I think this is what movies and popular cultures has done to our society. I mean, Hollywood had done a lot of things in creating what people think as "ideal body". Right now, there's only a few people that would think that motherly body that depicted in Reubens and Renoir's work as ideal. It's sad that how things like body image had such a great impact for a lot of people, like how some girls feel so unconfident about their own body and become either an anorexian or a plactic surgery junkie.

And lastly, I think the portion of the foods in american restaurant is waay too much. It could feed 2 or 3 persons, mind you! no wonder they get fat so fast, and so fat.
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[Kohaku]

Sorry for the double posts, just telling you that I edit my last post a lot. AND just realized that you made the post on february, which make me feel like a stupid guy. But I hope that helps, in any way it can.
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[Flare]

Haha, it's fine. It's a topic worth discussing in itself, even though my paper is long done and turned in. For myself, I am perfectly happy with the way my body looks. I have been blessed with a high metabolism. Unfortunately, there is a difference between being thin and being in shape. I have problems with the latter. However, I plan on doing something about that this summer. :P
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[Kohaku]

High metabolism, huh? you're the same as me I guess. Regular sports really help to get you in shape, as once you do it regularly, you'll get used it.

So by your post before I conclude that you're:
*Thin (like, paris Hilton?)
*Not in shape (um.....like.... Paris Hilton?)
Well, it's nice that you're trying to be in shape this summer. When it went well, post us the Madonna-like body of yours :mrgreen:
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