This message was self-deleted by its author

[Bonobo]

This message was self-deleted by its author (Bonobo) on Mon Mar 4, 2013, 08:29 PM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Interesting.

This is something gay men have been experiencing for decades. It is interesting how heterosexual men are now reacting to this, especially boys and teens. My partner and I were talking about how much things have changed, especially when you see boys in high school and college. There wasn't an obsession with body image and looks in men as there is now. You can even see the change in "how men should look" when you look at heterosexual porn. It seems the scales have balanced in some ways, but I don't know it is a good thing.

[MrSlayer]

2. What man gives a fuck about any of this?

Seriously. Are we really having body image anxiety and other wussified, meaningless feelings of low self worth because actors look good with their shirt off and us regular guys don't? I sure hope not.

This just seems like more culturally pushed bullshit to further feminize men. Fuck this.

I traded in my six pack for a keg over ten years ago and I still feel quite good about myself. My wife likes me just fine and as the frontman for a gigging band there are plenty of other women that do too. I'm not depressed, jealous or overly self-conscious because Brat Pitt or Daniel Craig have personal trainers and the time to sculp themselves into Adonis clones. That's their job.

I have neither the time nor the drive to make myself look like that and I couldn't care less that movie stars do. It doesn't hurt my self image at all. Nor would it bother any man I know.

This whole idea is ludicrous to me.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I dunno. I wonder if the prevalence of impossibly fit people in make-believe cinema land tracks with

the general slide in the US, particularly in some states, towards obesity, even morbid obesity.

Now, I personally think there are several factors or more that may be at play in that; I'm not one to say "blame the couch potatoes and their xboxes", or whatever- I do think diet is part of it, the chemical sludge which constitutes mass produced, factory farmed "food" is part of it, I think other environmental toxins and factors may be part of it too (which might be why; spookily; lab animals are getting fatter too) ....

that said, I don't know if I really buy the idea that these idealized bodies on screen are causing men- or women- to "feel bad"... If that phenomenon is really happening across the board, I don't know if it's translating into a big drive for fitness or weight lifting or any of that. Seems most people (judging by the infomercials) want a quick and easy 'magic' solution to fitness or weight loss, and the reality seems to be that it's a lot of work, and for some people it may be exceedingly difficult to maintain.

That said, I'm fairly happy with where my middle-aged body is at, and after years of consciously trying to get and stay in shape, It's paid off in appearance, health and most importantly how I feel. I don't have a washboard but at least the spare tire is mostly deflated.

[Bonobo]

4. Deleting

It is rather whinier than I want to be.