What controls our body image the most?

If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that we have all judge other people by their appearances at some point in our lives, even when we are careful to try not to.

How many women remember being picked on in school for being flat chested or chubby and how many guys remember being picked on for looking being skinny or nerdy?

Who is responsible for our perceptions of what our bodies should or should not look like?

I set the poll up to allow for multiple selections if you think it is a combination of 2, without a third.

 

My image of myself is the MOST IMPORTANT!

And...the more BEER I drink...the better I think I look!


Seriously though...

Without Self Esteem, the rest of the world and thier opinions don't matter!

Ya gotta love yourself FIRST!!!

 

Yeah I was teased for being the little skinny kid in school. But I feel you need to like yourself or want to change yourself because you want to not because you don't match the "opinions" of others. Like ST said you have to love yourself or nothing else matters.

I like to look good but I have to honestly say that I do it because I like to look good not to impress the opposite sex or friends. If they don't like it - tough, deal with it.

 

My 14 year old daughter. Quote: "Been hitting the pizza a little hard there Dad, haven't you!" End Quote

 

ouch!!!

 

The number one reason for looking good and for judging how good others look is...sex!

No need to laugh. The number one drive in humans, as in all animals, is the drive to reproduce. The best reproducers, so to speak, are the intelligent, stong and healthy ones. A slovenly or unclean appearance in an animal is a sign of illness. We as humans have gradually twisted that around and believe it is because of weakness of character.

 

ok..I totally agree with the need for self-esteem to love ourselves just as we are.

But where do we get our idea of what our body image should be?

BTW..I chose "all of the above" At what point in our lives do we realize that there is a "desirable" shape, face or "look" that we want to have? And what influences our perceptions about the kind of "look" men and women are supposed to have.

gbrumb....does it matter what your daughter thinks of your appearance? I know you so far as a pretty confident guy and dont see you as lacking self-esteem.

I think our body-image is controlled to a great extent by other peoples opinions of our appearances, whether it is as subtle as not making eye contact when we speak, or as bold as "gee dad....hitting the pizza a bit hard, arent you?" lol...gotta love how honest our kids can be with us.

 

The advertising industry pimps. Anorexia is all the rage these days. I'm sick of skinny little 110 lb. girls whining. "Ewww! My butt is, like, SO huge!"

Do research: go look at Playboy magazines and/or those old beach movies from the early and mid sixties. Girls had jiggly bellys and thick thighs and, frankly, I think they look far more attractive than the post-Twiggy girls.

 

Ditto. I did too.

 

but how do we arrive at what looks good? I mean..I have seen some pictures of remote tribes where woman have these huge metal disks inserted in their bottom lip, stretching it out. The bigger the bottom lip and earlobes can be stretched, the more beautiful the woman appears to be to the men. But people in other countries dont consider it a thing of beauty.

So then where do we get our perceptions of what is the right image of ourselves? I think it is a combination of all three. Society dictates what the perfect man and women is supposed to look like through the media. We accept or reject it...and try to conform to it if we can. I think the natural urge to reproduce as the only factor is not quite right.....it wouldnt apply for those who are homosexual, would it? Same sex people cannot reproduce so the idea of sex alone would be a moot point for them, I think.

 

lol...thanks Jim....you already answered my first question while I was posting my last reply.

 

Excellent points Jim!

I'd like to see some of the swim suits from back then come back as well - look at the bloody good support they had!

I chose all of the above for my answer. I'm my worst critic, next is how my peers "rate" me and that's not how my male peers see me but rather my female friends is more important to me. Why? Well think about it... we women spend a lot of time wondering where so and so bought that great outfit or what the heck did so and so do to her hair. It's never oh Jim where did you get that lovely Jacket...because we woman don't covet what men want we covet what other women have. Woman are our competition so that is what we look and judge at more, being another woman. For men well...from what I know they are looking at the women and could care less about what tom dick or harry are wearing...BUT they will compete physically when trying to "show-off" in front of women...such as sucking their guts or flexing a few muscles (like what Mulder does...only with his head the one on his head. )

 

valley:
I believe that the tribe these woman come from is called Ubangi

 

In the PC line of thought: Angie Dickerson was asked by Johnny Carson if she dressed for women or men. Her answer: "I dress for women, I undress for men."

 

That's always been Mulder's motto!!!