I hope this doesn't seem too angry. It's hard for me to write this in a happy happy tone of voice. For some reason.
> got me thinking about how much of human desire is our own, and how > much is just overexposure to Photoshopped models.
The verb "eroticize" exists to describe an active process. If what's erotic was pre-programmed there would be no process, and no real need for that verb. The simple fact that advertising works makes the situation abundantly clear. The nasty part is that our subconscious can and will eroticize things all by itself, if we're negligent enough to let any random thing go in it. It's no different than neglecting what your dog eats while out for a walk, and having him get sick as a result.
> I also have to wonder if this isn't affecting women too - after all, > billboards aren't chock full of balding guys with beer guts.
If women can see, and have any erotic response whatsoever based on appearance, then I can guarantee you that response can be programmed to some extent. If ducks can imprint ping pong balls, and giraffes can imprint jeeps, doesn't it seem likely there's some flexibility left in adult animals? The basis of all advertising, conditioned association, works as well in this area as any other.
A relevant quote comes to mind:
Hannibal Lecter: No, he covets. That's his nature. And how do we begin to covet, Clarice? Do we seek out things to covet? Make an effort to answer.
Clarice Starling: No. We just--
Hannibal Lecter: No. Precisely. We begin by coveting what we see every day. [...]
And if what we see every day is advertising... you do the math.
(Those who know me will understand my perverse delight in the fact that the words of one so insane are still so true.)
The process of eroticization is one we're each responsible for, whether we accept that responsibility, or ignore it and let it happen randomly. For this reason I have only partial sympathy for people whose standards of desire have been poisoned by unreal images. You control what your brain eats. Try to feed it something healthy, not whatever trash floats by. Even if you're exposed to trash all day long, it's still your choice whether to accept the value system it presents or reject it as the bullshit that it is.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-08-10 01:06 am (UTC)> got me thinking about how much of human desire is our own, and how
> much is just overexposure to Photoshopped models.
The verb "eroticize" exists to describe an active process. If what's erotic was pre-programmed there would be no process, and no real need for that verb. The simple fact that advertising works makes the situation abundantly clear. The nasty part is that our subconscious can and will eroticize things all by itself, if we're negligent enough to let any random thing go in it. It's no different than neglecting what your dog eats while out for a walk, and having him get sick as a result.
> I also have to wonder if this isn't affecting women too - after all,
> billboards aren't chock full of balding guys with beer guts.
If women can see, and have any erotic response whatsoever based on appearance, then I can guarantee you that response can be programmed to some extent. If ducks can imprint ping pong balls, and giraffes can imprint jeeps, doesn't it seem likely there's some flexibility left in adult animals? The basis of all advertising, conditioned association, works as well in this area as any other.
A relevant quote comes to mind:
And if what we see every day is advertising... you do the math.
(Those who know me will understand my perverse delight in the fact that the words of one so insane are still so true.)
The process of eroticization is one we're each responsible for, whether we accept that responsibility, or ignore it and let it happen randomly. For this reason I have only partial sympathy for people whose standards of desire have been poisoned by unreal images. You control what your brain eats. Try to feed it something healthy, not whatever trash floats by. Even if you're exposed to trash all day long, it's still your choice whether to accept the value system it presents or reject it as the bullshit that it is.