Over the last few weeks I have randomly been watching Brockmire, a show I hadn't heard of before, starring Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet. It is very likely not to everyone's tastes, but I found a lot of it funny, especially some of the way he described and gave insight into situations. The humour is often crass, but is also quite an interesting commentary on the social world today, and in the last season, what might be - or is already here.
While there are many bits that stood out, I found the following quote really interesting, as it gave some insight into how content influences our behaviours and changes culture. I hadn't really thought about it in this way, but it actually makes a lot of sense and likely has many more implications than it speaks to directly.
Biggest change in this country in the 10 years that I was gone? America went from being a boob nation to being an ass nation. I mean, 30 years ago, if a company ran an ad campaign on 3 TV networks and 10 magazines, everybody saw it. And what they saw mostly was boobs -- boobs, boobs, boobs. I mean, eventually, we just forgot all about butts. We were just so relentlessly hammered with images of boobs. And by the '80s, Charles, big old fake boobs -- just these enormous sacks of viscous chemicals that were bolted onto the front of a woman's chest in defiance of all good taste and gravity. Anywhoodles, I'm at the Big Freedia bounce show last night, and I'm just -- I'm getting lost in the applause of like a hundred clapping asses. And it hits me, it dawns on me -- I am surrounded by the very people that got America back into ass. I'm talking about straight black men, the gays, of course, and thick women. God bless 'em. 'Cause, see, when the Internet expanded all media into the limitless chaos that we know it to be today, the power of the straight-white-male gaze got diluted, and all of a sudden, all these long-forgotten voices could finally be heard, man, and they were screaming, "Butts! Come on! Butts are wonderful!" And that, my friend, is how the titty wool that had been pulled over our collective eyes was finally lifted.
Brockmire
Season 2, Episode 1
Disclaimer
I have always been an ass man.
Which is likely why the quote resonates with me, as I was one of the underrepresented preferences when I was growing up, where everyone else seemed to be far more boob-centric in their tastes, because there was over representation in the media. At the time, only a select few were making the choices of what was seen, what kinds of bodies, what kind of colours, what kind of language, what kind of everything. All content ran through a filter based on the preferences of a small selection of people, who didn't represent all people. Through repetitive exposure however, their influence pervaded the preferences of society.
We are what we eat.
The introduction of the internet meant that we were able to feed our interests without the filters of the media, and then the algorithms came to double-down on feeding our wants. This led to a diversification of content and for many, exposure to new perspectives that influenced their tastes. It is similar to when a homogenous community is opened up to the flavours of an ethnic restaurant, and soon there are all kinds of choices that go beyond the local selection. And then, options also become available in the supermarkets so that people can cook their favourite "foreign" meals at home. And soon, flavour diversity becomes mainstream, with options the norm. Choice is expected.
But with all of that choice with much of it being undesired, the algorithms start funnelling us into content boxes, feeding our desires and pushing us further toward the fringes, the extremes. Getting what we want, when we want, twists our expectations and narrows us down again, much like the media did of old, except now it is tailored specifically for the individual. In some ways this is great, but at some point, it is going to turn obsessive. Which is likely a big part of the catalyst behind the identity politics movements that have taken individualism to the extremes to the point that no one can relate to anyone, as there is always at least a slight difference between all of us.
And I think that this is what a lot of people don't recognise when they are getting exactly the content they want. We don't realise that getting our preferences continually fulfilled means becoming increasingly exclusionary and less accepting of anything that doesn't fit our preferential mould. And because we are getting more extreme in our tastes, finding it in reality gets increasingly difficult, because no one can live up to the model we have built through all the content we have consumed.
People used to complain in the 1980s (and likely before) about "unrealistic body representations" in the media, which compared to now, was actually very realistic. They were real people, albeit a small sliver and a narrow selection of person, but they were living and breathing. Nowadays, we can pick and choose over and over to refine our "type" and that type is increasingly influenced by what is truly unrealistic, because it doesn't appear in nature at all. Faces and bodies that have been twisted and pinched by all kinds of digital filters to create something that looks like it exists, but doesn't in reality. It is just a caricature of reality, a stylised version only.
The return of the ass is not actually a return, because there have always been those like me who are Ass men" (and plenty of ass women too), but it has become more mainstream. With mainstream meaning visible in public, in media, in society in general. Go to a gym and see how women have turned away from hip-slimming aerobic exercise and taken up squats, lunges and hip-thrusts on mass to widen and strengthen their booty. And perhaps this makes sense, because unlike boobs, it is something that women can effect without cosmetic surgery. And it is also something that enhances natural feminine shape.
And I suspect that all kinds of behavioural changes we see in society now can be traced directly back to the type of content people are largely consuming. It doesn't mean that consuming fitness videos makes a person fit, but it could be that consuming them can either inspire them to try for similar, or demotivate them to go the other way. Regardless, it is still influences direction, and then it can also influence what the next content source might be, like body-positivity content that can make people feel good, about being unfit.
We shape our world through our behaviour. But our behaviour is influenced by what we consume, and how we consume it. When surrounded with content A, we will have relatively predictable responses for or against content A. Surround with content B, and the same will be true. If we are attracted to what we get out of content A, that is what we will consume more of, do more of, and look for more of. So, we really should be careful with what content we seek out, even if it feels good, even if we are interested in it, even if we like it, because it is most likely going to affect our opinions, beliefs, and behaviours.
Remove the proverbial "titty wool" covering our eyes.
There might be harmless content, and there might be harmless content. But what we should all acknowledge and take to heart, is all content influences us. Every morsel of content we eat is going to affect us in some way, even if we don't even realise we took a bite.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
Be part of the Hive discussion.
- Comment on the topics of the article, and add your perspectives and experiences.
- Read and discuss with others who comment and build your personal network
- Engage well with me and others and put in effort
And you may be rewarded.
That kind of reminds me of the scene where they arrive at the brothel/motel/bar at "From Dusk Til Dawn". Something for every taste.
I still wonder about why we are so easy to manipulate with sex. How little we control our instincts there.
We talked with my brother the other day. How we're both with people who are not our "usual taste", yet very happy. That the relationship itself, the communication, the understanding on both physical and metaphysical level has become a lot more important than the body itself. Some hope, I guess. For us.
I know the scene well :)
One of Salma Hayek's best scenes too.
Nature. We are still animals. Still driven by the need for continuance. Many people have substituted it for something else these days, but it is still the same base driver.
Not that my wife is happy, but she always imagined having kids with blonde and blue eyes, as that is the norm here. When she met me I was definitely not in her taste group (no six pack) and she resigned herself to having darker kids. Our daughter does have dark hair, but very blue eyes :D Again, I think the preferences come down to exposure, to conditioning.
When it comes to physical preference though, it is all very fleeting. If there is nothing else but a body, it isn't going to last long.
Yes. My husband didn't expect to fall in love with a big breasted Australian brunette. ;p
:D
Was he expecting a one night stand instead?
Ha probably!!!!
I wondered why I thought there was so many cute asses around this beach side coastal town this summer - the content told me to look ;p
Yeah sure does. Hence why woman slide into poor self esteem. Someone's always showing them images of what they should look like, no matter what decade.
The rise of strength training for women is great imo. And there's been some good resistance to beauty myths and the normalisation of queer, disabled, black, and 'other' bodies. It was both one of the positives of the social media ban - less interaction with the un 'real' and the negative - kids were using it to connect with others 'like' them.
Me, these days? My husband is truly the only hot guy, and his love makes me feel like Venus, so I don't really look at boobs OR asses.
Much.
Just don't take pictures. I have heard it is unacceptable.
Or is it that women are reading? Especially these days, everyone can choose what they see, yet, people keep choosing what harms them.
Absolutely. I wish my wife would get into it. Thin isn't fit, nor is it sexy (imo). Having strength is. But more importantly, being capable to live a good life, play with kids, get out and about without always being in pain, or feeling weak....
Liar. ;P
Absolutely. There is that. We must make conscious choices to reject. But it's very, very, very hard to avoid - advertising, film is everywhere you look. And young minds are soooo impressionable. Unless you live bush with no interaction with modern world.
I'm in pain at the moment with a torn hip ligament that might need surgery. I wonder if strength training would have helped? It just wasn't a thing though. I replied on natural fitness until I couldn't. I hope your wife decides to do it.
You got me.
I'm an equal opportunity aficionado... Ah crap, that's public and immutable now...
:D
The whole package is better, butt if I can only choose one... :D
I have not been in the gym for about six years, but I will believe you, though six years ago in US this would have been a very un-usual sight unless you are in a cross-fit gym :)
And you are right, we are what we eat or consume content wise. That is why I like consuming content of opposing views, even watch Fox News in moderation :)
Yep. Same here, not that I have been in a cross-fit gym. It is a bit like the scientology of fitness :D
Opposing views are good, if the conversation is intelligent. These days, it is often watching opposing views on topics that don't actually matter.
We have changed from a limited perspective controlled by a select few to a wide ranging environment where anyone can discover their own place thanks to internet.
And thanks to the internet, it also drives a lot of poor behaviour too. Things like child abuse.
Assnation .. Finally 🙂
We are shaped by our environment. Social media is part of that. The trick is to not fall into traps you dont want to end up in. Moderate consumption is the guideline. For almost anything.
The issue for many is the algorithms. The more they watch, the more they are fed, and the more extreme the food.
I agree, but what I meant to say is to not pick up the phone to open one of those apps.
Or force oneself to stop after a few minutes.
Apps are available to help, ie it'll notify you after x-minutes.
Some system is available to block your phone from all those apps when eg at home, ie it has a narrow fence auto block/lock for all those apps. And automatically, all is available again when getting outside, away from your home. Can also be office, or whatever location one likes to be forced to lock of such apps.
Regarding the same content, all the time. Again, one can force themself to search for other type of content, just to try and make the feed more all over the place.
I know, I know, I know, perhaps not easy, but nothing is life is easy. Well, much in life isn't easy ;)
I spent a long time comparing and experimenting with female forms. Eventually, chemistry kicked in, and I fell into love's captivity. Sometimes I really wish I could go back to those days.
me too. Was fun whilst it lasted
Those days were indeed great, but are they great if there are only those days?
U reminded me of Pamela Andrson of Baywatch. First time ever I saw the girl in swimwear and that too on a daily newspaper magazine page. But it was one of rare scene ever published by the newspaper,...daily newspaper used to be source of knowledge and news for every youth...but slowly the craze fades away. More due to influences of alternate sources. And slowly the sources too changes their content depending upon the reader choice.
Pamela Anderson looks better now that she is a bit more natural. But the 80s and 90s was filled with tiny women with large boobs, and large chested men, with thin legs.
i was better never seeing them 😃...i remember, during that time such commercials were not allowed on Indian media. in fact those were the era which was quite different from todays.
What scares me most is the bit about expectations becoming unrealistic. We’re comparing real humans to digital caricatures and wondering why nothing measures up and i believe this explains so much about why people seem less tolerant of differences now, not more, despite having “more choice” now than ever🤷
And why so many are "choosing" to be alone. It might not be their choice after all.
It is true that nowadays most people are inclined towards big breasts and like them. People are trapped with them in various magazines or TV shows. I think we should come out of them. Because we can change a lot of things by our behavior. Finally, we should change our mentality.
If we aren't trying to improve, what are we doing in life?
I sure can relate to that
The algorithm is very crazy. I could remember when a music was released and I didn't enjoy listening to it, but as they kept promoting it constantly on social media I subconsciously started to listen to the music.
We just have to pay attention on the kind of content we consume. We might think at first we cannot follow the trend, but when it is being shown to our face all the time, we can fall easily without even knowing.
Exposure drives taste.
Social media is like a remote control for us, our lives are almost influenced by it whether positively or negatively.
Your observation of the transition from boobs to ass as part of the current trend is valid. That is why the BBL market is somehow thriving. Most ladies know this is the trend and they can do anything to get the attention.
Shortcut to everything - and shortcuts nearly always end poorly.
Cheers