Masectomy?

When I read the article about the masectomy, I thought it was pretty sad that she didn't that much support. It's kind of like the same thing with gift giving- it's supposed about putting others before yourself, but most people inevitably project their own feelings instead of really considering the other person. Her relatives and everything objected to the surgery because they didn't like the idea of her body being changed so radically. But I mean how is chemo and all of that less destructive to a person than a masectomy? This woman might not even live long enough to experience the things her family wants for her if she doesn't get the surgery. I was glad at least the mother finally agreed with the surgery. Sorry but I just think that phys health should take precedence over body image.

Visibly Queer

When I first started reading this article, I just groaned. Honestly I am not a philosophy buff, and politics and all that is often a lot of doublespeak for me. It wasn't too hard to discern the basic point of the article, though. I thought it was pretty interesting that the interviews revealed a pretty parallel kind of society to our norm. People think that the whole SM thing is deviant and whatever but it's completely normal within their kinds of communities. It just goes to show that it's all relative. Who can say what is or is not normal? It changes with time, place, etc. So basically there is no real solution to reconciling wrong and right within a given society. By the time comprehension dawns upon everyone, everything changes anyway. Still, I guess we've made some pretty good progress. And I just have to say I'm glad I grew up in New York.

Cosmetic Surgery

The difference between body modification and cosmetic surgery can, I guess, be debated. Personally I think that cosmetic surgery is mainly used to bring a person closer to societal standards, and body modification is mainly used to separate a person from those standards. Body modifications like piercings, tattoos etc are seen as a novelty, and not as a normalizing procedure. Perhaps body modifications don't fall under the stipulations of the Hippocratic Oath, but I think that it's still important that the proper care is taken in these kinds of situations. Or hell, let's just attack the root of the problem. Why are people fascinated with getting star implants in their heads? Maybe if we could figure it out, there'd be no need for those kinds of measures. But that of course, hinges on its dependence on societal standards. But if it wasn't constructed around societal ideals, then we'd just have to accept that it's just part of some people's natures, even if we don't understand it. In which case proper care should be distributed to those practices, since it would have nothing to do with social deviance and thus would not affect the Hippocratic Oath. But that won't happen anytime soon. These kinds of matters just expand into so many dimensions of humanity. It becomes not just an individual preference, but a political, social and philosophical matter. So basically all of what I just said really didn't go anywhere. Geez. I don't know if there's any kind of answer to these problems, but I certainly hope I live to see some progress.

Body Image vs Physiological Health

Body image is of course a serious issue. When is history have people not been self conscious about their physical appearance? But then, the perils of obesity and lack of exercise have become an immediate issue today. America has got some serious issues, and obesity is one of them. A majority of the people in the country are obese, and that implies great health risks for the future. Meme Roth makes an important point in that people should be aware of the ways that weight and exercise affect one's health. However, her method of doing so only provokes people because she makes it seem like body image and physiological health are synonymous. It's not surprising that people find it offensive. But let's be honest, she's got a point. If you exercise enough to burn 2000 calories a week, which is about 25 mins of aerobic exercise a day, you cut your risk of heart attack by 66%. That is extremely significant. Socioeconomic status of course also plays a part, but it's not too hard for any one person to take that much time out a week for the sake of one's health. Body image and physiological health are two sides of the same coin. We just have to make sure we present it in a way that acknowledges the risks of body weight and obesity, but is sensitive to and understands the concept of body image and the ideals people are forced to live up to in our society.

Fair Skin

In response to Ali's entry about Indian women rejecting the idea of fair skin, I think she makes a good point. We are constantly striving to be better than we are, but we don't often realize that what we have and are trying to move away from is often coveted by others (and vice versa). We often take for granted the way that we were made, and the way that things naturally came to be. Concerns about health or risk are often overlooked in our search for beauty. It's too bad that such polar opposites can't somehow meet in the middle. But then again that too is an age old dilemma. The middle ground on almost any issue is hard to come by. Just look at the political world. In any case, hopefully people will see past their ideal of physical appearance in time to realize that doing so further imperils their health.

Hair

In pieces like Hairpeace and The Ritual, we're given a look into the African American world of hair. That actually sounded weird when I just wrote it but you know what I mean. It's really the age old story of living up to whatever standard of beauty is dominant at the time. But then I think it's pretty interesting how the two extremes pan out- it's like you're either struggling to live up to those norms, or you're actively rebelling to show that you refuse to do so. I guess it's hard to just step back from an issue as important as beauty and all that, and simply be satisfied with things as they are. I think that's the best way to look at it though. Do your work, and then step back. Getting caught up in rebellion is practically the same measure as pursuing an ideal, just in the opposite direction. Sure, rebellion is supposed to effect change, but I think the most important thing in this case is the self. Once the focus shifts to how people really feel about themselves, and not others' ideas about them, things may improve.

So the rough draft of our essay is due on Friday. I am actually having a little bit of writer's block; it's just hard to organize my thoughts. There are so many different aspects of each kind of category that I don't really know how to unify them. I hope that I can piece them all together well enough. I've actually been tempted to delve into the deeper psychological aspects of each kind of of topic, but I think that would go a little too off track. I'm not the greatest argumentative writer, so I hope that this turns out alright. And I feel like there's so much to be said about these kinds of things too, but then I can't seem to set them out in a coherent manner. I think it will probably be alright, though.

Freaks

I am just grateful that so much has changed since the time that this movie was made. First, I find it pretty upsetting that there were actual exhibitions like this where the differences between people were drawn upon. It's obvious that the "freaks" in the show were in a kind of family unit, but I think it's sad that they came together as part of sideshow. Like the "mother" of the ones with microcephaly. She obviously cares for them, but still allows them to be paraded around as part of a laugh for someone else. It's just sad to me. And they don't really know any better, either. And then there was the ending. The retribution laid upon Cleo. Although her end seems just, I don't agree with it. I think it just reinforces the idea that "freaks" like them are dangerous, and widens the gap between "normal" people and anyone who seems different. I don't really think that extreme of a measure was deserved. All that does is continue a cycle of fear and mistrust. I know that overall, the film humanized those with physical deformities- however, seeing poor Zip(or Pip) advancing in the rain with a knife in her hand!- was one of the most frightening images of all. Seeing someone who wouldn't know better taught to think or act that way- that to me, is one of the most frightening and dangerous things imaginable.

Masculine Mystique

I thought the interview with Sylvester Stallone was pretty interesting. Despite all of the media's emphasis on physicality, being regarded solely as a physical being seems like it can have the same degree of damaging effects as lacking those kinds of attributes. And then it must be more difficult for the guys. Any kind of disorders that have to do with image are less common in men and only more recently have they been put symbolically into the same kind of image group as women. So to realize men have the same fears and problems as women regarding image is something we're probably not used to. I guess in a way it's good because these kinds of things have at least made us more aware of the feelings and thoughts that surround a person's image. But then I also think that maybe it's just another telltale sign of the pressures of image and appearance, and that nothing will really change that. All that's changed is the addition of men to the group of normally targeted people for physically demanding jobs or lifestyles. Well in any case, men and women are at least more aware of the feelings they both share regarding these types of things.

I think you have to be careful when writing a piece like In the Combat Zone. The message is clearly about breaking the stigma of female helplessness, and acknowledging the dangers we face. But at the same time, it offers a very strong view point that defends gun use, the one thing that equalizes all. I understand why she puts forth such a strong voice for that kind of self defense, but I don't really agree with it. A gun is just an object outside of our own selves, and one that can be used against us if given the opportunity. Plus instilling the 'ready to kill' instinct in women is, in my opinion, a bad idea. To have to kill one person to save another is a sad thought. It just seems like a depressing way of emphasizing a person's helplessness, that such extremes have to be taken. It also makes everyone seem like a potential threat, and that kind of suspicion can really alienate others. What if she felt threatened by Brent Staples walking down the street? And what if he, feeling angry at his being persecuted, veered towards her for sport? I just think it's important to think about the details, and not just take the 'whatever it takes' kind of attitude regarding self defense and gun use.

I always have mixed feelings whenever I read something like The Black Notebooks. It's not difficult to understand the ways that race affects a person today, and in accordance with our history and everything. On the other hand, I think that when dealing with something as complex as racial bias, sometimes the focus shifts to something that is not really the center of the problem. Take Toi Derricotte. She has trouble forming her identity because her cultural background doesn't complement her physical appearance. She emphasizes her alienation from white society as well, but she insists on living in an all-white community. I guess what I don't understand is why a person would put herself into that kind of situation and then victimize herself for being taken as something she's not. The issue of race lies in appearance only- the greater part of one's cultural identity and such lies with one's ethnicity and upbringing. So maybe you look white- that doesn't make you any less of what you are, even if others see you differently than you see yourself. Many times such incongruance will occur regardless of race. I probably sound insensitive, but I think that her position was one that could have been quite advantageous given the right mindset. Of course I empathize with the plight of racial inequity, but I think it's wrong to gloss all of one's problems into racial issues. The sooner you accept yourself and put yourself forward as simply another hardworking, intelligent individual, the sooner others will do the same.

How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Language is something that is truly important. When I was younger and learning French in middle school, I'd never understood how much language pertains to a culture's individuality. They made us learn French songs, like "Frere Jacques", and I didn't understand why the words didn't rhyme in English if they meant the same thing. Later on I realized that it was because a language like French was formed independently of English; both languages came up with different words to symbolize meaning for the same thing. It wasn't as though one language based their vocabulary off of another's. With that came the understanding that each culture's language is a great part of their way of communicating and expressing. There is no way to substitute the individual meaning and subtlety that accompanies each language. I wish I had been able to pursue more opportunities for language studies at a younger age. There are even complete schools of thought on language development in psychology! It's a big part of life.

In response to Lauren's post about Free Union, I also agree about the surrealism of the piece. I suppose that this is where I part with a certain level of artistic license. Sometimes I feel like pieces like these are so abstract that no one will ever really understand, on their own, the intent of the author. I mean you get the general picture, but at certain points one kind of feels like, "What exactly did I just read?" And I understand that pieces like these are meant to be subjective, but I still think that people presume overmuch when they look at something like this. Like I'm not too fond of William Carlos Williams. I don't really think that much about what he's trying to say by some of his poems. I think I would shoot far beyond the mark if I tried. But I think sometimes it's alright to admit that you don't have to completely understand something in order to appreciate it.

The first draft of our body collage essay is due tomorrow. I am slightly concerned about my essay because I doubt it will be very interesting. I mean, looking back on the essays we've read in class, my own seems a bit weak. The larger the tragedy, the better the story haha. Emotionally crippling stories, why do they go so far? But then, how can I stand up to a story about psoriasis? Well, I doubt that my essay will ever be as effective as one of theirs, but in essence I believe that our struggles were the same. In the end, it's the heart of the writing that matters. Most of the stories are about body parts and their functionality, and what exactly they communicated. That writing in turn communicates the writer's feelings to others. Essentially, that is what this writing is all about. I feel that I've at least done that much.

Edward Hoagland: On Stuttering

I thought this essay was pretty interesting. At the heart of it is a person who has struggled with a physical impediment, but has still managed to lead a pretty normal life. Even something as important as speech can be overcome. And I also thought the allusions he made were interesting. I've never read Billy Budd, but I at least know about Demosthenes, and know the two must have met similar fates. Why he would choose to allude to these cases is strange to me. It seems that the tone of his writing is acceptant of his problems, but still optimistic about his abilities to lead as good a life as anyone else. So why then would he choose stories with endings as sad as these? I was expecting a more uplifting end. But I guess his main point is to just emphasize the reality of the situation.

In response to Dana's post, I also agree that it must have been hard to conceal the true cause of her blindness. For many people, it would have internalized a deep-seated resentment, or even hatred, because of the betrayal that she suffered. However, Alice Walker was able to overcome such an obstacle. Over time, her struggles taught her wisdom and benevolence, and allowed her to become a stronger person. I think it's great that despite such a terrible thing happening to her, especially one that was beyond her control, she was able to move on with her life. I do think it's a shame though, that her brothers never confessed to what they had done. Where is the catharsis, the redemption? For Alice Walker, that day was the end of all she had known herself to be. And yet, the general assertion of her family was that she'd never changed. It's a sad thing, really. I'm glad that at least she was able to make a positive change out of what had happened.

Alice Walker's Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self

I thought that the essay was interesting because it focused mainly on physical beauty. I was pretty sure that it would be a piece of writing that dwelled on inner beauty and the ways that it manifests itself, instead of the other way around. It was a bit of a surprise to me, but I found it more appealing and honest because of it. I'm sure that if I found myself in her situation, I would probably react the same way. Considering the power of the media and the western ideal of beauty, it's not surprising that many people value physical beauty over less tangible qualities, and seek to judge others based on such things. At least this essay acknowledged the reality of that judgment. Sure, we all knew that the story would end happily, but at least it was truthful about the journey.