What's the most common body practice that we do every day? The answer is easy, workout. Every day I walk in to the gym, I saw lots people are working out, some are running on the running machine, some are doing pushups, some are working with dumbbells and try to make their biceps gooks bigger etc. So I ask myself, why we need to workout? Then I think of only one world, docile body.
Our bodies is affected by the culture around us. In the class we talked about how women's body are culturally pressured to be perfect: skinny legs and big ass, small waist and big breast. All this is the culture "argues" us into subjectivity. Because the images, text ,videos and movies we see every day, they all give us the idea of what a women should be in our society, then our bodies follow this idea, and try to make it happen.
Same thing applies to man! check out the picture on the top. what do you see? Six pack, big biceps etc, and that is the definition of man in our society. If a men does not have six pack or biceps or anything, he will be seen as a pussy in our society. So we walk around in our society , we see all this images or ads that tell you how to be a man, and the other guys walk around us is strong and big, then our bodies starting to absorb all this information that the culture tells us, and try to achieved it by doing body practice.
Our bodies are powerful, but is extremely affected by the culture around us. If you put a American boy in China, he will not be strong or big, he is going to be thin because the culture is different. However, now in China, more and more people are starting to work out, because our society was affected by American culture, and all those six pack ads start to tell all the Chinese man what a real man is.
Working out is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I would agree with you that people and the media blows exercising way out of proportion. It is true that not everyone works out, but working out is very important to be healthy. While there might be a pursuit without a terminus problem with some people, people and the media also want to promote a healthy lifestyle. However, to promote a healthy lifestyle the media isn't doing a very good job. The average man might work out, but will become discouraged when he is never able to look like the pictures portrayed in the media. Working out is good, but moderation is also important.
ReplyDeleteWorking out and being healthy are different than being toned and built like the guy above. I would also agree that the in today's generation being in physical shape is essential in being envied by others or wanted. I am very skinny for a guy. I personally dont work out. I consider working out, lifting weights or bar bells. I do however excercise by running and stamina activities. I believe its called anerobic excercise, but overall staying in shape is important.
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