Wired

I imagine some of you aren’t happy with me, right now. I haven’t lost my mind, with regard to dress codes and what kids these days wear. I’m just saying if we’re in the mood to preach, we should be practitioners. Recently, as many of you know, I’ve been taking a good, long look in the mirror before I make any comments regarding clothing choices, teenagers and the shape of one’s physical being. But it’s difficult. We are inundated with images of what the perfect body should look like and how we should clothe it. And by clothing I mean a distinct lack of clothing. We are no longer expected to be happy with ourselves, just the way we are. Magazine articles, newspaper columns, television advertisements and every kind of entertainment tell us who we should aspire to be, what we should wear and what we should look like. Being ourselves is no longer good enough. We have to have a six-pack, thigh gap, flawless skin, pouty lips, painted-on jeans, tummy skimming tops, flowing locks, white teeth and attitude. Is it any wonder kids dress the way they do?

Like some of you, I am exhausted by the constant assault from the media on the perception of the perfect body. What I want is to be healthy and fit. But mega-corporations like the automotive industry are hellbent on the otherwise. In the 60-plus years of hardcore television advertising, the big business of selling cars has never given “it” a rest. “It” being the image of tightly- Like some of you, I am exhausted by the constant assault from the media on the perception of the perfect body. What I want is to be healthy and fit. But mega-corporations like the automotive industry are hellbent on the otherwise. In the 60-plus years of hardcore television advertising, the big business of selling cars has never given “it” a rest. “It” being the image of tightly-wrapped women draped across the hood of a car like some kind of bounty, lending credence to the saying, “skip the strategy, sex sells”. Television advertisements for new cars almost always feature some youthful but greying man behind the wheel, while a red-lipped, tight-skirted woman sashays by shooting the driver a “what’s hotter, me or the car” look. What the H E double parking is that all about? Enough already. I’m confused. I’m well past 60 and should know better. The truth is, if I’m buying a car—and I have bought cars—I really want to know how many kilometres to the litre and how many months on the powertrain. I am completely put off by the white noise, the sexy vignettes and scenarios. How do kids sort it all out?

While car makers are the worst, they aren’t alone. Headless torsos hula in probiotic yoghurt commercials. No face. No real person. The funny thing is, no matter how much gut-wiggling yoghurt I consume, my torso will never look like that. My torso will never be smooth, flat and flawless. Or will it? Maybe I’m supposed to eat some of the yoghurt and rub the rest on my belly. There could be a hidden message and I’m just not getting it. My point is, am I supposed to think all women’s bellies look like that? And what the heck has that got to do with probiotic yogurt?

We are wired, believe it or not, to react to sex. Evolutionarily speaking, the old part of our brain is all about the food, the danger and—wait for it—the sex. Of course, the newer brain parts control our emotions and logical thinking. We overreact to food, danger and getting “it”. Advertising agencies know how our brains are wired. If an old gal like me struggles with my selfimage, self-discipline, appearance, manners and morals, how can we possibly expect “kids these days” to sort through it all?

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca