Article: The Healthy Female Submissive

[Netzach]

On a related note, I have a friend who was totally disgusted and disillusioned when she learned about this.

I'm of mixed minds.

She's not 17. That's good.

She's queer. ZOMGZ.

She's token queer non threatening babe Ellen, zzzz.

Covergirl? Meh. Pthalates, lead, formaldehyde anyone?

 

[JMohegan]

Well, it's not like Marxist critique totally disconnects from feminism, so I think we're agreeing.

What if women were not rendered totally insecure? How would we sell so much damn soap? The 3900 toxic things that supposedly take the place of water ajax a sponge and some attention? The new 15 blade razor with its proprietary blades?

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

 

[JMohegan]

I'm of mixed minds.

She's not 17. That's good.

She's queer. ZOMGZ.

She's token queer non threatening babe Ellen, zzzz.

Covergirl? Meh. Pthalates, lead, formaldehyde anyone?

It's not that she's a Covergirl, it's that she's pushing "age-defying foundation" - i.e., she's sold out to Insecurity Machine.

Even so, you're right of course. There are worse things.

 

[Homburg]

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

The Patriarchy. We're so secure in our monolithic power that we can afford to spread this shit on the tile and roll around in it.

 

[JMohegan]

The Patriarchy. We're so secure in our monolithic power that we can afford to spread this shit on the tile and roll around in it.

Ha ha ha!

 

[intothewoods]

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

Ahem. My ex.

Oh, and gay men. Yay, gay men now suffer from bulimia too! So glad we could get some parity on that one.

 

[be_ignited]

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

My father buys stuff like that.

 

[JMohegan]

Well there you go, folks.

Testimonials on multiple male victims of the Insecurity Machine.

 

[midwestyankee]

Well there you go, folks.

Testimonials on multiple male victims of the Insecurity Machine.

I love it: the Insecurity Machine. That's absolutely the heart of so much advertising, isn't it?

 

[JMohegan]

I love it: the Insecurity Machine. That's absolutely the heart of so much advertising, isn't it?

Yes, that's the core.

 

[Netzach]

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

I love that movie. It almost didn't work for me because I'd so do Steve Carrell. Actually what I think I love about that movie the most is the hysterically funny shit that people pass along as folkloric sexual wisdom - it's actually one of the sharpest satires I've seen.

The whole reason that the joke works is because it IS a moment of "look at the absurd things we foist off on one another."

I say this married to someone more into depilation than I am by far. I don't think it's some weird coded social message at work for him, this is a person who was doing things to his body off the bell curve for a long long time.

 

[Puman]

It's not just women anymore.

That 40 year old guy was a virgin because he had chest hair, you know.

When was the last time you were in the Nordstrom's department for men? You would not believe the shit that they're selling.

"Skincare for men night recovery lotion". What the fuck is that? "Men's green tea & honey eye cream". Really? Are they serious? "Men's moisturizing self-tanner". Come on. Who the heck is spending money on this crap?

I am glad that men are taking better care of themselves. My SO does. Not to the abovementioned extremes, but he moisturizes and uses sun protection every day. He has a skin a lot of women would die for... *shrugs*... There's nothing feminine about him either.

 

[JMohegan]

I am glad that men are taking better care of themselves. My SO does. Not to the abovementioned extremes, but he moisturizes and uses sun protection every day. He has a skin a lot of women would die for... *shrugs*... There's nothing feminine about him either.

Well that's the question, isn't it?

Where's the line between taking good care of oneself, and going to goofy extremes? At what point are consumers just being duped?

I'm not suggesting that men should stop buying Right Guard.

And for the record, I run around outside a lot, even in winter. Not into the tight, dry skin feeling, so I do use Curel. Not into sunburn, so I wear a baseball cap.

 

[JMohegan]

I love that movie. It almost didn't work for me because I'd so do Steve Carrell. Actually what I think I love about that movie the most is the hysterically funny shit that people pass along as folkloric sexual wisdom - it's actually one of the sharpest satires I've seen.

The whole reason that the joke works is because it IS a moment of "look at the absurd things we foist off on one another."

I say this married to someone more into depilation than I am by far. I don't think it's some weird coded social message at work for him, this is a person who was doing things to his body off the bell curve for a long long time.

I think of hair removal as body modification, like tattoos.

If you're into this for artistic reasons, that's one thing. But if you're going: "Ewww, body hair is so disgusting, it's got to go!" - either on yourself, or on people whom you would otherwise find attractive - then I'd say you've totally bought the bull.

 

[Recidiva]

TV is the glass teat. Disconnect!

Yes, it's all about money. No other agenda.

Wait a minute, I get royalties from that shit.

I was just joking! Turn on your TV sets, now! Think reruns, lots and lots of reruns!

Fortunately I did turn off the TV for years of my life.

It's nice to know I can do without.

But right now, I wouldn't want to miss House. Nope.

And cooking shows.

 

[Homburg]

I think of hair removal as body modification, like tattoos.

If you're into this for artistic reasons, that's one thing. But if you're going: "Ewww, body hair is so disgusting, it's got to go!" - either on yourself, or on people whom you would otherwise find attractive - then I'd say you've totally bought the bull.

I see it as body modification too, and it is a modification that I enjoy causing. While there is an aesthetic there, I prefer it for tactile reasons.

Nothing "disgusting" about hair. Just a tactile preference.

 

[00Syd]

Well that's the question, isn't it?

Where's the line between taking good care of oneself, and going to goofy extremes? At what point are consumers just being duped?

I'm not suggesting that men should stop buying Right Guard.

And for the record, I run around outside a lot, even in winter. Not into the tight, dry skin feeling, so I do use Curel. Not into sunburn, so I wear a baseball cap.

Women have been going to goofy extremes for eons, men are just now starting to have that marketing machine thrown at them. *Shrug* it was only a matter of time.

And I will readily admit that I go to all of those goofy extremes.

 

[intothewoods]

Most skin care products do not do what they say they do. Many have products in them that are either harmful or are counteracted by another ingredient in the product. We need very little for our skin - cleanser of some sort, sunscreen, sometimes a moisturizer depending on what kind of skin you have. A few "anti-aging" type products are effective at turning over the skin - they are found in drugstore products. Finally, virtually all skin cream and makeup products (whether sold in a department store or a drugstore) are produced and manufactured by one of the three major companies.

Again, it all comes back to the money. Marketing sells the product.

Of course this doesn't just apply to skincare products. Vodka. By definition it's odorless and tasteless (flavored vodkas notwithstanding), and yet there are loyal Ketel One drinkers and loyal Skye drinkers. And yes, I know, it's the purity and all of you have such well-developed palates that you can tell the difference. Blah blah, tell it to the blind taste test studies that suggest otherwise.

 

[Homburg]

Women have been going to goofy extremes for eons, men are just now starting to have that marketing machine thrown at them. *Shrug* it was only a matter of time.

And I will readily admit that I go to all of those goofy extremes.

Men have been going to goofy extremes for eons too. See magazines like "Muscle and Fitness", "Men's Health", and the like for current examples, and read into the strongman movement of the late 1800's for earlier examples. Look at men dueling for the affection of a woman, the hairstyles and clothes of the 1700's, clothing in the middle ages, etc.

If anything, men have been more natural in the past 150 years or so. This has obviously pissed off the cosmetics giants, so now we see more ads targeted at men. It is also indicative of the weakening of previous attitudes towards maleness in general that these ads work.

 

[JMohegan]

Women have been going to goofy extremes for eons, men are just now starting to have that marketing machine thrown at them. *Shrug* it was only a matter of time.

And I will readily admit that I go to all of those goofy extremes.

For a brief moment in time, there was real hope that the expectations for women would get better in this regard. But over the course of my lifetime, things really have gotten much worse.

If you don't believe me, try to find a 70's issue of Playboy. No fake boobs, no over-plucked & over-painted faces. Full bush.

I get the hair on my head cut on a regular basis. That's spending time & money to conform to societal norms. I don't think the degree-of-conformity spectrum necessarily overlaps with the morality spectrum. Not unless a parent's spending money on self-tanning goofiness while the baby goes hungry or the toddler goes shoeless or something.

 

[Homburg]

Of course this doesn't just apply to skincare products. Vodka. By definition it's odorless and tasteless (flavored vodkas notwithstanding), and yet there are loyal Ketel One drinkers and loyal Skye drinkers. And yes, I know, it's the purity and all of you have such well-developed palates that you can tell the difference. Blah blah, tell it to the blind taste test studies that suggest otherwise.

I've had plenty different vodkas, including Skye, etc (viv is a fan of vodka in general). Skye is actively better than cheap vodka, and I could taste a difference*. That said, I'm just as happy with Lubsuksowa as I am Skye or Grey Goose.

Interestingly enough, you can make cheap-ass vodka taste more like high-dollar vodka by running it through a brita filter a couple of times. The "taste" of cheap vodka is due to impurities. So while it is odorless and tasteless by definition, the cheap crap is neither.

The more you know...


* - Did a taste test between Skye and Aristocrat. You can smell the difference before it gets to your lips. Aristocrat is rancid monkey shit though. I couldn't tell you the difference between Skye and Lubsuksowa though, and Lubsuksowa is a fairly inexpensive vodka.

 

[00Syd]

Men have been going to goofy extremes for eons too. See magazines like "Muscle and Fitness", "Men's Health", and the like for current examples, and read into the strongman movement of the late 1800's for earlier examples. Look at men dueling for the affection of a woman, the hairstyles and clothes of the 1700's, clothing in the middle ages, etc.

If anything, men have been more natural in the past 150 years or so. This has obviously pissed off the cosmetics giants, so now we see more ads targeted at men. It is also indicative of the weakening of previous attitudes towards maleness in general that these ads work.

Oh yeah, I didn't even think of all the strong man stuff. That shits really weird.

 

[00Syd]

For a brief moment in time, there was real hope that the expectations for women would get better in this regard. But over the course of my lifetime, things really have gotten much worse.

If you don't believe me, try to find a 70's issue of Playboy. No fake boobs, no over-plucked & over-painted faces. Full bush.

I know. I'm a pop culture history buff.

The 70s were haaaaaaaaaaairy.

(And I have a few old playboys tucked away under my mattress )

 

[Homburg]

Oh yeah, I didn't even think of all the strong man stuff. That shits really weird.

I'm not saying that physical fitness is bad, just mentioning these things because of the goofy lengths men will go to in the pursuit of looking good.

Let's see, lift heavy weights, eat well. Nah, that's too hard. I'd rather use goofy-ass contraptions that cost a mint and take anabolics.

Stupid.

 

[JMohegan]

Most skin care products do not do what they say they do. Many have products in them that are either harmful or are counteracted by another ingredient in the product. We need very little for our skin - cleanser of some sort, sunscreen, sometimes a moisturizer depending on what kind of skin you have. A few "anti-aging" type products are effective at turning over the skin - they are found in drugstore products. Finally, virtually all skin cream and makeup products (whether sold in a department store or a drugstore) are produced and manufactured by one of the three major companies.

Again, it all comes back to the money. Marketing sells the product.

I'd say the bottom line is that people who are healthy look healthy. And at any age, healthy looks really, really good!

Illness aside, how does this happen? Eat sensibly, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, wash regularly, drink plenty of water, avoid sun damage. Don't smoke, drink too much, or do drugs.

It's really not complicated, and it doesn't take huge investments in time and money.

It's true that marketers actively foster insecurity to sell their crap. But they also sell the idiotic notion that you can ignore the basics and buy a veneer, to compensate for the fact that you've been abusing your body for years and your health actually sucks.