If fat was the american ideal?

Question

You see the pictures. Men slim and muscular, women thin (almost flat).The media has created the ideal man and woman. Most if not all people are pressured to look this way, especially women.

So, do you think if the media created the new ideal of being fat, would people blindly follow? If pictures of thicker men and women were in magazines, or murals in Abercrombie and Fitch, would people be more inclined to not worry about their bodies so much and become slightly heavier?

Answer 1

i don't think it's the being thin and muscular thing anymore. for me and i would say a couple of other people,  it's about being healthier and more energetic. and that goes for both men and women.

Answer 2

Sure, I see most girls are blind enough to follow any trend...

Answer 3

I remember when I was younger and there was a younger, more thick Madonna, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Aniston, etc.  Now they are all so thin!  Even if you look older models and pin-up girls like Marilyn Monroe, most did not weigh under 150 lbs. It was considered back then more feminine and sexually attractive for a woman to wear the curves.  So, I would have to say yes, if the media pushes a thicker person, people will be wearing it.

Back in the 80's I had a friend who was skinny and fit todays standards.  She used to spend all day "fattening" herself up as to not be so skinny to fit in with the style.

Answer 4

I don't think so.  Look back at some of the art in history and you'll see that some rather "full figured" subjects were painted there.  However, also look at the styles of dressing and take note that corsets to whittle the waistline and create a heaving chest and bustles to enhance the posterior were the "in" thing.  If the visuals didn't fly since way back then, why would they fly now??  

Answer 5

no women would still want to be thin.

Answer 6

People with bulimia and anorexia are classified as having a body image disorder. Even if they are the skinniest person in the room, they still will think that they are fat. If you removed them from television, internet and magazines, they would still feel that way. But that is an extreme case.

I agree with the above person, today's image is all about health. Smokers are considered less attractive, even if they were otherwise considered attractive.  

Answer 7

yes. i believe that if the media would create the fat women as an ideal and promote it like it promotes now very thin women, people would follow. this is because some people cannot understand the power of mass media and just fall in this trap of looking "perfect" . you know, a famous poet and singer in the sixties said that "whoever controls the media controls the mind". kinda real right? :)