Original scientific paper
“Get Into Shape At Full Speed!” – Beauty Mythology, Commercialisation and Body Discipline
Zdenko Zeman
orcid.org/0000-0002-3005-0995
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Geiger Zeman
orcid.org/0000-0002-1192-4722
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The paper examines transformations and multiplications of ideas, concepts and presentations of masculinities in the context of (consumeristic) myth about male beauty. In fact, in accordance with Naomi Wolf´s anticipation, the initiation into beauty mythology and eternal youth has not been reserved only for women. Along with feminism, world wars, changes in world of labour, affirmation of gay movement, strong influence on crisis of hegemonic masculinity and changes in constructing of masculinity in general are connected with beginning and rise of consumer society. Masculinity is commodified by consumerism. In the late 1980s men have became commercial target, so patriarchal dualistic pattern which have made distinction between “masculine” and “feminine” cultural activities, specifically it have treated production as male, and consumption as feminine activity, have been questioned. Consumer culture has been manipulating (successfully and with profit) with the images of “the disciplined bodies” which have been “perfectly” shaped by permanent regimes of workouts, reduction diets, medicalization, esthetic interventions and, in generally, strongly manifested care for one’s own body. Recent images of masculinities are illustrated by images of masculinities presented in Men´s Health, global known and popular magazine for men.
Keywords
traditional (hegemonic) masculinity; alternative masculinities; body; discipline; commodification; consumerism; commercialisation
Hrčak ID:
94722
URI
Publication date:
27.12.2012.
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