Subscribe to Desicritics
Consumerism and Sex
Sakshi Juneja
It is shocking to see the number of advertisements floating around these days which portray women as desired objects and man as consumer, directly or in-directly. According to these advertisements, Man is the hunter, Woman the hunted. Man the voyeur, Woman the victim. At times, some of these advertisements are so over the top, that it makes it hard for the whole family to sit together and watch television. Sadly, there is no one to question the present market-and-media ethos that turns women's bodies into consumer objects.
Consumerism talks about manipulating people's desires. It's basic and founding ideology is that one should be able to acquire all one wants. In other words, desired objects become commodities - available to the highest bidder. Bodies (commodities) are for sale, in "representation" and in "reality". Modeling, be it nude or semi-nude is not considered a big deal in today's society. It is considered as one of the few ways for women qua women to make money. Male desire is aroused by this display of titillating female bodies. This results in passive viewing to active buying. And this is where Consumerism meets Sexism. This however is not where the relationship ends; it at times further leads to "Sexual Violence".
Bodies advertised on television - or others like them - are available in the real marketplace. Therefore today "Sex work" is a fast-growing service industry, in India and abroad. Sex all over the world is still considered to be labour for women and pleasure for men. Obviously there is something not quite natural about the explanation of sexuality if it is a commodity on sale like any other.
Women are learning to wear less and less in order to be appreciated. Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat claims that exhibiting her physical assets was the only way an ordinary woman like herself could make it in glamorous Bollywood. On the other hand, high-circulation daily newspapers discuss the 'oomph factor' and present 'mirchi meters' comparing various 'sizzling' females (Mandira Bedi during the Cricket World Cup matches & Aishwarya Rai during her visit to Cannes Film Festival). Images of nude women, vulnerable and seductive, are doing the rounds on computer, television and cinema screens, mobile phones (MMS controversies). Tell me, are we returning to the time when slave traders would make a woman open her mouth to count the number of teeth she had, and feel her muscles to ensure she could do the work? Today many Indian women make a beeline towards cosmetic surgery to sculpt their figures and faces into desirable shapes and contours. Why is that even today, the privileged male gaze still seems to determine and dictate ideal female form, image and behaviour.
Former US President Bill Clinton revealed in his auto-biography,"My Life", that he did have an affair with Monica Lewinsky (which he had earlier conveniently denied). Having confessed, he excused himself, dismissing it as a mistake that should never have happened. His book sold like hot cakes, the media excused him and men at large were again reassured that they do not need to take responsibility for their own sexual behaviour. This makes me wonder are we still living in a Patriarchical society? Patriarchy has always allocated sexual rights to men and responsibilities to women. It's simply sad and pathetic to see that this ethical code still exists, even among progressive and enlightened people.
Consumerism and Sex
RSS:
- Subscribe to RSS 2.0 feeds for:
- » Comments on this article
- » Media
- » Culture: Women
- » Desicritics.org articles by Sakshi Juneja
- » All Opinion articles
- » All Desicritics.org articles
mayank
URL
February 1, 2006
07:31 AM
Finally, someone with similar opinions on the media glorification of skin!
deepti lamba
URL
February 1, 2006
08:32 AM
I'd like to believe that though men 'look' at the hotties but when it comes to having a mature relationship or marriage they prefer the girl next door.
Sure, if they could get a hottie with brains, looks and heart that would make their day but the fact is that the 'hot stuff' wouldn't have much to do with the average male, her eyes would be set on a Trump or an Ambani if not Bollywood!
satya
URL
February 1, 2006
09:26 AM
Deepti, you are so true about the hotties !
Vijayendra
URL
February 1, 2006
10:04 AM
I have always wondered why the ad for a luxury soap (with an obviously female target audience) would feature a beautiful woman in a bathtub (which would obviously titillate men).
deepti lamba
URL
February 1, 2006
10:17 AM
Vijayendra, most women (me included) are pre-conditioned to see beautiful models in the soap commercials.
Recently Target did an ad that showed full figured women in lingere, somehow it was not a pretty sight!
Further on, I'm not fully convinced that watching ads lead to sexism thereby sexual violence.
Deviant behavior is an inherent quality not an impressionable or borrowed one.
cow tse tung
URL
February 1, 2006
10:24 AM
Vijayendra, 'lesbian subtext'?
I think its way simpler than that:
Bathtubs==the luxurious lifestyle/prestigious clientele`/consumer-base.
Beauty==the supposed outcome of using the soap bar.
solemn
February 1, 2006
10:39 AM
When I was a kid, I never used to care about what the girls wear on screen.. rather only focussed on what they speak or do. Another classic example was that of baywatch.. I was really only interested in the rescue missions.. But now as a teen, there has been a change.. so I often wonder why movies are rated based on age. Just a thought :)
And as for that lux ad.. even girls go like "Oh..she's hot!" thereby creating some confusion in my mind. Then I realise this phenomenon seems more natural for girls than it is for guys ;)
deepti lamba
URL
February 1, 2006
10:54 AM
Solemn, we women recognise true beauty when we see it, unlike most men ;)
gypsyman
URL
February 1, 2006
03:45 PM
Objectification equals dehumanization equals second class. Anywhere the Juedo-Christian belief system holds sway (Europe and North America) you'll find these attitudes prevailing even though we live in so called enlightened times.
Rights that women fought for for years are now being revoked without anyone lifting a hand in their defence. How is this possible that the majority is so cowed and controled they lose control over their own bodies?
Simple. Even since the judeo christian rule of law was imposed it's been one long war on women. Eve is responsible for the fall of man, so is the root of all evil. Men are brought up to hate women but at the same time in order to prove their manhood they must have sexual relation with them.
How can you make love with somebody you hate? Of course it's a sin if you have sex for any other reason than procreation, so any time you do enjoy yourself or simply make love because you love the other person you must punish yourself and feel guilty...
The Christian church initially had to compete with religions that worshiped earth mother figure that were of practical use for early agricultural communities. In order to surplant these religions they first had to start the first major disinformation program...women are evil therefore they can not be goddesses they must be devils or witches...you get the picture.
After more then two thousand years of that what chance do women have...occasional inroads as were seen in the seventies and eighties end up being slapped back with backlashes like the United States is undegoing presently.
Hopefully we will be able to keep it at bay in Canada, but it means being ever vigilant. I don't mean just the ads in the papers or media, they're a symptom of the larger problem.
Attempts by the government to restrict a woman's right to herself and the use of the words traditional family values are the key signs that trouble lies ahead. We live in a patriachy, and anyone who thinks elswise is deluding themselves.
gypsyman
Vivek
URL
February 2, 2006
12:27 AM
hari kunzru has writting this interesting article on
consumerism
http://www.harikunzru.com/hari/masculinity.htm
Sakshi
URL
February 2, 2006
01:17 AM
The problem I have is that...even women these days show no objection with the way they are treated. These very women don't realise what sort of awefull trend they are setting by giving in the demands of the society.
As for (some) men, they follow the policy that to have fun they need a extrovert women...but when it comes to taking a women home...then she needs to be a 'pati mera parmeshwar' sorts. Double standards...very nook and corner.
Add your comment
(Or ping: http://desicritics.org/tb/194)