This blog generally deals with issues of strength training, programming, athletic performance and other related fields but this is a topic as a reasonably well read person tied inexorably to an industry that thrives off people's insecurities that I have a few opinions on, opinions I hope you might want to hear...
Your body, clothes and mannerisms are your projection of yourself to the world and merit attention.
The attitude or opinion that people are victims and need saving is one of the single most depressing world views to my mind. Each person is circumstances permitting (i.e. a resident of a first world or "free" nation) is the arbiter of their own destiny. You may be of an economically lesser background or have a propensity for cake because it's a comfort food but both of these factors are subject to change. You can better yourself via up skilling or try to start a business and surprise surprise you can... not eat the cake.
One of the most profound things you can do to improve yourself and more importantly improve how others receive you is to be in good physical shape.
It is a demonstrated fact that people who
- Weight less
- Are more attractive
- Are taller
Earn higher wages on average, the reasons for this are wholly societal and not an actual measure of your worth as a person. If you don't exploit this fact by presenting yourself better to the word by
- Spending time on your apperance
- Looking after your body via exercise
- Eating healthy
- Dressing Well
- Sleeping etc.
You are 100% to blame, it's not like you don't have personal control over these factors. If you don't find the time to better yourself physically as well as mentally then I have no pity for you really. We are all independent actors for all intents and purposes it is down to you to make the correct decisions for you.
If your greatest achievement is your physical appearance I feel sorry for you
All the prior being said your physical appearance only really has a marked effect on how others precieve you. Obviously people derive self confidence from being in good shape or having been blessed with a pleasant face but beauty as they say is only skin deep.
I derive so much more pleasure form reading, intelligent and heartfelt interaction with others than I do from having relatively well developed biceps peaks. If I couldn't lift or look good in a t-shirt it wouldn't be anywhere near the end of my life but if I couldn't develop mentally or learn I would consider my life much less worthwhile.
The sort of person who only cares really about the superficial nature of their appearance is the sort of person I avoid like the plague. I would far rather hang out with a bunch of fat, unattractive but mentally astute people for hours than I would spend 1 minute listening to a self absorbed swole bro or make up covered socialite talk about anything... which in all likely hood will be the topic of themselves.
Your mental development of the two is the one closest to your own happiness and personal development. In 40 years all the 25 year old swole bros will be uninteresting old people sauntering along life's conveyor belt to the grave. In 40 years the 25 year old who spent the last 40 years learning and developing will not only be a cracking conversation over a whiskey but they will also probably be in a better circumstance financially, socially and mentally.
The Media responds to demand just as much as they shape people's self perception.
There are few things I would say I actively hate in life but "popular culture" or more to the point popular culture in the Americanised west causes me physical repulsion. The sort of "popular culture" I am referring to include
- Celebrity centric media and "reality TV"
- Music designed with a purely commercial bent (although obviously music has to have some commercial value to make money)
- Fashion for fashions sake
I could go on but I will cut to the point these things exist because they make money. The real democratic process is what people do with their disposable income. McDonalds makes a lot of money because they sell a lot of Big Macs, Fashion makes a lot of money because it supports and helps to advertise a multi-billion dollar industry to be blind to these factors and to claim to be some victim to the "media" of "society's pressure to do this or that" is to be ignorant of the facts.
The aim of advertisement and business is to surprise, surprise make money if you are ignorant to this then you only have yourself to blame.
I support my hatred of these things by actively avoiding it and purchasing none of it. I find "big brother" repulsive and as such never watch it. If you don't like something don't support it. After all you are responsible for your own actions.
Back to the blog then why do I lift weights?
Because I want to and it makes me feel good. For a lot of things in life sticking to these tenants is not the worst thing you can do, obviously if this was you life philosophy for everything you would probably be a horrible person but moral philosophy is not really my remit... or maybe it's the topic for another blog.
Marc
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