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Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

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Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#281

Post by Sebb767 »

aksss wrote: post #213
ZephyrBlu wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not american (Nor european) but I would still be extremely uncomfortable in an all-male shower let alone a unisex shower. I'm curious what you think the reasons that nudity is not as big of a deal to Europeans are.

That may get better with age. At some point in my life I stopped having the cycles to care as much about such things. Plenty of people look weird in life, many weirder than you, your value as a person is far higher than how your physique compares to a model. Shared facilities are just functional tools, get in, do ur thing, get out, done.

I think this is also simply a thing of familiarization. It seems daunting at first, but at the end of the day the others are humans as well, have their flaws and don't have anything on either. Once you're used to communal showers or saunas it ceases to be a big deal, or at least it was for me.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#282

Post by souprock »

aksss wrote: post #207
minxomat wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean for one, a nude shower is the standard at pretty much all pools. Gender-separated most of the time, but still. From elementary school swimming lessons (which to be fair happen before pools open to the general public), to attending them as an adult, you drop all clothes when you enter and shower in one big room. Sure there might be partial walls for the extra shy, but most just don't care. Same goes for gym sho…

> The enormous gaps in US toilet stalls are far more terrifying ADA compliance?

I think he refers to the 1-inch gaps between the stall and the wall, and on the hinge side of the door. He might also refer to the 1-foot gap below the door or the half-inch gap by the door latch. American stalls are also short, so tall people can look right over the top.

With gaps so big, why do we bother?

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#283

Post by bigiain »

secfirstmd wrote: post #255
porknubbins wrote: post #194

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love this about British/ Nordic tv. It feels as though every show injects more gritty realism compared to US polish. There is a spectrum though and US is actually on the better end. Most Asian tv shows feature the a tiny pool of the same gorgeous people who may or may not have acting skills.

Just from my own observation recently it's also the case with French, German and Israeli TV. Much more nuanced, realistic etc.

And Russian cinema. Or at least all the Russian cinema that makes it to Australia and I get to see...

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#284

Post by Sebb767 »

ZephyrBlu wrote: post #168
centimeter wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think there’s any complicated explanation; if you are never exposed to a particular state of being (e.g. public nudity) while growing up, it will probably be uncomfortable as an adult if you only have a normal level of openness to new experiences. I don’t think fear of nudity is much different from fear of flying or fear of fear of public speaking or whatever. At least among my friend group, public nudity has…

I meant more from a cultural perspective than a purely behavioural one. Just curious if there are some obvious cultural differences which contribute to being brought up with nudity being more normalized.

I can only speak for Germany, but nudity is not seen as much of a big deal. Gyms in schools usually have communal changing rooms and it's not unusual to see naked people in movies, even in non-sexual manners. I guess it just never established as a big deal and the relative prevalence of nudity just carries on to the next generation.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#285

Post by ahthat »

hirundo wrote: post #35

Is this a side effect of normalizing porn, that sexuality is more effectively partitioned? I once had a debate in an online forum about legalizing prostitution, and most participants were supportive of it. Then I asked the same group, what about legalizing partial prostitution, like a receptionist that also has sex with the boss as part of the job description. The participants all immediately switched to revulsion at…

I think people are confusing the notion of being a secretary and having sex with your boss with the idea that it is inherently wrong for superiors to use their workplace capital to exploit those who work under them. It is completely correct that the latter idea is exploitative; however, if a woman is a secretary and is also arranged to have sex with her boss via her job description, and she consents to this when accepting the job offer with full understanding of what her job entails -in effect being a fifty fifty secretary sex worker- then there is nothing wrong with this at all, quite self evidently. It would be consensual and in writing. If she is not coerced into the job, it is not exploitative.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#286

Post by ahthat »

saithound wrote: post #82
hirundo wrote: post #35

Is this a side effect of normalizing porn, that sexuality is more effectively partitioned? I once had a debate in an online forum about legalizing prostitution, and most participants were supportive of it. Then I asked the same group, what about legalizing partial prostitution, like a receptionist that also has sex with the boss as part of the job description. The participants all immediately switched to revulsion at…

Others have explained why certain jobs are "segregated", and how sex work could plausibly fit into that category. But even if it does not, there's nothing we can learn about sex work from the reactions described above. Isn't it strange how most programmers think that specialist barista work is not demeaning, but would quit on the spot if they were instructed to serve morning coffee to the management? Oh wait, it's no…

If it were part of the job description, there would be nothing wrong with being asked to serve coffee to management, no matter what your position is. If it is not in the job description, then it is generally inappropriate.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#287

Post by aksss »

throwaway77767 wrote: post #11

> This cinematic trend reflects the culture around it. Even before the pandemic hit, Millennials and Zoomers were less sexually active than the generation before them. Maybe we’re too anxious about the Apocalypse; maybe we’re too broke to go out; maybe having to live with roommates or our parents makes it a little awkward to bring a partner home; maybe there are chemicals in the environment screwing up our hormones;…

> what do we do as a society to improve some of these trends?

Well, HIV/AIDS seems relatively under control compared to when I was a young man, and there’s a vaccine for HPV, so get on out there, young blood!

Aversion to anonymous or even just casual sex for my generation (X) was from diseases. That seems like less of an issue now, but maybe the education system doesn’t want to let up on the risks yet, kind of like cities keeping us doing the recycling motions even when they’re throwing it in landfills - the behaviors are deemed valuable or the institutions just haven’t caught up to reality.

Probably your biggest issue as a generation is the freely available custom porn and social media alienating people from each other - there’s a lack of need to hook up and a self-inflicted lack of opportunity. Also, sensitivities to workplace hookups are a much bigger deal than they were even 15 years ago.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#288

Post by tootie »

milchek wrote: post #27

This was a fun read, especially as someone who grew up with those 80s and 90s movies. That said, and as the author touches on, the action/super hero of today is a PG-13 one. Studios need to reach the widest audience possible to make the most money, so it's a safer bet. Sure, back in the day studios had the same imperative, but the licensed toy game was still young, so they didn't realise that maybe if they made Die H…

I feel like a lot of 80s movies just a generic sex scene or topless woman inserted as a matter of course. Because it was expected whether or not it was remotely relevant to anything.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#289

Post by aksss »

throwaway198919 wrote: post #266
argonaut wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This makes no sense because women today are more sexually free than they have ever been. In absolute terms women are still often slut shamed, but it's still less than in the past.

That's true but there's the woke / me-too movement now. I have a "friend" that I met from Tinder during early pandemic, we only met once because of it, and then it was purely sexting exchange of pictures and so on. Last month she started following a local me-too movement FB group that had women sharing about their past harassment experiences and calling out their aggressors, that ranged from total abuse of power, to…

Sounds like you’re on speaking terms still, maybe now’s the time to get that affidavit signed that everything was consensual. :D I’m kidding.. but maybe I’m not.

Re: Modern action films fetishize the body even as they desexualize it

#290

Post by PurpleFoxy »

ahthat wrote: post #285
hirundo wrote: post #35

Is this a side effect of normalizing porn, that sexuality is more effectively partitioned? I once had a debate in an online forum about legalizing prostitution, and most participants were supportive of it. Then I asked the same group, what about legalizing partial prostitution, like a receptionist that also has sex with the boss as part of the job description. The participants all immediately switched to revulsion at…

I think people are confusing the notion of being a secretary and having sex with your boss with the idea that it is inherently wrong for superiors to use their workplace capital to exploit those who work under them. It is completely correct that the latter idea is exploitative; however, if a woman is a secretary and is also arranged to have sex with her boss via her job description, and she consents to this when acce…

What about when all of the unfilled job listings include this requirement?

The only way I can see prostitution as ethical is if someone can choose to have no job and be fairly comfortable.

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