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Why do we want to look this way?

Monkey Man

By Monkey Man
in General chitchat

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Monkey Man Member

Monkey Man

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Im sure many of you have asked yourself, is it really 'right' to wana look like the kind of body I want to achieve?

Our lives are based around looking 'good' and self image-not just us (bodybuilders etc) but society as a whole.

Our gender roles as males (I know not everyone on this forum is a male but bare with me) tell us to be 'big' and 'strong' etc, the ideal "masculine" figure I suppose you could call it...

I mean i've always questioned everything in my life, especially in the last two years since i've left school and grown up a bit. And I never believe or follow anything unless I know its true/right/moral etc.

It seems as if i'm being a hypocrite to myself 'buying into' this shallow capitalist lifestyle, trying to look good and act like a 'masculine' manly man...

Is wanting to achieve these 'ideal' good looking bodies for our own sake? Or is it society telling how we should look/act/live.

I know I sound like a bit of a dick saying this ^ and maybe i'm looking too far into this sort of thing. But just thought id get my thoughts out in the open.

Opinions? Or am I just a doosh? haha

Chur :D

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AlBundy Senior member

AlBundy

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Eh? Just do whatever you want I was a small skinny kid and decided that I was going to atleast train myself to a point I could be happy with. Would rather be overly muscular than a skinny runt. Hell I'm tiny compared to the serious folks but to my mates they all think i'm a unit which is funny cause I'm still skinny but their perception is just different than mine/ours.

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Monkey Man Member

Monkey Man

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Life is too short to be normal/small/average

Yeah, I do like that. Same goes for wanting to achieve goals and live a HAPPY life...

But. Theres a nagging part of me thats saying wanting to be 'big' and a real 'man' (whatever that is, well I know what its suppose to be, but says who-yano?) is just kinda...Thinking like everyone else.

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Monkey Man Member

Monkey Man

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I suppose this question (about looking 'good') is just a small part of the wider topic (Being, why do we act/live the way we do as men/women)

Are these ideas of gender/how we're suppose to be and shit just socially constructed? And we're buying into them?

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teamfatboy Veteran member

teamfatboy

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Hmmm. How many fat Prime Ministers have there been (since Lange in the '80s), or fat Presidents of the US...

In (Western) society in general, isn't it true that successful men tend to be taller, leaner, stronger than not...

Yes, to an extent those perceptions are socially constructed, or at least propped up... but since the beginning of time, a fat man or a weak man could never defend his family or keep them fed, so the notion pre-dates modern mass marketing, surely ?

On the other hand, I've never learned more about general good health, nutrition and the like, than in the past few years in this sport, so it's not entirely selfish :D

Or to put it another way, if you're leaner and stronger than average, because of your own efforts, the chances are you'll live longer, and do better at keeping your family safe and fed than if you're a couch potato who dies early of coronary artery disease or cirrhosis of the live :nod:

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thatwaslight Veteran member

thatwaslight

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I suppose this question (about looking 'good') is just a small part of the wider topic (Being, why do we act/live the way we do as men/women)

Are these ideas of gender/how we're suppose to be and shit just socially constructed? And we're buying into them?

No. Being big is always going to make you appear masculine. All in the subconscious programmed in our dna

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Monkey Man Member

Monkey Man

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Hmmm. How many fat Prime Ministers have there been (since Lange in the '80s), or fat Presidents of the US...

In (Western) society in general, isn't it true that successful men tend to be taller, leaner, stronger than not...

Yeah thats true, happy/more attractive people tend to be more successful also (I suppose taller, leaner-comes under attractive)

Yes, to an extent those perceptions are socially constructed, or at least propped up... but since the beginning of time, a fat man or a weak man could never defend his family or keep them fed, so the notion pre-dates modern mass marketing, surely ?

Yeah I forgot about this one, partially genetic then maybe. Good point.

On the other hand, I've never learned more about general good health, nutrition and the like, than in the past few years in this sport, so it's not entirely selfish :D

Yup, me too. I've learn't a SHIT load about nutrition in the last year or so

Or to put it another way, if you're leaner and stronger than average, because of your own efforts, the chances are you'll live longer, and do better at keeping your family safe and fed than if you're a couch potato who dies early of coronary artery disease or cirrhosis of the live :nod:

Yup another good point.

Nice reply man, respect.

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Monkey Man Member

Monkey Man

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I suppose this question (about looking 'good') is just a small part of the wider topic (Being, why do we act/live the way we do as men/women)

Are these ideas of gender/how we're suppose to be and shit just socially constructed? And we're buying into them?

No. Being big is always going to make you appear masculine. All in the subconscious programmed in our dna

Yeah but how much of masculinity is genetic and how much is constructed? For example, men who tend to act 'feminine' are looked down upon. Same with gays and trans-genders/inter-sex people as there not 'normal'.

I don't think its all in our DNA

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tomsammce Veteran member

tomsammce

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i do it for myself.... if you look good, you feel good. every male 18-25 (my age group) wants to be big and muscly but no one wants to put in the effort/hardwork... whenever i go out to town thats all i hear about ppl wanting to ask me about the gym or what food and supplements i buy.... its fucken crazy to the point i get sick of it! going to the gym everyday makes me feel great and is my own time where nothing else matters, eating good food makes me feel better inside and gives me more energy.... so i guess i could say looking good is just a by product i suppose i could call it of me going to the gymn and eating well.

its not just the guys who are big who are obsessed with image, its everyone and everyone wants the same thing the only difference is most cant be bothered doing anything about it.... they dont want to look average they want to look like every other male wants to they just too lazy or dont know how to go about it.

funnily enough i was talking to a 24 year who lives in sydney on the weekend about this exact topic and she said the whole image thing and pressure to look like it over there is like 100 times bigger and more important than over here...

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eatliftrest Member

eatliftrest

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I look at this from slightly a different angle. I have always been light, not very strong and had joint issues. Both kinds. When I hit 40 the metabolism slowed down so I started adding weight around the gut. Yup, a skinny fat guy. As I’ve closed in on 50 I’ve had to address it simply for health and wellbeing so I hit the weights. I’ve never felt better in my life. Training has given my life structure & purpose, disciplined my diet and drinking, and adding weight in the good places & losing it in the bad places is a huge bonus., Health has improved beyond belief, joint issues almost unnoticeable, clothes fit better, the missus likes the changes…and we all know what that means. My only regret is not applying myself when I was younger, but hey, better late than never right. IMHO don’t question it too much, just get stuck in and make the most of it while you can.

Cheers

elr

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