Sunday, September 7, 2008

New Age Nazis



Everywhere you look, increasingly, there is a need to conform.
Conform to a standard, a type, a structure.The individual must conform to function within a society and must by no means deviate from the norm.

A perfect example of this is the latest body craze.
Size zero, perfect shiny hair, slim waist, small feet, 36- 24 -36?If you look like this your life is perfect, if you don't, it's terrible.

Society is becoming more competitive.In a warped sort of way. "I must have higher cheekbones, a tighter butt, bigger breasts, a slimmer waist,longer legs."
It seems like a quest for a certain superhuman-type quality.
Only if you are a certain size and type are you important. If not, you're clearly unimportant and a waste of time. You must be changed or done away with completely.

Don't be fooled, this isn't a new age phenomenon.
In my mind, it seems to be the case of history repeating itself.


The ideological roots of the Nationalist Socialist party were based on numerous sources in European history, drawing especially from Romantic nineteenth century idealism, and from a biological reading of Friedrich Nietzsche’s thoughts on “breeding upwards” toward the goal of an Übermensch (“superhuman”)*

Hitler spoke of the Aryan race as a superior one. Blue eyes, blond hair and only that. Extermination of everything and everyone else that deviated from that norm.

Joseph Mengele is known to be one of the central Nazi experimenters who conducted the infamous Nazi experiments. One of the most well known of these was the injection of different chemicals into the eyes of twins to see whether it would change their eye colors . Such was their obsession for a certain type.

Fast forward to 2008.

Cosmetic surgery, liposuction, hair bonding,silicon implants, botox are all the order of the day. Increasingly more and more members of society are "experimenting" with their looks.Unwittingly, by experimenting, they are conforming to a certain norm.
What's even more alarming is the fact that people are opting for these methods by themselves.

What is driving this craze?

Study today's media and there's your answer. Check out shows like Discovery Travel and Living's "What not to wear" and MTV's "Style Check",and more recently,"Biggest loser jeetega" on Sahara One.

On "What not to wear",the hosts raid homes and closets of the 'fashion challenged' and 'teach' them how to present themselves better.MTV "Style Check" has anorexic looking models showing off the latest trends of the season. "Biggest loser jeetega" was a reality TV series based on weight loss and fitness.Simply put,the person who loses the most weight, wins.

Go to your local bookstore and the diet books are literally jumping off the bookshelves.Cosmopolitan,Verve and all the rest of the beauty magazines promote one type. One trend, one shape, one size.

The message is clear.
Fall in line.
Do not question,
Just follow.
Conform to the type.
Listen to the propaganda.

All hail the New age Nazis,the beauty industry and our media.

*Source: Nazism-Wikipedia.

4 comments:

Deepa said...

fantastic analogy and as always well written too
Deepa~

karuna said...

World war 3 I say! Lets kill em skinny models!

Honestly this is more powerful and persuasive than the nazis...

Smitha Menon- said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Smitha Menon- said...

Thanks Deepa!
Im with you Karuna!Down with em skinnys!