I recently studied Susan Bordo’s “Unbearable Weight.” In short, she suggests that EDs, specifically anorexia and bulimia nervosa, are born out of the West’s obsession with control over the body.
She points to Plato, Augustine, and Descartes and speaks of attraction to the ideology of self-control. She suggests that many choose to diet not directly due to the influence of advertising, as Kilbourne claims, but due to the perceived importance of being or feeling as if they are in control.
For context, Descartes’ mind-body dualism posits that the mind is a thinking, non-extended substance, associated with consciousness, thoughts, and mental processes, none of which occupy physical space, while the body, in contrast, is an extended, non-thinking substance, occupying space and subject to the laws of physics.
About a year ago, I had exhibited symptoms of disordered eating, though I never went in for a proper diagnosis.
I restricted myself to twelve to fifteen hundred kilocalories a day, tracking fibre and protein as well. I often felt cold, something that was foreign to me, as it had never been an issue in the past.
I now follow a pollo-pescatarian diet (i.e., poultry and seafood), albeit very loosely. (I happen to love my wagyu beef.)
I generally follow a utilitarian, realist line of thought, inspired in part, knowingly or not, by Confucian ideals.
For those who may not know me personally, I am ethnically Korean but adopted and raised Hongkongese. While I have lived in Canada all my life, I retain pride and a sense of connection with my heritage, both ethnic and adopted.
Part of this thought is the concept of an optimal balance in all aspects of life, including body weight. If additional weight does not offer any tangible benefits, I see it as a liability, one whose existence must be rectified.
Yet what seems to be ignored by thinkers in this field, even ones like Paul Messaris, who explicitly name class and status, is the fact that these arguments are made within a narrow, strictly capitalist view.
In the Soviet Union, for instance, obesity was impractical, primarily due to carbs and staples making up most diets alongside manual, active labour (a stark contrast to corporate office work, French fries, and hamburgers).
Comparatively, in the USA, the rate was 40.3% as per August 2023, with similar rates for other modern capitalist Western states. This is because capitalism supercharges the rate of obesity. Profit incentives reward cheap, addictive, and shelf-stable food, such as refined carbs, fats, and salt. Additionally, corn, soy, and wheat, common ingredients in fast food, are subsidized, while fresh produce and lean proteins are relatively expensive.
Advertising simply elevates this further, painting unhealthy food as “fun” or “comforting.” Many fast food chains use bright colouring in their branding, as well as terms like “Happy Meal” (as shown below) or A&W’s “Teen/Mama/Papa/etc. Burger,” pushing the idea that it is a joyous, family-friendly place to eat.
As a side note, McDonald’s is not only unhealthy but also supports the IDF and is therefore on the BDS list. PepsiCo, whose ad was previously featured in this article, is on the list as well.
The body is a tool, a temporary shell for will and thought. Whether it’s out of shame or pride, obsessing over its appearance is akin to being enslaved to it.
As the concept of mind-body duality suggests, an individual is not only the body but also the mind. The body is not “you” per se, but what carries you. Caring for it is necessary, but worshipping it is not.
As such, I find both body positivity and body shaming to be two sides of the same coin; both treat identity as surface-level validation, reducing the self to a discussion topic.
This discussion is then manipulated by capitalists. Industries, media, and politics all profit from collective insecurity.
Corporate capitalism pushes the idea of “individualism” to mimic the sense of freedom, one that does not exist. By focusing on the self and how the self “belongs” within a wider community, individuals are blinded to wider class conflicts.