I’ve always said that as a whole, beauty aesthetics for the sake of trend are less about the aesthetic and more about the performance of belonging. The duck lips high brows overfilled cheeks (which men hate but still date) are not about being attractive but about signalling a subservience to the system. They’re not saying ‘I’m pretty look at me’, they’re saying ‘I’m agreeable pick me’. And in response, when men date this person they claim they don’t find attractive (which is probably true) all they’re saying is ‘I’m good enough’ and ‘I fit in.’ And that barely touches on the eugenics coding of it all.
Really interesting piece. Bookmarking to come back after I read the Sontag essay.
It’s wild to think that the trends used to be just make up and have now shifted to plastic surgery, because what happened after the hollowed out check bones is replaced with a fuller face?
Wow hit the nail on the head of my hometown. Born and raised in Nashville and now live about 30 minutes outside of town. The Ryman and Station Inn are about the two places left where you can see great music and feel the history. Everything else is "country music 'star' name" restaurant here, there, and everywhere. The folks downtown crawling the streets in their costumes, falling out in the streets, riding party wagons...😵💫 Great and interesting piece from there on out. Learned a lot I had no idea about and you described a couple of great former friends near perfectly in the character descriptions. Also great observation on the current left, which is most definitely center and right as far as the mainstream is concerned. If you aren't much further left these days (which is the way) you are enabling and sitting by while what we all have known our whole lives crumbles around us. I guess it just really shows so many have ignored the terrible things done in the past here and abroad, or just don't care enough to make meaningful change for ALL people.
I’ve always said that as a whole, beauty aesthetics for the sake of trend are less about the aesthetic and more about the performance of belonging. The duck lips high brows overfilled cheeks (which men hate but still date) are not about being attractive but about signalling a subservience to the system. They’re not saying ‘I’m pretty look at me’, they’re saying ‘I’m agreeable pick me’. And in response, when men date this person they claim they don’t find attractive (which is probably true) all they’re saying is ‘I’m good enough’ and ‘I fit in.’ And that barely touches on the eugenics coding of it all.
Really interesting piece. Bookmarking to come back after I read the Sontag essay.
It’s wild to think that the trends used to be just make up and have now shifted to plastic surgery, because what happened after the hollowed out check bones is replaced with a fuller face?
They just go back and get filler
True, all of which shows even more dedication to the performance!
Yep. Performance is everything these days.
"this is a big part of what has made my work popular with the little corner of the internet we’re all on here"
Another big part is that you write very well. You discuss abstract ideas in clear and concise language.
just listened to you read this aloud on the pod and it’s just as good to read here. it’s so thorough and had me shaking my head saying yes yes yes
thank you so much!!! 💓💓💓
I love it
You nailed this archetype straight on. You can add gossip milling to this archetype as well. But you nailed it.
Just want to say, fuck yes. You hit the nail on the head.
So glad I saw this bc I was going to watch hunting wives to see if they kiss but now I do something else. Thanks!
this is so well-written and researched, i have been locked into reading this at work when i catch a break all morning—outrageously funny i love it
Wow hit the nail on the head of my hometown. Born and raised in Nashville and now live about 30 minutes outside of town. The Ryman and Station Inn are about the two places left where you can see great music and feel the history. Everything else is "country music 'star' name" restaurant here, there, and everywhere. The folks downtown crawling the streets in their costumes, falling out in the streets, riding party wagons...😵💫 Great and interesting piece from there on out. Learned a lot I had no idea about and you described a couple of great former friends near perfectly in the character descriptions. Also great observation on the current left, which is most definitely center and right as far as the mainstream is concerned. If you aren't much further left these days (which is the way) you are enabling and sitting by while what we all have known our whole lives crumbles around us. I guess it just really shows so many have ignored the terrible things done in the past here and abroad, or just don't care enough to make meaningful change for ALL people.
Who wrote this. Tell me!
I'm learning so much here
"It’s an open and dirty secret of the BDSM community that leather aesthetics can be traced to Nazi S.S. uniforms." Haha - see "Gravity's Rainbow."
Wait till you see what kind of erotica Israelis put out in the 50s...
i looked into that—super interesting and relevant to this essay. odd!