Mass objectification is a result of commodification which is.......

[The Straight Story]

32. It all boils down to the individual and their abilities

I saw a lot of things growing up that tried to define me. From movies to comics to football, etc. Grew up in a time where there were a lot of expectations that the guys would be either in sports or they were geeks and would go on to college. Women loved the guys in bands and who played sports. On tv/etc that was pushed as well.

Chess players, guys who liked D&D, or who spent their summers going to the library getting books on math, science, religion, etc weren't exactly 'represented' if you will in culture.

I didn't expect myself to be someone I wasn't to please others. Others liked people and things I was not. Good for them. I got some pressure from some kids but they eventually came around and accepted me because they knew of all their friends I was the one most comfortable being who I was.

Peer pressure and objectification can well go hand in hand.

But if you truly like being yourself and realize that you have to live with yourself the rest of your life and no one else has to many of those other things can slip right on by you.

SI has images of good looking dudes all the time that have money and fame. Every magazine I see with men in it -- looks like an episode of mad men or magic mike. I don't care. If I let a bunch of folks in some building in nyc define me and what I feel I should look or act like than I am giving them control.

If I think women only want that in a man than I am judging what a woman wants without knowing her (and I would be right in some cases but wrong in many others, some do, some don't - same with men).

I make the simple choice. I read things like chess life, wired, etc and focus on the text and stories (which always reminds me of my friend and his boyfriend - they kept playboy mags laying around just to mess with people. They really did buy it to read the articles they would say.)

Teach kids some values/morals as it relates to them - be yourself, love yourself, and if other people try to define you it's their dime and their time they are wasting.