From a male standpoint reading this is very interesting. As a guy it is very difficult to imagine the social presence someone of the opposite sex has. However, I found what Berger says to be very interesting and stimulating. In a culture that is heavily influenced by status and sex appeal, I feel as though we all in one way or another continually watch ourselves. Wether it is what our body looks like or what we are dressed like we are constantly judging ourselves and how others will perceive us. Even though this passage related directly to women's presence we can also take some of this and relate it to each one of our own lives. As stated in this passage, men tend to survey women and women tend to catch themselves being the surveyed, but how many times have we judged another of the same sex? I think we can all relate to this and I found it to be very interesting to see how Berger depicts the presence of both women and men throughout history.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The social presence of both men and women
In Chapter 3 Berger shows us how men and women traditionally have a different type of social presence. He states, "a man's presence is dependent upon the promise of power which he embodies... a man's presence suggests what he is capable of doing to you or for you." On the contrary, Berger explains how a woman's presence suggests what can or cannot be done to her. Berger states the following on page 48, "To be born a woman has been to be born, within an allocated and confined space, into the keeping of men...And also so she comes to consider the surveyor and the surveyed within her as the two constituent yet always distinct elements of her identity as a woman." Since her childhood she has been taught and persuaded to constantly survey herself. "A woman must continually watch herself", Berger states.
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I think it's an interesting point you bring up that Berger's reading was mainly talking about how women are viewed as objects but men are judged just the same. They may not be perceived as an object and objectified but women do look at men in one way or another and judge them at a glance as men do to women. Perhaps the reason men do not notice it is because a woman's gaze is less intrusive or less penetrating as a man's might be? Whatever it may be, men do not necessarily give in to the standards they may be expected to uphold. They will not dress to go along with what is expected or appropriate, they will usually dress for comfort. Whereas women dress to impress other woman and feel like they are attractive to the opposite sex.
ReplyDeleteAlex and Megan,
ReplyDeleteI remember a great little clip from the series "Mad Men" that I feel highlights your arguments. Although the show continuously and directly deals with the aspects that Berger is talking about in regards to men and women, below is the link to a clip that stood out in my mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eteErs0GCBQ
The key quote from the clip is "The medium is the message" What do you think?
I find the female figure so much more appealing than a man’s and I think most would agree. Why are there so many more photos and paintings of woman compared to men. The female figure is sleek, sexy, and stunning where as the male figure is not so much. In my opinion, if you compare a man’s figure against a female’s, hands down people would say it is more pleasing to look at a female. You could even do it with a child that has no sexual prowess and they would even agree. The female figure is so far ahead of a male’s figure that it looks good with very little done to it. I never understood why girls try so hard to look good when they are so far ahead in the body department then men do. For most men, all a girl needs to do is just show up. Berger identifies is appropriately, girls look good for other girls. There is this constant competition between women and it is unnecessary. Great post.
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