The global prettyfication of men

[Tooting Carmen]

I feel like writing a book called "The Global Prettyfication of Men". All over the world, in a whole host of things - from rugby to Bollywood to James Bond to even increasingly politics - to paraphrase MLK, it seems that men are no longer judged on the content of their character but on their looks and bodies.

In rugby, not only are the players usually a lot more muscular than in the past, but also they take far greater care of their hair and even skin. Reading through journalist Carolyn Hitt's book "Welsh rugby in the 70s", what is striking is how, by modern-day standards, unkempt and unshapely most of the rugby players were. Would someone like Gareth Edwards, JPR or Phil Bennett, with their messy hair, long sideburns and skinny frames come even close to making it into the current Welsh team? In their place, players like George North, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Gareth Davies and Rhys Webb all have bulging biceps, six-packs and are notorious for how long they spend sorting out their hair and moisturising their skin.

In Bollywood, the male actors are noticeably more muscular, clean-shaven and (given India's quite racist beauty standards) light-skinned compared to even 10-20 years ago. Actors like Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, John Abraham, Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor seem to spend almost as much time in films and live performances with their shirts off as their shirts on!

As for James Bond, even many feminist writers themselves commented on how Daniel Craig - particularly in Casino Royale - was the first Bond to be sexually objectified more than any of the women were! Would a fat, hairy actor like Sean Connery come even remotely close to being selected to be Bond nowadays?

In politics, Spanish Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez has stripped off for the Spanish edition of Men's Health, while Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera has also stripped off for political campaign posters. Here in the UK, politicians who looked like Tristram Hunt and Chris Phipps would have been relatively rare in the past, whereas now they are ten-a-penny.

How and why has society become much more judgemental of men's physical appearance than used to be the case? Also, is this growing trend harmful, beneficial or neither for men in general?

[brennus dux gallorum]

Nowadays sex, and sexual liberation is everywhere, and increased judgemental of both male and female physical appearance is obviously associated with this fact, but most of all with the economic impact of sexuality

[crazyladybutterfly]

NOW men will finally see how women feel.. not saying i want men to be subjected to it .. but we ll both understand how this is wrong and put maybe an end to it? or at least make it less

[Tooting Carmen]

NOW men will finally see how women feel.. not saying i want men to be subjected to it .. but we ll both understand how this is wrong and put maybe an end to it? or at least make it less

That's the point though - nowadays I'd argue that, in some ways, men have it worse. I definitely think there is a growing double standard where to treat a man like a sex object is seen as amusing or even commendable, whereas to treat a woman as a sex object is seen as demeaning. For example, here is a charity telethon from Australia (I've posted the actor in question before). Could you imagine the reaction if they asked the woman to take her top off for charity and not the man?

[crazyladybutterfly]

That's the point though - nowadays I'd argue that, in some ways, men have it worse. I definitely think there is a growing double standard where to treat a man like a sex object is seen as amusing or even commendable, whereas to treat a woman as a sex object is seen as demeaning. For example, here is a charity telethon from Australia (I've posted the actor in question before). Could you imagine the reaction if they asked the woman to take her top off for charity and not the man?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5AeMekUecM

still i believe women are more judged for their looks , she s like over 60 and she gets mocked by some below the comments for not looking like a playboy model? wtf
i far more rarely see people micking men for losing their looks , it happened to some older actors but they were sex symbols back at their time

[Tooting Carmen]

Feminist activists have often had a go at female celebrities ranging from Ursula Andress to Rihanna for trying to enhance their popularity by showing off their bodies, but there are plenty of male celebrities - actors, singers, sportsmen - who prostitute their bodies far more than they do and nobody says anything. For example, watch a concert by Usher Raymond or even Will Smith - much of the time they are basically glorified stripshows.

[Tacitus]

I think a more appropriate title would be "The global feminization of men."

[de Burgh II]

This is merely the regression of society in hindsight. Excessive hedonism, worship of trivial, shallow people such as celebrities/entertainers via the media and other regressive factors praise the negative side of human nature. These values become more degenerated as we degenerate in our vanity, insecurities and other factors to our own self annihilation.

That is reinforced by globalization that destroys distinctive cultures through the implementation of globalized, mass media praising degenerated values under political correctness. The is the antithesis of traditional values that instills one's mind with more proper values, familial upbringing and better moral undertones whereas the media merely regresses this potential in future generations to a regressed state. Which is why it is important to retain more morally, proper values through tribalistic mentalities. That fragments and counterbalances this dilemma as nature intended it.

[Tooting Carmen]

I think a more appropriate title would be "The global feminization of men."

Up to a point, but the growing obsession with muscle in particular contravenes that notion.

[Odin]

That's the reality of the sexual marketplace. Men need either good looks, high social status, or a lot of money to attract women. An ugly, poor, old man with no social status will be invisible to 99.99% of women. In today's world, women are more open about their honest sexual preferences (thanks to second wave feminism). A 7/10 girl will have literally millions of men ready to commit to her. She doesn't need money, social status, or an amazing personality to live an happy and secure life. Even a fat girl can get a guy. But for men, naturally attractive facial development/features and ratios is the one thing money can't get them, only genetics.