Susan Bordo Blog

Spindler, Amy. (1996). “It’s a Face-Lifted, Tummy-Tucked Jungle Out There,” New York Times, June 9.

In her article “It’s a Face-Lifted, Tummy-Tucked Jungle Out There,” Amy Spindler claims that over the years men have become more focused on their beauty and appearances as a result of the increased competition within the corporate world and the relative downsizing of major industries. “The shrinkage of the great white collar corporate institutions” has left many workers, especially the older generation of men, feeling insecure about their positions within companies (Spindler 1). These insecurities are a direct result of companies searching for younger and fresher employees to replace their older employees. The “elder workers” have responded to this movement by attempting to become more youthful to compete with the threatening generation. Spindler goes on to say that men aquire this new appearance by relying on cosmetics, and in some cases, even surgical procedures. Hair transplants, liposuction, eyelid surgery, facelifts, and pectoral implants are just a few of the many procedures that are catered towards men in the vast and expanding field of cosmetic surgery. Men in their 40’s and 50’s have begun to realize that in order to contend with this younger generation of “bionic men.” They must be willing to allocate more time and attention to their personal appearances considering the newly adopted “pro-youth” favoritism shown by higher-ranking businessmen (Spindler 3). Spindler’s goal in writing this article was to show readers that women are not the only ones who are subject to criticism based on aesthetics, and that men are under just as much pressure as women to maintain their appearances. 

David Foster Wallace

This commencement address to  Kenyon College by David Foster wallace is a very enlightening and inspiring piece. I enjoyed this speech because it was unlike the cliche graduation address. Wallace did not attempt to preach to his audience at all in any way shape or form during this speech. Instead, David's main goal was to shed some light on an emerging and promising group of young students. In some ways, his address to Kenyon College was somewhat ironic considering he was at one point telling a group of obviously very smart and studious adults not to worship their education. When i reached this point in his address I was baffled. I read Fosters statement "[w]orship  your intellect, being seen as smart--you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out" (Wallace) and was left with a feeling of guilt. I have gone my whole life worshipping one thing and one thing only, my education, so naturally after reading this line I was not quite sure exactly what to think. But when I paused to think about this statement, I saw how in effect it is very true. Worshipping your education cannot lead to fulfillment in life. Wallace's speech was very simple in context but very deep in meaning. He was telling his audience to stop living their selfish lives, and just to pause for a moment and take it what is actually around them. This is where David's initial fish story reference begins to tie in. The fish can be swimming their whole lives in the ocean, but when asked what water is will they know what to answer? It is hard to think that people can go their whole life without actually registering what is around them.

The "Banking " Concept of Education by Paulo Freire

This was one of the more difficult pieces  that we have  to read thus far. It was especially hard for me to decipher the meaning behind this essay because Freire used the tactic of referencing philosophy, which really is not my strong suit. However,  I did manage to understand the idea behind Freire's statement "students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor" (Freire, 318). This phrase specifically stood out to me only because I feel as though it can be applied to the context of my life. Throughout my 13 years of education I have always been the so called "passive" pupil. I will simply sit back and class and take notes when told to do so and memorize endless facts for the big test. Yes, this process of learning got me phenomenal grades in high school and into one of the best colleges in Florida, but i often find myself looking back on the those classes asking "What did i actually learn from that class"? All the notecards I made and terms I carved into my mind are thrown away after the test so as to make room for more information. Is this style of cramming for a test really "learning"? The only classes where I can honestly say I play just as an equal role as does the teacher is in math class because in math you do not really rely on the teacher to guide you in a certain direction, but instead you can simply teach yourself. This means that in every other one of my classes besides math I am just an empty receptacle ready to collect knowledge. This style of education cannot really be considered learning because to me "learning" is something that involves the active participation from two parties (both the teacher and the student).

Research Prospectus

For my research paper, I have been investigating the various factors that combine to cause breakouts. As an aspiring dermatologist and premed student I am very intrigued by this subject and immediately knew the route I wanted to take with this research paper when it was initially assigned. Over the past few years, I have specifically become fascinated with what actually causes acne. Although many people may find acne to be disgusting, I see it as one sciences greatest unsolved medical mysteries. For example, although doctors can explain to patients what acne is and how a pimple is created, they can never really explain why this specific patient is being affected by acne. Is it genetics? Is it the patient’s lifestyle? Is it too much stress? Is it the patient’s diet? See, there is no real answer when it comes to the world of breakouts! Acne is an “unknown territory” in the medical world and it is waiting to be explored even further. When I first began researching this topic I began with the mindset that the condition of our skin is based off more than just genetics, and that there are certain “outside factors” that also contribute to our breakouts. As I went further into my research I discovered that some possible outside factors could be things such as stress level of a person, eating habits, and even hygiene. So with all these lurking variables present, how could we simply blame adolescence and puberty as the single cause of our breakouts? Although acne may just seem to be an innocent, common, unavoidable side effect of puberty, it is actually defined in the medical world as a skin disease. Based off this definition, one would believe that there is a cure to the “disease” acne vulgaris (acne), but surprisingly enough thee is no cure that has been discovered (at least none that I am aware of). My goal in becoming a dermatologist is that one day I can create an organic way of curing acne that rids patients of blemishes through other means than just antibiotics and topical creams like what is commonly used now. I am a strong believer in the fact that our diet plays a large part in the condition of our skin. I think that our breakouts and acne are a direct reflection of our food consumption. For example, eating nothing but junk food will cause an increase in acne. Maybe when your face breaks out it is just a way of your body trying to tell you that it does not react well with that certain food.... maybe you are even mildly allergic to that certain food that caused the breakout. Imagine if the cure for acne could be as simple as adjusting your diet! It would be the world's cheapest medicine. If people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for prescription medicine (which I myself even thought was a good idea at one point) then they should be willing to give an organic diet a chance! Our bodies are not meant to be treated like trash, so it only makes sense that if we feed it trash, it will look like it.

            At the moment my working thesis question is “Does a certain diet affect the condition of our skin”? But this is a very general thesis question and as my research continues, it will become more specific. In my paper I would also like to address the issue of how eating organically and avoiding certain foods affects the condition of our skin. I am also hoping to answer questions like “Does stress level cause acne?” for this is a lurking variable that needs to be discussed so it does not confound my true question regarding diet. In order to support my thesis I will have to explain the process of how acne is actually created. By this I mean how an actual pimple is created on the skin. I might even have to give some insight on the history of acne.

            A possible counterargument that I might face during my research is that acne is a natural part of every person’s life, and that it just goes hand in hand with puberty and adolescence. These “naturalists” will think my theory of acne being controlled by diet is just a coincidence, and that the food we consume generally has no affect over our appearances.

            To gain information about this topic I will be collecting my research from only credible sources. This includes things like pamphlets and brochures regarding acne from a dermatologist’s office, books about skincare, and medical journals. On one website for dermatologists I found two medical journals that could aid me in my research. One of the journals titled “Teenage Acne: Got milk?” discusses the specific effects of milk and dairy on the condition of teenagers skin. The other journal “Acne is common, complex and chronic” is meant more to explain the basics behind acne and breakouts. To gain information about the history of acne I found a book titled Skin: a natural history at Marston Science library. In doing this research I hope to answer my question of how does diet affect the condition of our skin, and also prove that acne can be treated in organic ways as well as through medicine.

            The topic of skincare has interested me for the longest time, and I am very excited that I am getting the chance to write a research paper on something that I am actually very interested in. In completing this research paper, I am hoping that I will have conquered the first step in my all-organic cure of acne.

The Achievement of Desire by Richard Rodriguez

While reading this essay "The Achievement of Desire" by Richard Rodriguez, I was able to see myself in the author's story. I, like the author, have always kept my school work and home-life completely separate. Although Rodriguez's reasons for doing this may differ from mine, I still feel like I have some idea of where he is coming from while writing this piece. To me, school and home are two entities of my life that should never meet. Because I tend to live my life this way, I was better able to understand what Richard was saying when he mentioned the "scholarship boy" (Rodriguez, 516). Rodriguez was a very educated man, however, he lacked one of the most important things in a person's life....their opinion! When it came to school, one could say that Rodriguez resembled a sponge. By this I mean that he was able to absorb all the information required to do well on the tests, but when it came time to recall or analyze and criticize he really did not have a point of view. Richard was not truly passionate about his education, he was just in love with the idea of being educated. Sometimes I consider myself to be in this very same position as Richard. Do I read my school books because I love chemistry (as an example) and I cannot wait to learn more about combustion, or do I read just to ingest more daunting facts that i will later "spit-out" on an exam? Richard thought in the same way. Although he may not have enjoyed reading a "hundred most important books of Western Civilizations" (Rodriguez, 527) he did so just because he was told they would make him more educated. While reading does help improve learning abilities, it can also be a fun tasked if not abused!!!

"The Pain Scale" by Eula Biss

"The Pain Scale" by Eula Biss is a very interesting and complex piece of writing where Biss attempts to establish a scale to measure her pain. However, Biss soon realizes that the task of associating pain with a number and measurement is much harder than it appears due to the fact that it is unsure what it really means to "measure things". A scale can be established to reference the pain, but in the long run the numbers do not really mean much if there is nothing to compare them too. In addition, everybody's pain is in reference to themselves, which means no two people should have the same exact pain scale. For example, a chronic headache for me may be the same caliber pain someone else feels when they have the stomach flu.
  At some points during the article I had a hard time following Biss's thoughts because they did not seem to connect in my mind. The allusion to Dante's Inferno on page 172  especially threw me off because I was not really sure how it related to the article. To me, the allusion seemed akward. But after some careful consideration and some background research on Dante's Inferno I managed to visualize its relevance to "The Pain Scale". While Dante describes Hell as being vile in his poem, once again as a reader you have to remember this is only from his point of view. Biss realizes this and says that "[i]n the second circle of Dante's Inferno, the adulterous lovers cling to each other.......[m]y next door neighbor, who loves Chagall, does not think this sounds like Hell" (Biss, 174). This brings up the point that pain is measured differently by every person, while some people are completely terrified by the idea of Hell, others are perfectly content with it. On the very last page of Biss's essay, Inferno is mentioned again by saying that Dante describes Hell by saying that it does not have a tenth circle. How can the most painful place in the universe not have a tenth circle, the number which supposedly represents the most pain imaginable?

Works Citied

         Biss, Eula. "The Pain Scale". Ways of Reading An Anthology for Writers. Ed. John E. Sullivan III.     Boston, New York: Bedford/ St. Martin, 2011. 171-182. Print

Michael Pollan Why Bother? Summary

In the article “Why Bother” by Michael Pollan, the author states that despite the fact our planet is at great risk due to continuous carbon emissions, “we”(the people) have done nothing to stop it.  It is this passive attitude, Pollan argues, that inhibits us from helping our planet.  Michael Pollen quotes Wendell Berry in his essay saying that “the deep standing problem behind all the other problems of industrial civilization is specialization” (Pollan, 91).  Indeed, it is this “specialization” that causes humans to believe that we only have one role in society, and that we cannot expand outside this world to which we are familiar. In other words, most people do not waste their time with environmental issues such as the one Pollan is discussing because they believe it is not their job to do so. The author urges readers to throw away this “cheap-energy mindset” (Pollan, 92) and for once try to make a difference by working independently. Pollan suggests the best way of doing this is by personally going green and planting a garden. Though Pollen suggests many other ways of going green in his article like purchasing a hybrid, walking to work, eating local meat, or even changing your light bulbs like Al Gore suggested in An Inconvenient Truth, none of those ideas will “reduce your sense of dependence” (Pollan, 93) and carbon footprint as much as a garden would! The author hopes that one person’s choice to go green will in turn cause another person to go green, which in the end would create one giant chain event. In essence, Michael Pollen’s article “Why Bother” was written to enlighten the public about our looming environmental issues and encourage people to do start bothering about the planet they live by reducing carbon emissions.

Works Citied

Pollan, Michael. "Why Bother?" New York Times Magazine 20 April 2008:

   19+. Rpt. in The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing. John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, and June 

   Johnson. 6th edition. New York: Pearson, 2012. 88-94. Print