Is it empowering for us to think of ourselves as having a body? Imagine if we viewed ourselves as whole persons not compartmentalized between mind and body.
Strange as it may seem, that’s a question I had to ask myself after my friend, Filipe, explained to me, “When I arrived in the United States, I learned that I had a body.”
Now, does that sound strange or what? We know we have bodies, right? That’s a universal human perception, right? Well . . .
By way of background, I know Filipe as a fellow journalist in the United States. He was born and raised in Mozambique and also practiced journalism in Portugal after its fascist government was overthrown and democracy restored.
After Filipe’s startling statement, I was compelled to ask him, “If you weren’t aware of having a body, how did you view yourself?” Some moments of quiet and deep reflection passed; then Filipe told me that he thought of himself “as a . . . just as a person.”
My mind began to race; it was filled with thoughts of how marketing campaigns objectified our bodies to sell services and products, separating our bodies into distinct abstractions autonomous from our whole being.
I was already aware of how the male body had become increasingly objectified in the United States. Earlier in my life – back in the day when I was a teenager – I never felt that my body had to conform to an objectified standard. That began to change in the 1980s. The “six-pack abs,” for instance, became a relished norm in male virility and attractiveness – often promoted by fitness companies yearning for ways to sell gym memberships.
Female bodies had been objectified for a much longer time. Indeed, I recall conversations among my teenage friends about whether one was a “breast man” or a “leg man,” referring to what part of the female anatomy aroused us. Reportedly, this type of objectification of the female body dates back to at least the 1920s and has been promoted by marketing since.
How many of us, especially women, feel ashamed by our bodies that don’t live up to imposed standards of beauty? There is no reason for any of us to feel lacking. I’ll tell you a secret… Everyone is intrinsically beautiful, and any effort to promote a sense of lacking is a form of abuse.
Filipe’s insight about American culture viewing bodies as objects separate from self or person provides us with one more reason to engage in self-empowerment – with the goal of not being divided into distinct objects. This means challenging the mind/body dichotomy and seeing ourselves as whole. It involves reclaiming a sense of wholesome personhood. This will come through the journey of self-empowerment that is critical for the person and for our community.
Of course, adopting a healthy lifestyle is critical for each of us. However, this means eating nutritiously, exercising and cultivating positive thoughts and outlooks. Healthy living is part of self-empowerment at the individual level, in which mind and body are viewed as a whole. And, at the level of community/society, it is important to ensure that we transform working hours and guarantee the financial resources so that everyone has the time and freedom to evolve into empowered persons living healthy lifestyles.
My books are designed to provide you with the Secrets of Self-Empowerment. You can purchase them here.
Dare to be You! Dare to Love Yourself!