A Theory

Dear FatFrannie,

This is not an advice letter, but a thought.

 People have asked me why the prejudice against fat people, especially fat women, seems to have risen so sharply these days. Believe it or not, I have a theory about this.

These days people are seeing more media images and fewer actual people!! Think about it. What do people do with their time? They’re at some computer or other. They only see people at work. Then they commute. When they get home they turn on the TV or another computer or both. What and who do they see? Women in commercials. So they end up seeing way more media airbrushed anorectics than actual women. What happens? The actual women start to appear abnormal, although they are much more the “norm” than the airbrushed anorectics. Ditto anyone who doesn’t quite look like the made-up media people whether on TV or in other media.

Everything visual becomes distorted, including the worldviews of many or most people. That is also why George Bush could get away with repeating..oh, don’t get me started.

 This theory is sort of McLuhan turned on his head. The medium is not the message at all; the megacorporations are the message, and what they churn into the media reinforces their messages.

So what do you think, Frannie?:)