Understanding the position of the BBW image at this moment in time involves taking a fresh look at the power and dynamics of Image itself within the context of culture’s present state of evolution. The chief difficulty in such an investigation has to do primarily with the unprecedented swiftness with which that present state changes. Never before in history has the cultural landscape had the potential to shift so dramatically in such brief periods of time. It may even be said that it is in a constant state of flux, and there is certainly an element of truth in that notion. Nevertheless, if we’re to attain any sort of comprehensive grasp of the nature of Image manipulation in our daily lives, we’re going to have to live with the difficulty. On the up-side, however, as we're going to discover, the brutally rapid pace of modern life has positive implications for the broader acceptance of the BBW (The Real Woman!) Lifestyle, and other so-called 'alternative' lifestyles as well.
The world of the Big Beautiful Woman has certainly changed for the better in many ways over the past 2 decades. But like any other group considered to be ‘outside’ the mainstream, its struggle for autonomy and legitimization remains a challenge. This struggle for greater acceptance is always in place in modern culture among groups that feel unjustly marginalized vis-à-vis the prevailing trends, and the most powerful instrument of change available to such groups is Image.
Image has the unique ability to accomplish its objective instantaneously, unlike text, which must first be read in order to be processed. Amidst the meteoric pace of modern life, it is easy and often necessary to ignore text. The day is simply too short. Image is immune to time constraints. The most cursory glance, even one executed against our will, provides more than sufficient time to process the perceived message of Image. Remember those psychological tests back in the 60’s in which single frames depicting violent acts were inserted into otherwise calming and warm-hearted film footage? The violent images flashed onto the screen with such brevity that no one was conscious of their appearance. And yet, almost without exception, test subjects reported feeling unsettled or disturbed at the film’s end. They had been affected profoundly by intercourse with images they were not even aware of having seen. It is hard to imagine a more compelling testimony to the power of Image.
So, what is our current understanding of the implications of this power? Today, Image-driven media is more pervasive than ever before and we would be wise to retain a state of vigilance in understanding the ways in which media manipulates this imagery in order to control the thought processes of the general populace. While anyone not living on an uncharted island sans cell phone or laptop understands by now that endless labyrinths of commerce are what lie sprawling behind the media image, what is not so apparent are the ways in which these images do their work without the viewer’s consent. And unlike the subliminal imagery of our film experiments, most of the unconscious effects engendered by Image in today’s marketplace are achieved through the most direct means. Image is in-your-face today, challenging you like a 99 mph fastball. You know what’s coming, but you can’t stop it from having its desired effect. Or can you? This is what we’re going to investigate in analyzing the power and potential of the BBW Image today. We’re going to need to know just how much power the consumer possesses in the face of the media’s 99 mph Image fastball.
How does this unconscious power work? Today, it relies upon the fact that life is simply too fast-paced and fragmented to allow time for consumers to think in analytical terms about Media Image. The idea is that Image should become such a pervasive presence that it is taken as a ‘given,’ as a matter of course. We don’t think about why we find the blonde bimbo with the stick figure body and the 70-inch boob-job so hot, we just do. She’s there, she’s the constant, therefore, she gets my vote too. She's what I’m supposed to like because I saw it on ‘The Man Show.’ This is the general plan of 21st Century marketing. Just walk right in the door, assume the consumer’s ascendance to complicity, and collect the money. The entire paradigm is reflective of the chaotic vibe of public interface with the rapid-fire, quantum gyrations that characterize urban culture today. There’s little need for subtlety when ‘Wham-Bam, Thank You Ma’am’ gets the job done with far less investment of time and energy.
In what ways do these observations inform us as to the positioning of the BBW Image today? Most importantly, they assure us that the Image of Real Women can become just as acceptable and pervasive as any other feminine image simply by virtue of an Ascending Linear Presence. Linear Presence is accomplished by placing an unbroken chain of signifiers in place along a pre-determined, direct pathway. In the case of gaining improved saturation for the BBW Image, it happens as more designers and manufacturers of clothing enter the marketplace, along with more mainstream and Adult models focused on Image campaign with an entirely new kind of intensity, with a determination that the BBW Lifestyle won't be marginalized, and with the faith that the Big Beautiful Woman represents the ultimate in womanhood; ultimate sexuality, ultimate beauty, ultimate attitude, and ultimate intelligence. Each component of the system must 'up the ante,' as it were, and redouble its efforts to proliferate the line, or pathway, with an increasing abundance of compelling signification. As with any revolution, belief in the power to change the world is the fuel that keeps the fire burning brightly.
And so the idea of Ascending Linear Presence implies a progressively increasing density in ones use and familiarity with the workings of Media Image. The first concept with which we need to get very cuddly in this regard is the realization that Media doesn’t indicate public preferences. It creates them! Media isn’t in the business of reporting that the Pamela Anderson stereotype is indicative of most men’s preferences. It is in the business of making sure you believe she’s the embodiment of that preferential stereotype. In the case of public intercourse with Media Image, the tail wags the dog. Count on it. This is by no means a negative for Real Women. On the contrary, it is utterly empowering. One cool thing about the media is that it’s available to everyone. I’ve been saying for some time that the creation of a new stereotype is in order, the BBW Stereotype. The truth is that guys love big women. It’s just that acceptance of their imagery in the sexual realm simply hasn’t yet had a sufficient period of gestation. It’s all going to come together, but at this point in time it’s all about persistence, creativity, and energy. Real Women need to let go of the inferiority thing, too. It’s all in the past. Yes, I know you still got a snicker from a couple of dim bulbs at your office yesterday, but that’s no longer a reflection on you. It’s a reflection on two dullards that haven’t kept up with the times. If you care to keep watch, you’ll also discover that they issue the exact same snicker to other girls as well. It’s the job of the perennial loser to find fault. The snicker is their way of signifying that they don’t have a date that night, so just let it go. Get on with the important business of activism and of promoting yourself as an object of beauty, an object of sexual desire. Becoming our own mass-media promoting the BBW Lifestyle is the Royal Road to ultimate acceptance.
Am I encouraging you to be a Sex Object? I sure am, and for a very good reason. The Media Image that marginalizes big girls is nothing else but a sex object, the iconographic skinny girl/massive implant stereotype. To topple her as 'the world's most desirable woman' is to topple her as Sex Goddess first. Realize also that sexual allure is behind every commercial endeavor on some level, so if the Image of the Real Woman is ever to become the standard bearer for beauty and desirability, it’s going to have to be found dripping with sensuality. Of course this is not a problem because it’s what big women have wanted all along. They want the world to open itself up to a complete picture of reality, and in reality big girls are smokin’ hot. But to prove it on the kind of scale that equates to a falling away of prejudice and antipathy it is necessary to become media savvy and to keep turning up the cultural pressure. As I said, Sex is the driving force behind every facet of commerce once we penetrate the innocence of the surface façade and immerse ourselves in the deep structure. Discovery of the forces operating within that deep structure opens us up to the real possibilities of Image manipulation. It all has to do with the concept of Power.
The concepts of Power and Control are closely related, even intertwined, if you will. And these are the two commodities behind every decision we make as human beings, certainly every important one at any rate. Power and Control are the nerve center of Deep Structure. Any commodity or service you can think of claims to do what? It claims to improve your life in some way, large or small. With improvement comes more control, and by extension, more power. More power always carries an extended sexual allure because power is the real measure of success in the world, not money per se. Power is the sublime aphrodisiac, and it is precisely through Image (Signification) that Real Women have to harness power. They have to obtain power in order to be empowered. In order for this to happen on a large scale, constant visibility is essential, and along with visibility, enhanced volume and quality of visibility as well. To sum up, what I’m saying is that Big Beautiful Woman have the same media options as skinny women, they just haven’t yet commanded them with the requisite amount of strategic creativity. Granted, it takes contacts and funding. But it starts where every other movement starts; at the grass-roots level. As Real Women remain committed to showing the world what they’ve got, confident that it is indeed the real deal, the world will respond. For now, the important thing is to recognize that the BBW lifestyle is marginalized because we still don’t have the numbers to execute the game plan. But with the recognition that the turf is ours for the taking right now, perhaps it's not unrealistic to hope that those numbers explode in the immediate future. At least we can say without fear of equivocation that they're growing every day.
11 years ago
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