...head over to Maya's Granny and read her posts on the Minnesota Starvation Study here and here. Maya's Granny and I share similar experiences in this area, and the belief that diets not only don't work, but actually ultimately lead to long term weight gain in most people.One of my favorite quotes on this topic comes from Naomi Wolf in The Beauty Myth, "Dieting is the most potent political sedative in women's history; a quietly mad population is a tractable one."
(Just a note: while I thought Ms. Wolf really hit some bullseyes ts with "Beauty Myth," I do feel she jumped the shark a bit with some of her subsequent stuff.)
Picture from: http://www.candyboots.com/wwcards.html
Thanks for the link. Our common experience is a true bond. I'm so glad that it led us to each other and a deep and much valued friendship.
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful to have access to wisdom like this!!! In fact, now that I think of it, I've trimmed my blogs to Pseu, materfamilias, George Szirtes, and only occasionally Linda thoughtfuldresser (she's out of my league/ses. BUT I do keep with Manolo for laughs.). I think i must be desperately seeking these nuggets since grandma died. So thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis political/dieting link is amazing to contemplate. But it's a time honored trick of dictators! And I guess another aspect is looks-obsession. Men even fall prey to this one.
Pseu, I understand where you're coming from with Wolf. But she has a new book out, Letter to a Young Patriot, where she seems to be getting back on track (after her maternal hormones phase). There is a lecture from her on You Tube, 40 minutes long, but it is powerful. She's also good on Stephen Colbert. Her thesis is basically our fine leaders have taken us down the exact same road the other totalitarian dictators have. And we've been complacent enough to let them do it.
This study was also documented in Gary Taubes "Good Calories, Bad Calories", a fascinating (and philosophy-changing) read. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it... K
ReplyDeleteMaya's Granny - me too! ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteDana - I'll look up her lecture. What disappointed me a bit was that she publicly backed off and backtracked from what she'd written in The Beauty Myth. That book resonated so strongly with me, and I believe a lot of her points (especially about photoshopping and plastic surgery) are still if not even more relevant today.
k.line - yes I've read that book and found it fascinating. Taubes seems to have done very thorough reseach and makes a strong case.
I read some of Wolf's work when I was in college, and she was pointedly relevant at the time, but I haven't read anything of hers since then. Perhaps this is next on my list.
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