<p>hmmmm…don’t think the prof was as far off as you think…every look at an Ana site? Models galore</p>
<p>Yes it was over simplified, but it wasn’t “wrong”…just part of the puzzle, but a valid part</p>
<p>Was it within the context of the course discussion, or an off-handed remark? In either case, I do agree that it’s merely perpetuating misinformation. I still recommend you approach your professor with academic curiosity in mind, but I worry that it might go bad places.</p>
<p>Best of luck if you do decide to approach him/her.</p>
<p>Oh, I don’t have an ED, but it’s a topic where I’ve done a lot of research (reading around ED sites and parent support sites, reading journal articles, etc.), so it’s a topic I feel as connected to as a non-sufferer can.</p>
<p>Yea wolf; you might want to rethink this one. 1st; it’s pretty much a theory/hypothesis. She is totally allowed to make that statement. If she is basing it off of studies she’s read, that’s totally within context. </p>
<p>2nd; Even if it’s her own opinion, it’s still a reasonable opinion. If you wanted to politely ask her where she got such data and research from, just say it’s a topic you’ve been interested in and would like to see more data. </p>
<p>3rd; My first degree was in Psychology. While I didn’t study specifically eating disorders, we did happen to do study on fashions, fads, why things are in vogue, why they go out. There is a very large correlation between advertising and human behavior. While most of the time it’s aimed at buying the car because of the girl in the bikini or buying certain food because of the colors; there is something to emulating those you see on tv, screen, and stage. Guys won’t buy a Bowflex ™ if they see a fat guy using it. They want to look like the 49 year old guy who’s also in the rock band. Many woman want to look like many of the models they see also.</p>
<p>Anyway, this is obviously a personal topic to you. But you have to get past your “FEELINGS” and realize that it is possible that what the teacher said might have some validity to it. If not, accept the fact that it’s her theory/hypothesis or even just opinion. As long as she wasn’t specifically saying that a particular student in the class had an eating disorder and it’s because of her wanting to emulate a fashion model, then at the very least it’s her opinion. And that is totally acceptable. You may not agree with that answer. You may not like that answer. But that doesn’t matter. We are allowed to have our opinions and theories. So is your professor. I hate to say get over it. But that is the right answer.</p>
<p>My “FEELINGS” are not as important to me as empirical evidence on the subject or the interactions with sufferers I’ve had, but believe what you want…</p>
<p>So, you’re saying that it’s not possible that ultra thin fashion models on tv, movies, commercials, etc… can’t possibly create an image that some women become obsessed with trying to look like. Thereby possibly putting their health at risk to try and attain? </p>
<p>I don’t think anyone is suggesting that this is the only reason why people have eating disorders. Only that it could contribute to some. It has been studied for years, and some research has shown that there are some people that are influenced by what they consider to be the norm. Having a predominantly “Thin” image in the modeling industry most certainly contributes to this misinterpretation. But you too are free to believe that there is no relationship. Again, there are many reasons for having an eating disorder. This however could be the reason for some.</p>
<p>Oh, as I said in my post, I believe that could contribute in some cases, certainly! I never meant to say that culture doesn’t contribute to EDs, only that it’s not nearly as simple as saying fashion models = anorexia. I don’t pretend to have all the answers on this (or any) topic, certainly! The theories of ED etiology are very complex and often at odds with one another, and I agree that they’re multi-causal in nature. It was just the blanketness of her statement that bugged me.</p>
<p>I can agree with that. I don’t know if I’d let it bother me too much however. People make blanket statements all the time about something. “All” welfare recipients are lazy. “All” fat people eat too much. “All” (Fill in the blank) are stupid. The list goes on.</p>
<p>I don’t know if bringing it up to her is all that important. I don’t believe in political correctness or in being offended. Humans aren’t perfect. There is always going to be someone that says something that I don’t agree with. So what. I don’t let it bother me. I don’t care if people make fun of my nationality, weight, height, looks, etc… I think we have too many problems in our country because people are too thin skinned. Instead of being offended, just have responses ready should she go in that direction again. It’s better to respond with questions or statements at the time of the disagreement. </p>
<p>As far as being “Offended”, I don’t think that is necessary. I think being offended is a social abnormality. There is never a reason to be offended. So what if a person criticizes you weight, skin color, race, sex, habits, car, house, or anything else that people become “Offended” over. Life is too short. Being offended is usually a result of lack of respect. I don’t believe that ANYONE OWES me anything. Including respect. I will earn that. Once you’ve earned the respect of someone, chances are they won’t say anything to you that might bother you.</p>
<p>It sounds like this professor wasn’t saying anything “Personal” to you or a classmate. She was making a statement in general. Therefor, there’s no reason to be offended. People evolve through education. They learn from each other. If you confront her about what she said and how it “Offended” you, then it becomes a personal issue. Then, any apologies or change of behavior isn’t sincere but rather a social reaction to say “I’m sorry”. They basically react because they feel they have to. </p>
<p>If instead you confront such “Offensive” situations with retort and education, then people have a reason to actually change. Not because they have to, but because they actually believe in it. Of course, this change isn’t always immediate. But when it does come, it’s sincere and usually a permanent change in their personality and beliefs. i.e. Someone may think a certain way about poor people, fat people, black people, etc… But if they happen to be involved in a project like “Habitat for Humanity” and have poor people working side by side, or they get to know a poor family that happen to move in next door, they get to know them and their attitude towards “The Poor” will change, If it does, it’s pretty sincere. Of course, some stereotypes can be reinforced. If that same poor family moves in next door and within a few weeks you notice that their yard is trashed, broken cars in the street, their appearance, etc… can sometimes reinforce your perception.</p>
<p>So, instead of making this a personal thing because you feel “Offended” by what she said, just be ready next time this or something similar arises. Be ready to ask her questions about it. Simple questions such as; “What do you mean by that”? “Can you explain that in depth, I don’t quite understand your point”? “Hmmm, I always thought the reason it was like that was because…”. And so on. Instead of her feeling she has to change her opinion or her expression because someone doesn’t like it and is offended; she may change her thoughts because of the dialog and education. If not, she will probably refrain from saying things that you don’t like or agree with out of respect. That too is just as good. I disagree with people and others disagree with me all the time. We can still have respect for each other and their opinions. I want people to treat me right and with respect because they WANT to and they WANT reciprocation. Not because they are afraid of “Offending” me.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t go to see her, based on that comment. I’d just forget about it, but perhaps some people wouldn’t think that was a healthy reaction.</p>
<p>I imagine that if pressed, the professor would qualify her statement and say something like “images presented of women in the media contribute greatly to eating disorders such as anorexia.” Which is a reasonable hypothesis, but I wonder if it’s ever been tested. (How would you test it, anyway?)</p>
<p>Anyway, I would still just let it go for now. On the final exam, be sure to take a shot at the fashion industry. This will probably help your grade.</p>
<p>Once you have your “A,” you might say something to the prof.</p>
<p>Just my humble opinion.</p>
<p>It sounds like it was just a throwaway comment. You’ve said it’s not her subject, it was at the end of the lecture, and she was hardly presenting to you statistical data if she said fashion models weigh “25 pounds”</p>
<p>If she goes on to mention it in more detail in subsequent lectures, then you could approach her, and discuss different theories, but I think if you did it now, she would just wonder why you had seized upon this instead of something she was actually trying to teach you.</p>
<p>By that statement I think she was summarizing the more general fact that the expectations of society have an impact on girls making bad choices when it comes to food and diet. No, it’s not the only cause but it is a significant part of the picture. If we all lived in Samoa we would value fatter women more. They probably don’t hace too many eating disorders there except maybe for overeating.</p>
<p>Frankly, I don’t even understand why you think it’s offensive. It sounds like a generic claim about the impact of popular culture imagery and people’s understandings of norms that affect behavior.</p>
<p>Also, this sort of thing has been tested by social psychologists who showed people pictures asked them to assess healthy weight. Underweight (low BMI) individuals are judged as exhibiting normal, healthy weight. In other words, people with body weights under healthy BMIs are viewed as healthy and worthy of being emulated. Plus, as another poster pointed out, these sorts of bodies clearly are the aim of anorexic individuals.</p>
<p>Of course that doesn’t mean that this is the only explanation for eating disorders. But it’s far from being outrageous and, again, it doesn’t at all seem “offensive” (itself a matter of opinion, not an argument against a claim or argument).</p>
<p>As barrons points out, views of beautiful bodies vary culturally. They also vary historically, as anyone can see by looking at paintings from the 19th century. What we see as fat bodies was seen as a sign of wealth and likely leisure, the voluptuous lady who need not worry about getting enough food to eat.</p>
<p>k, this is the 3rd thread about not eating that the OP has started, at least the third…and it scares me…and we need to be careful we are not reenforcing the problem…</p>
<p>I know we aren’t supposed to talk about other threads, but there is a pattern here that we as posters and parents need to be aware of…</p>
<p>I bring that up because there is so much more here than just a comment made by a prof…</p>
<p>CG; why do you always have to read something into everything? Why can’t you give the poster’s credit for what they write and not add your own interpretation? The OP specifically said that she doesn’t have an eating disorder. Yes, she could be lying to us, but that’s not for you to decide. Give it a rest. No, it isn’t something that we all should be concerned about. Respect what the OP wrote, and leave it at that. She sounds like she is very up on eating disorders. Maybe she had one, now she doesn’t. Maybe a relative or friend has/had one and it got her very interested in it. Stop reading into it. geez.</p>
<p>She may have mentioned eating disorders in 3 threads, but so what. I’m sure that people could accuse you of a certain train of thought or pattern throughout your posts, yet no one suggests that you have some issue that we should be sensitive of. My posts usually revolve a certain number of topics that I have a lot of experience with. Does that create a pattern that the other readers should be concerned about?</p>
<p>The truth is, you have no idea why the poster posted what she has. Therefor, you have no reason whatsoever to be concerned about. The truth is, you don’t know at all if there is more here than what the prof said.</p>
<p>Because, the poster has written on several threads about eating disorders…I remembered that the OP has commented on several threads about not wanting to eat- to be really thin, etc…</p>
<p>MENTIONED it putting it lightly, btw, go read some of the other posts, and it is darn scary…</p>
<p>In this case, yes it does create a pattern, if bothered to read the OPs other posts</p>
<p>This is not my own interprutation of the OPs diet, many other posters had serious concerns…</p>
<p>Christcorp, interesting name btw, my concern is real…and before I even made my comment, the OP asked to be deleted</p>
<p>And you will learn that when a person has a fixation on food, and it isn’t just in a professional way, there is generally a reason to be worried and concerned</p>
<p>If you bothered to read the past posts by the OP about eating 500 calaries a day and living off of a few protien bars, you mught understand a bit more</p>
<p>and PS, I was one of several people who were concerned and said so</p>
<p>I share the same worries as CGM. I believe the particular post she’s talking about has been deleted, but I’m not positive.</p>
<p>CGM, if you are truly concerned, then don’t post it openly. If you are correct, all that will do is stop the OP from continuing to post. Basically scaring her off. Either contact her personally and see if you can help, or accept the fact that she is a free think individual who has to make decisions for herself. Either way, there wasn’t any posts by anyone on this topic that was reinforcing any problems. </p>
<p>Yes, the name is interesting. Hopefully you’re not going to try and link the name with a preconceived attitude that I’m suppose to act or respond differently in my posts because of the name. That would be hypocritical on my part. I think as far as the screen name goes; you don’t want to go there. You have no idea. But if you truly think it’s an interesting name, then that’s cool; thanks.</p>
<p>Anyway, if you really have concerns for this person and you think that this and other threads are just a mask for problems, then contact her via a PM and see if you can befriend her. Other than that, this is a public forum in which everyone is a stranger. Forums only work because of trust. Each of us could be something totally different than what we represent on this forum. I could just as easily be the CEO of a company; wait, I am. Or I could be a 70 year old pervert. You never know. It isn’t our job to morally worry about the others on this forum. If we want to build any type of a rapport or relationship, that’s usually done better offline.</p>
<p>I share the concern. I also think that citygirlsmom openly posting it in this thread, in the manner she did, was catty and inappropriate.</p>