Hunger as

ideology.

By: Kimberley Denise Zuurbier

Communication and marketing

22 April 2009.

Summary of the text: I n ‘Hunge r a s i deo logy ’ , t he au tho r t a l k s abou t e a t i ng d i s t o r t i ons

and how in ou r soc i e ty we a r e be ing su r rounded by t h i s i dea o f

be ing pe r f ec t .

S ince t he 1980 ’ s , soc i e ty ha s changed , women a r e more conce rned

w i th t he i r we igh t and obse s sed by t he l o se o f con t ro l on t he i r body .

Th i s r ad i ca l change ha s been caused by t he impor t an t p r e s su re o f

pe r f ec t i on , ma in ly due t o commerc i a l s and magaz ine s such a s

Cosmo , Peop l e and so on .

We s ee i t w i t h ou r mo the r s be ing obse s sed w i th t he i r we igh t , on

t e l ev i s i on , eve rywhe re we l ook , and we ’ r e be ing su r rounded by t h i s

i dea o f be ing sk inny .

The f ac t t ha t t he gene ra t i on be tween 12 and 25 yea r s o ld i s be ing

bombarded by adve r t i s emen t s and commerc i a l s abou t how to l o se

we igh t , ha s become common , be ing s l im has become t r endy .

I n 1890 women we re admi r ed fo r b r i ngs a who le new mean ing o f

beau ty wh ich t he hea r t y appe t i t e and amp le body . I n t h i s t ime t he r e

we re o f t e n peop l e who we re s l im , peop l e who we re s l im were no t

t he o rd ina ry women o f t ha t t ime . Women we re j u s t e a t i ng , i f t hey

we re hung ry t hey wou ld ea t , i f t h ey we re no t hung ry , t hey wou ldn ’ t

e a t . I t was no t a t r end fo r be ing s l im ; women had t o had a bo t t om,

boobs , h ip s and t h ighs . The women who d oes ea t i s o rd ina ry , t he

j u s t r andom women .

Amer i ca had i n a lmos t eve ry magaz ine adve r t i s emen t abou t be ing

s l im . They ’ r e pu t t i ng p i c tu r e s f r om women be fo r e and a f t e r and

r ea l l y l e t you be l i eve t ha t i t ’ s a l l - t r ue and t ha t you ’ r e r e a l l y ge t

sk inny o f t ak ing p i l l s and a l l . Bu t wha t we s ee i s no t r e a l . Fo r

examp le an adve r t i s emen t s abou t mode l s , t hey a r e no t so s l im in

r e a l a s on t he pho to , i t s a l l Pho to shop and peop l e s ee t he se mode l s

a s t he pe r f ec t body , t he pe r f ec t p i c tu r e whe re you can f i gu re

you r se l f i n . They l e t u s be l i eve eve ry th ing t hey show us . They know

how to a f f ec t u s i n t he p i c tu r e s t hey a r e showing u s and exp l a in ing

t he t h ings we wan t t o hea r . They a r e a c tua l l y j u s t p l ay ing w i th ou r

m ind , body and sou l . We canno t t h ink c l ea r when we s ee

adve r t i s emen t l i ke t hey make . They t h rowing s l ogans a t u s l i ke

‘dec i s i ons a r e e a sy . When I ge t t o a f o rk i n t he road , I e a t ’ t o l e t

peop l e ge t even more i n t e r e s t ed i n t he r e p roduc t s .

A f t e r 1980 men wan t ed t o s ee sk inny l ongs l egs , f l a t s t omach , a r e a l

f ema le beau ty . Wha t we s ee now a s a B a rb i e . They l ooked l i ke t hey

we re ea t i ng no th ing and peop l e f r om the ea r l i e r age s a sk s t hem wi th

t hey go t enough t o e a t . I n t he beg inn ing i s we i rd fo r t he o lde r

peop l e , t hey we re u sed by women w i th a b ig appe t i t e and had some

f a t on t he r e bod i e s . A t t h i s t ime women i n Amer i ca o f t en t ake

p l a s t i c su rge ry , t hey wan t t o be pe r f ec t , women i n t he age o f 25

comple t e change t he i r bod i e s , b igge r boobs , s l im nose , s l immer

t h ighs . A b ig example o f t h i s i n Che r who d id l i ke a l o t o f p l a s t i c

su rge ry .

Food i s a s exua l ob j ec t o f de s i r e ; i t makes u s happy i f we re f ee l i ng

s ad . I f a ch i l d i s l i k ing a l o l l y , peop l e don ’ t s ee t ha t a s s exua l bu t i f

a women a r e l i k ing a l o l l y i t s l i ke a s exua l f e e l i ng and ha s a s exua l

a t t i t ude . I t ’ s l i ke Lo l i t a , eve ry th ing she pu t s i n he r mou th i s s exua l ,

he r f i nge r , he r l o l l y , he r t oo thb rush e t c .

Peop l e a l so p r e f e r t o spend more money on food w i th f ewe r c a lo r i e s ,

bu t peop l e f r om fo r examp le t he midd l e c l a s s who can ’ t a f fo rd

buy ing food w i th f ewe r c a lo r i e s l e s s have d i s ea se s t han peop l e who

can a f fo rd i t .

Critical comment:

What is the main idea/hypothesis that the

author defends? ‘Hunge r a s i deo logy ’ i s a we l l wr i t t en t ex t . The au tho r wr i t e s i n a

comprehens ive way , wh ich makes t he r ead ing i n t e r e s t i ng . The way

t he au tho r pu t s f unny example s t h roughou t t he t ex t , t hus t he

i n se r t i on o f p i c tu r e s he lp s you t o f ocus on t he t ex t .

The t ex t i n t he beg inn ing abou t t he two g i r l s i s r e a l l y i n t e r e s t i ng

and you wan t t o know wha t i s coming nex t i n t he t ex t . They way t he

au tho r wr i t e s abou t be ing sk inny and adve r t i s emen t s abou t l o s ing

we igh t l e t you l i s t en t o t he t ex t and know tha t t h i s i s somebody who

r ea l l y know some th ing abou t hunge r a s i deo logy . The au tho r pu t s

a l so example s i n s ide o f he r s e l f , l i k e he r f a t he r i s a sk ing i f she ea t s ’

enough because she i s so sk inny .

A t one po in t you s ee a l i t t l e b i t o f he r s e l f because she t e l l s abou t

he r s t uden t s and a l l and t ha t g ive s a pe r sona l change on t he t ex t . A t

some po in t s she r ea l l y l e t you t h ink abou t wha t i s she wr i t i ng o r

t h ink ing abou t how you w i l l r e ac t on t h ings l i ke t h i s . Bu t t he t ex t i s

qu i e t on soc i a l because she i s on ly t a l k ing abou t adve r t i s emen t s and

how they r eac t on peop l e , and how the make r s o f adve r t i s emen t s

t h inks abou t mak ing i t and how o the r peop l e w i l l r e ac t on i t . She

wr i t e s more abou t wha t she s ee ’ s t hen wha t she t h inks abou t i t . Tha t

i s k ind o f ha rd t o r e ad i t i f you need more i n fo rma t ion abou t wha t

she i s t h ink ing . Bu t I t h ink t he t ex t i s r e a l l y i n t e l l i gen t and i s r e a l l y

i n t e r e s t i ng t o r e ad . You l e a rn a l o t abou t hunge r a s i deo logy and ge t

you t h ink ing abou t be ing sk inny , adve r t i s emen t s abou t be ing sk inny

o r p roduc t f o r l o s ing we igh t .

Do you think this text is related to concepts

learnt in class? Explain which concepts and

how they relate to this specific text. You

should use at least three concepts learnt in

class: I n Se s s ion 2 we ’ r e t a l k ing abou t cu l t u r e , abou t r e a l l i f e p rob l ems

and how peop l e sha r e t he i r cu l t u r e w i th each o the r . Fo r eve rybody i s

t he cu l t u r e d i f f e r en t . Nobody ha s t he s ame no rms and va lue s . I n

eve ry pa r t o f t he wor ld t he r e a r e soc i e t i e s and eve rybody i s i n an

o the r soc i e ty . I t a l l d epends on age , co lo u r , r e l i g ion , p l ace f rom

bo rn , f r i ends , expe r i ence , i n t e r e s t , money and g r adua t i on . I t h a s a l l

a f a c to r t o be i n d i f f e r en t cu l t u r e s . I n t he t ex t o f hunge r a s i deo logy

t hey s ay ac tua l l y t he s ame a s s e s s ion 2 s ays . Eve ry cu l t u r e i s

d i f f e r en t and eve rybody i s d i f f e r en t . Midd l e c l a s s f o r examp le ha s

l e s s peop l e w i th ea t i ng d i s ea se s t h en uppe r c l a s s , uppe r c l a s s buys

more food w i th f ewe r c a lo r i e s bu t t hey have more peop l e w i th

ea t i ng d i s ea se s . Peop l e o f t he midd l e c l a s s j u s t e a t when t hey ’ r e

hung ry and because t ha t t he food w i th l e s s c a lo r i e s i s more

expens ive t hey o f t en go fo r t he cheapes t and fo r t hem the be s t

p roduc t s . Fo r examp le i n As i a , t he i s sue o f be ing sk inny i s no t so

b ig a s f o r examp le Amer i ca because Amer i ca ha s a l o t o f adve r t s f o r

l o s ing we igh t and d i e t p rog rams and r ea l l y pushes peop l e t o be

sk inny w i th adve r t s abou t sk inny mode l s and pe r f ec t bod i e s . So

eve ry cu l t u r e , r e l i g ion , age , f r i ends e t c ha s a l l i n f l uences o f wha t

you r e a t i ng , t h ink ing abou t be ing sk inny and hav ing t he pe r f ec t

body .

I n Se s s ion 5 we ’ r e t a l k ing abou t Consumer i sm , t he consumer ha s

some measu re o f con t ro l bu t s t i l l t h e adve r t i s emen t s i n f l uences u s

by j u s t c r ea t i ng t he be s t adve r t i s emen t s t ha t i n t e r e s t ed u s and l e t u s

be l i eve i n i t . By eve ry th ing we do t hey c r ea t e some th ing t o con t ro l

u s . I f we s ee a pe r f ec t body , ou r b r a in s w i l l r e ac t on i t and s ay t o

ou r se lve s , be sk inny , l o se we igh t because we a l l wan t t o be pe r f ec t

and we a l l wan t t ha t peop l e ado re u s . And t ha t i s a c tua l l y whe re t he

adve r t i s emen t s make r s a r e l ook ing fo r . Keep showing u s wha t t hey

s e l l and f i na l l y we w i l l be l i eve i n i t . I n hunge r o f i deo logy we ’ r e

t a l k ing abou t t ha t adve r t i s emen t s pushes u s t o be sk inny , we be l i eve

i n t he adve r t i s emen t s because we s ee t hem eve rywhe re , i n magaz ine ,

on TV, we hea r f r i ends t a l k ing abou t i t . They l e t u s be l i eve t ha t

eve ry th ing i s t r ue t hey show us . Because t hey a r e t e l l i ng u s wha t we

wan t t o s ee and hea r we be l i eve wha t t hey a r e s ay ing . Fo r examp le

t he r e showing u s a mode l w i th s i z e 34 bu t a c tua l l y she i s j u s t s i z e

38 , i t s a l l Pho to shop bu t we be l i eve i t . They ’ r e p l ay ing w i th ou r

m ind , body and sou l .

I n s e s s ion 7 we ’ r e t a l k ing abou t how t r ends a s consumer i sm . Your

exp re s s ing you r se l f by t he way you d r e s s , t he way you ea t and eve ry

s ea son t he r e a r e new t r ends on ea t i ng and d r e s s ing you r se l f . Wi th

f a sh ion you r showing ac tua l l y who you a r e and t ha t r e f l e c t s on t he

way you r e a t i ng . I t ’ s a soc i a l t h ing ea t i ng , you r go ing ou t o f d inne r

w i th you r f r i ends , you r hav ing d inne r s , wha t you r e a t i ng a t s choo l .

I n t he t ex t o f hunge r a s i deo logy she s ays t ha t e a t i ng food i s l i ke

s exua l , when a ch i l d i s l i k ing a l o l l y i t ’ s s een a s cu t e bu t when a

l ady i s l i k ing a l o l l y i t s s een l i ke i t ’ s ho rny , s exy / s exua l .

Eve ry th ing wha t we ea t i s a c tua l l y s exua l l i ke Lo l i t a . I n t he t ex t

t hey a r e a l so u s ing s l ogans l i ke ‘Oho oh he r she comes , wa t ch ou t

boys , she ’ l l chew you up . And t ha t ’ s s exua l f o r a man . And when

we re ea t i ng , we re ge t t i ng happy , f o r examp le i f you have l ove pa in

because you r boy f r i end b roke up w i th you , you r go ing t o e a t

choco l a t e because t ha t ’ s makes you happy . And i f t h i s s ea son i t ’ s a

t r end t o d r i nk s t a rbucks co f f ee , you d r i nk s t a rbucks co f f ee bu t i f

i t ’ s nex t s ea son i s go ing t o be i c e - t e a , you r d r i nk ing i c e - t e a because

i t ’ s a t r ends . And unaware you ’ r e f o l l owing t hose t r ends because

eve rybody i s do ing i t . And i f you r f r i ends a r e go ing t o s t a rbucks

and you r go ing w i th t hem, o f f cou r se you t ake a l so a co f f ee . You do

i t w i t hou t t h ink ing by do ing i t . I t ’ s an au toma t i sm .

Is the author of this text referring to the work

of some classical sociologist (Weber,

Durkheim, Marx or Merton)? If yes, does he

agrees or disagrees with that specific

sociologist?

Max Webe r ag r ee s w i th t he t ex t because t he t ex t s ays t ha t cu l t u r e

shapes t he soc i e ty and l e t u s do t h ings we re u sed t o because o f ou r

own cu l t u r e . Max Webe r v i ew was t ha t cu l t u r a l i dea s and va lue s

he lp shape soc i e ty and shape ou r i nd iv idua l a c t i ons . And t ha t i s

wha t t he t ex t i s a l so s ay ing . The peop l e a round u s , c r ea t e s u s . By

cu l t u r e , by age , by c l a s s , by s choo l e t c . The i n f l uence o f soc i a l

r e l a t i onsh ip s on peop l e ’ s a t t i t ude and behav io r . I f you r f r i ends a l l

d r i nk ing bee r , a f t e r a f ew mon ths /yea r s you r go ing t o d r i nk a l so

bee r , because you r f r i ends c r ea t i ng you , even i f you don ’ t s ee i t . O f

cou r se i t ’ s no t w i th eve rybody bu t some peop l e you can r ea l l y

i n f l uence h im o r he r by do ing t h ings l i ke t ak ing d rugs , a l coho l e t c .

Because t hey wan t t o be i n a g roup . And t ha t i s wha t Max Webe r i s

s ay ing and t he t ex t : hunge r a s i deo logy a l so .

Do you agree with the author’s thesis? Can

you think of some critics of the ideas exposed

by the author?

I a g r ee w i th t he au tho r because she i s s ay ing t h ings t ha t r e a l l y

i n t e r e s t me and whe re am th ink ing t he s ame abou t . The on ly t h ings I

wou ld l i ke t o s ee more i s t ha t she i s more t a l k ing abou t he r own l i f e

and g iv ing more example s . Bu t t he r e s t I l i ke t o r e ad t he pape r and I

t h ink i t ’ s an i n t e r e s t i ng sub j ec t .

Conclusion: I r e a l l y l i ke t he t ex t : hunge r a s i deo logy , and I r e a l l y c an s ee

myse l f i n i t . I mean l i ke you can r e l a t e i t t o you r own l i f e . And I

don ’ t f e e l l i ke t ha t I wan t t o ge t l o s ing we igh t now o r some th ing

because be fo r e I r e ad t h i s t ex t I t hough t i t wou ld be a l i t t l e b i t l i k e

t ha t . I Abso lu t e ag r ee w i th t he au tho r o f hunge r a s i deo logy .

Eve ry th ing she s ays i s l i ke I s ee i t t oo . Adve r t i s emen t s c r ea t e u s t o

be d i f f e r en t , t o be pe r f ec t and makes u s be l i eve we ’ r e a c tua l l y no t

p r e t t y enough . And abou t t ha t f ood a s s een a s a s exua l ob j ec t , I

a c tua l l y am th ink ing more abou t i t b ecause we l l i f am ea t i ng a i c e -

c r eam, I don ’ t wan t t ha t a man ge t ho t o f me o r some th ing bu t

a c tua l l y t ha t i s j u s t r i d i cu lous because i f we no t even can ea t ou r

i c e - c r eam and boys a l r e ady l ook a t u s l i ke a Lo l i t a . I f e e l qu i e t

we i rd abou t i t s o i t ’ s r e a l l y c apped me t h ink ing abou t i t . I t h i nk i t

an i n t e l l i gen t p i ece bu t i t ’ s ha rd t o unde r s t and i f you r Eng l i sh i s no t

t ha t good . Because i t j umps f rom one p i e ce t o t he o the r p i ece o f

pape r . Bu t t he conc lu s ion o f t h i s t ex t : Hunge r a s i deo logy i s t ha t

adve r t i s emen t s a r e t h rowing u s p roduc t s and commerc i a l s abou t

l o s ing we igh t and t ha t we r ea l l y be l i eve i n i t b ecause i t ’ s works

w i th ou r m ind , body and sou l .