This is madness!!! I have two sons and this really has me thinking. I see it starting with the trend to invest more in their skincare. They are seen as an untapped market when it comes to the beauty industry. I was all over my boys creating minimal, healthy skincare routines. They work out consistently and eat clean but not too any extremes. I will never forget this— my younger son told me he lifts to get bulk and get stronger. I was confused. Of course you do. I asked him why else he would lift. He said, for aesthetics. It was an aha moment. Even though I know most men work out to not only feel good, but to look good, it was the fact that my 14-year-old son was naming it and the name was aesthetics. This was his freshman year of HS (4 years ago). He’s now a senior and I see the movement with young men snowballing. It’s a bit terrifying. I’m so over the fucking aesthetics.
Maybe I’m reaching but it sort of strikes me that some of these looksmaxxing techniques are thing that have been expected from women for centuries in the west. Maybe it’s a new similar unrealistic but profitable beauty structure/complex being placed on young men?
I agree it’s the same standards of beauty being imposed on women for centuries. Between social media and the aestheticizing and commodification of every fucking thing (just published a piece on TradWives and Soft girls), unfortunately no group is safe from it. They just found another group to capitalize on.
This is madness!!! I have two sons and this really has me thinking. I see it starting with the trend to invest more in their skincare. They are seen as an untapped market when it comes to the beauty industry. I was all over my boys creating minimal, healthy skincare routines. They work out consistently and eat clean but not too any extremes. I will never forget this— my younger son told me he lifts to get bulk and get stronger. I was confused. Of course you do. I asked him why else he would lift. He said, for aesthetics. It was an aha moment. Even though I know most men work out to not only feel good, but to look good, it was the fact that my 14-year-old son was naming it and the name was aesthetics. This was his freshman year of HS (4 years ago). He’s now a senior and I see the movement with young men snowballing. It’s a bit terrifying. I’m so over the fucking aesthetics.
What do you mean Francisco Lachowski rebranded to Chico Lachowski and is now the face of a right wing trend? What do you mean?!!
Maybe I’m reaching but it sort of strikes me that some of these looksmaxxing techniques are thing that have been expected from women for centuries in the west. Maybe it’s a new similar unrealistic but profitable beauty structure/complex being placed on young men?
I agree it’s the same standards of beauty being imposed on women for centuries. Between social media and the aestheticizing and commodification of every fucking thing (just published a piece on TradWives and Soft girls), unfortunately no group is safe from it. They just found another group to capitalize on.