In Powerful Hunger, I write about the social influences that manipulate us and how they negatively affect our view of ourselves. A commercial I find particularly insulting is for a low-calorie brownie. A woman is sitting alone in a diner, looking resentfully down at her salad when she sees other patrons enjoying a brownie. She looks at them with an expression of lustful longing until they leave behind a plate of crumbs. She is overcome with an irresistible urge as she lunges for the plate. She is willing to eat the crumbs left behind by strangers in a restaurant.
I find this really offensive! I am insulted by the depiction of a woman so obsessed with indulgent food that she would humiliate herself in public to eat off a stranger’s plate. I can’t imagine anyone actually “identifying” with this level of behavior, thinking that if it were not for basic civility they’d be willing to do the same.
The social paradigm, rooted in bias, wants you to believe that you are a powerless slave to food for the sake of convincing you that you “need” the food they are trying to sell. Sorry, NO! We have never been powerless slaves to food! Every time you’ve gone on another diet, you’ve been fighting to be in control. All of us who struggle with weight have spent our lives fighting to be food’s master! It’s a tough battle when society works hard to convince us that we are broken and weak.
Your body is so complex, taking control can be very difficult. Eliminating the influence of bias from your life can help guide you to more effective strategies. Stop listening to the noise from the outside. Listen to what’s inside you.
Are there advertisements that you find offensive and biased?
