Berger and After (Berger and Bordo)

Although they write in two separate time periods, John Berger and Susan Bordo, share a common burden, to increase the public’s awareness of the distorted definition assigned to beauty.  Although they choose to expose this issue using two independent angles, they both plead for a change in the conception of what is beautiful. 

Berger is appalled by society’s assessment of artistic beauty.  No longer are technique, passion, and meaning the criteria for a valuable piece of art.  Instead, the price tag of the piece dictates its value.  Berger says, “Not because of what it shows- not because of the meaning of its image.  It has become impressive, mysterious, because of its market value (Ways of Seeing pg. 109).”  The very thought that this issue is affecting only the upper class, is a direct example of what Berger is trying to demonstrate.  Those that are excluded from “the elite” are being coerced into thinking that art is not available for them to enjoy and are thus being deprived of the education that only artistic creativity can provide.  History is embedded in nearly every painting, and without direct analysis by the viewer, history can be interpreted and twisted to match the agenda of those who are rich enough to experience it firsthand.  This threatens everything that history influences from tradition to morals.

Bordo is also concerned with beauty’s assessment but not in the medium in which Berger refers.  She reveals that the gender rigid boxes placed on beauty are being replaced by unrealistic ideologies of what is attractive.  Women have fought for “equality” with men, in the hopes that one day they will no longer be judged as sex objects but as capable and intelligent individuals.  Bordo describes the outcome when she states, “I never dreamed that “equality” would move in the direction of men worrying more about their looks rather than women worrying less (Ways of Seeing pg. 170).”  Instead of an equal feeling between men and women about their value to society as an individual, an equal feeling of anxiety concerning physical appearance is produced.  Inadequacy has now seeped over the gender line.  While the phrase, “no one is perfect” has been repeated countless times, perfection is what society expects, especially when appearance is concerned.  So what does this mean, a few more people realize they aren’t model material?  Bordo exposes “the diseases of a culture that doesn’t know when to stop (Ways of Seeing pg. 173)”, a frightening epidemic of anorexia, bulimia, and obsession with cosmetic surgery stemming from this idealistic propaganda.

Both Berger and Bordo reveal to the reader society’s mystified definition of what is beautiful.  Berger states that in art, monetary value is beautiful, while Bordo says that in terms of physical appearance, perfection is the key.  Both ideologies are detrimental to society and both writers’ attempts to rid the world of these falsifications can be admired.