Beauty Standards and Socialism

[rebelgames]

In todays time there are certain beauty standards. Seeing as I live in the US I know mostly about our standards here so I will use those as examples.
Things like shaving your legs, being thin, being tan, having big boobs, fashionable haircuts... these are examples of what is praised in our culture. I know many people have different ideas of what they like but I am just citing these as examples. Even in socialism people still have desires and tastes. Many people would much prefer a woman with smooth legs, than a woman with unshaved legs.
What I wanted to know is what the readers of this post opinions are would they dsitribute products like nail polish, hair dye, etc.
If these seems stupid or doesn't make much sense I apoligize. My attention span has been waning lately and it is taking me forever to read or write anything.

[redstar2000]

The obvious difference is that female beauty could not be used to sell anything, including itself. In a communist society, there is no money and therefore nothing is "for sale".

Would people still make and use cosmetics? Probably.

Would people still have "standards" of physical attractiveness? Certainly.

Would they be "like" the ones we have now? I don't see how we could know that, one way or the other.

:redstar2000:

The Redstar2000 Papers (http://www.redstar2000papers.fightcapitalism.net)
A site about communist ideas

[CubanFox]

Apparently, in East Germany, people didn't care about the whole fashion idea. Everyone was just the way they were; there were no ultrathin, airbrushed supermodels in glossy magazines. There were no impossible goals to aspire to.

Bathing naked was almost a nonissue, you either liked it or you didn't. It wasn't banned anywhere.

But when the Wall came down, that all changed.

Many Ossis today sometimes think back, maybe at least the morals of East Germany were superior to the supposed lack thereof in today.

[Pedro Alonso Lopez]

Well it depends on cultural factors, the country etc. Its difficult to gauge, certainly culture is unpredictable.

[Pawn Power]

the thing is their will be no advertisments, so peoples opinion on what is good looking will be their own not what is pumped into their heads.

[rebelgames]

I was just asking if you controlled your own socialist state or country (i apoligize for the term controlled I'm not sure how else to put it) would you distribute these type of products? Or would you see them as a waste of effort and time. I wasn't asking if you would promote certain images to try and attain.

[Guerrilla22]

A large part of capitalism is to move your product by making the potential consumer belive that he/she is some how inferior or missing out if you are not purchasing their product. However this has developed into pure obcession. Today's western culture, especially American culture is so material oriented it's ridiculous. In some nations just having a family that you started is considered the most desireable part of life. Here it seems to be to spend $50 bucks on an Abercrombie and Fitch shirt that was made by kids in Malaysia for pennies.

[Nas]

well first of all to correct you , is not if you control you socialist state-its if "the people" control their own social state, k

now, a little make up doesnt hurt nobody , after capitalism , some women might think if you are wearing make up , you have an advantage to get a man over the woman who doesn't, - well this is kind of true
its like which type of ice cream do you like? chocolate , vanilla or strawberry etc...
do you like women who wear make up or do you like the natural look, do you like a woman with short hair or long hair , do you like blonds or brunettes etc.....

you there are some girl who look amazing with make up on and there are some girls who dont look that great with make up on


about being tan , its like what fits you , there are some people who look nice with tan on and some people who dont

about being fat, i dont think no girl wants to be fat , but they learn to live with it and at the end they like it , BUT everyones skeletons is the same , everyones muscles inside the bodies is the same , there is no "fat" muscle , i dont blame a fat girl for trying to be skinny because deep inside she really is skinny or regular size

[rebelgames]

once again i wasnt asking what people find attractive. i stated in my original message that people find different things attractive. i was asking would you distribute these products in a socialist state. and yes i know the people control the state and i made a point of apoligizing for the way i placed those words.

[Raisa]

There are alot of different animals who care how they look and we are some of them, and I think thats okay. In socialism beauty wont be commodified. But people will always think somethings look healthy and some things do not.

[che's long lost daughter]

If I am the leader of a communist state, i think i would still alllow for these products to be sold because i thibk that even if everyone in my country were all communists, they would still want to look attractive.

But of course, not those capitalists products that are being sold in capitalists countries like the US. Maybe, I would have my state's own Cosmetic Company (and other companies that produce the basic commodities) but it wouldn't be like those Capitalists companies. Things would be sold in a cheap price. Cost of production would be equal to the price of things. No profits whatsoever.

[rebelgames]

finally somebody gets what i am trying to say

[DaCuBaN]

Perhaps it would be more apt to ask why cosmetics would be distributed under a socialist state...

Given that if we were to wave our magic wand and turn the world to communism overnight, we'd still have major problems to clean up - things that would more urgently require our attention.

So basically I'm saying I don't think they would be available under communism... at least at first - and then, like religion, would we really need them ever?

That said, there's nothing stopping an individual from using some of their share to produce them.... You simply have to see how big the demand for it... and on a personal basis, I hope there isn't any ;)

[RedAnarchist]

I wouldnt stop the vain using cosmetics, but i would attmept to show them that looks are very superficial, and that the real person is below the skin.

[elijahcraig]

I don't like the idea here of "ending" sexual desire, or those things that cause sexual desire.

The objectification of humans is a natural thing.

Obviously this can go too far and become shallow and unfeeling. Which is wrong.

[DaCuBaN]

Yeah well, I think we should all be force to wear boiler suits the entire time.... I guess this is somewhere I'm quite alone ;)


don't like the idea here of "ending" sexual desire, or those things that cause sexual desire

No, but as you continue on in your post it has a 'snowball effect' ending in the focus of society on sexuality. It's not wrong as such, but I don't like it - hence my argument.