Page 177 - Cultural Studies A Practical Introduction

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Bodies and Things

Culture also happens in bodies and to bodies. Body culture takes the form
of how we walk and talk, how we bear or carry ourselves, and what “ image ”
we project. If the way we style our physical selves depends on our thoughts
or concerns about how others see us, then one could say that the culture
of bodies is in part social, and it depends on mental imagery – the thoughts
in our minds regarding how others perceive us – that plays an important
role in shaping our physicality. To the degree that imagery is cultural or
human - made, our physical existence is cultured and cultural. What we take
in from others through our minds shapes our physical selves. But concomi-
tantly, we project mental images into others ’ minds through our bodily
actions. Our bodies engage in cultural action on our behalf. Some young
men think of themselves as gangsters, and they hold themselves in certain
postures as a result, and they walk in a distinct manner, one that projects
threat and the possibility of violence. Certain women bend their bodies to
the ideal images of perfect good looks that circulate in the culture around
them. Their way of carrying themselves seeks to project attractiveness,
instead of toughness and strength. One task of cultural analysis is to explain
these differences.
As part of our cultural experience, we inhabit bodies and interact with
things in the world around us in meaningful ways. How we move our
bodies through space expresses our identity, our sense of who we are, and
that sense of physical identity often is influenced by our sense of how others

see us. Who we are to a degree depends on how we are perceived by others
around us. Such perceptions can change our own perceptions and feelings
about ourselves. A white male businessman in a suit can afford to walk
briskly and with a sense of confidence. He sees himself as possessing

financial power, and his way of dressing and behaving attracts a gaze from

others that confirms his impression of himself. An ethnic minority woman,