what do you make of this picture?

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

Firstly the picture is an advert, so I'm coming out with that now, and the forum its on doesn't look amazing, it's for a forum about veganism. But form the quality of posts I've witnessed I don't think it's worth posting on for the most part.

www.vegtalk.org/promotion/slim_erotic_legs.jpg

I have some serious issues with it, and I just want to see if other people pick up on any issues there and then see if I did over react at all. I'm putting this in ethics politics and current affairs because I think ethics and politics come into it to a certain degree. From false advertising to what messages we send.

Thanks for any replies .

[Clem Snide]

Looks like a boy, still got me hot though.

[baldy]

Looks like a boy, still got me hot though.

It did not get me hot.

Not really sure what its got to do with veganism. I am a vegan and my legs dont look like that, are they going to look like that one day? I hope not.

[Big Good Wolf]

I can't see her riding 50km on a mountain bike with those legs, let alone those shoes, therefore = not hot.

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

Well would you guys agree:
It misrepresents veganism and non-veganism.
Misrepresents the way the body works, with fat distribution and spot reduction not working, it implies anyone can get those legs, but to have legs that skinny most people would have to be at a very unhealthy weight.
It is implying we should want legs like those, hardly the greatest message.
etc.
Or is that an over reaction?

[ninearms]

is that an over reaction?

Yes. It's just a photo of a 12 year old boy in lingerie coupled with a message so cryptic and vague it's pretty much pointless.

[Clem Snide]

Well would you guys agree:
It misrepresents veganism and non-veganism.
Misrepresents the way the body works, with fat distribution and spot reduction not working, it implies anyone can get those legs, but to have legs that skinny most people would have to be at a very unhealthy weight.
It is implying we should want legs like those, hardly the greatest message.
etc.
Or is that an over reaction?

I think it's a massive issue and something needs to be done about it by someone IMMEDIATELY, still got me hot though.

[bronco]

Well would you guys agree:
It misrepresents veganism and non-veganism.
Misrepresents the way the body works, with fat distribution and spot reduction not working, it implies anyone can get those legs, but to have legs that skinny most people would have to be at a very unhealthy weight.
It is implying we should want legs like those, hardly the greatest message.
etc.

Yeah, I agree.

[Linnéa76]

The name of the file made me laugh... The picture makes me think of PETA.
It could very well be a boy, male models are often used for pantyhose commercials to achieve that
"thighs the same girth as the calves"-look.

[Catt Queen]

Looks too thin and unhealthy

[Herbsman]

Well would you guys agree:
It misrepresents veganism and non-veganism.
Misrepresents the way the body works, with fat distribution and spot reduction not working, it implies anyone can get those legs, but to have legs that skinny most people would have to be at a very unhealthy weight.
It is implying we should want legs like those, hardly the greatest message.
etc.
Or is that an over reaction?

I don't think that's an over-reaction at all. I completely agree, actually.

Each to his/her own, but there is nothing beautiful about those legs. You could argue that beauty is subjective, and that other people might find them beautiful. But by making that argument you would completely negate your argument, if you see what I mean. i.e. objectively, they are just legs.

I really hate the shallow kind of personality that would produce that picture and promote that kind of unhealthily thin body shape (or any other kind of body shape in fact) as 'desirable'. That sort of superficial mentality is uglier than any physical properties a person could have.

Whoever made that picture might as well just openly promote anorexia. But what would you think if the legs looked healthy and strong? I'd be thinking 'great legs' but I'd still dislike the superficiality of it. I just hate anything that promotes aesthetics as the be-all and end-all of life. Especially knowing how many people hate themselves for not looking like what they're 'supposed' to look like...

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

Well would you guys agree:
It misrepresents veganism and non-veganism.
Misrepresents the way the body works, with fat distribution and spot reduction not working, it implies anyone can get those legs, but to have legs that skinny most people would have to be at a very unhealthy weight.
It is implying we should want legs like those, hardly the greatest message.
etc.
Or is that an over reaction?

I don't think that's an over-reaction at all. I completely agree, actually.

Each to his/her own, but there is nothing beautiful about those legs. You could argue that beauty is subjective, but by making that argument you would completely negate your argument, if you see what I mean.

I really hate the shallow kind of personality that would produce that picture and promote that kind of unhealthily thin body shape (or any other kind of body shape in fact) as 'desirable'. That sort of superficial mentality is uglier than any physical properties a person could have.

Whoever made that picture might as well just openly promote anorexia. But what would you think if the legs looked healthy and strong? I'd be thinking 'great legs' but I'd still dislike the superficiality of it. I just hate anything that promotes aesthetics as the be-all and end-all of life. Especially knowing how many people hate themselves for not looking like what they're 'supposed' to look like...

I disagree that it would negate my argument. I believe beauty is down to the individual, but that doesn't stop up being able to influence each others opinions. And by saying that those legs are beautiful, as opposed to saying that in their opinion those legs are beautiful, it's portrayed as a real world fact and not an opinion. Whilst that's not explicitly what they were saying there's a clear indication of prescription on that matter.

[Asleep on a sunbeam]

The name of the file made me laugh... The picture makes me think of PETA.
It could very well be a boy, male models are often used for pantyhose commercials to achieve that
"thighs the same girth as the calves"-look.

I did think the stomach arms and hands looked a bit masculine, if that is the case it makes it worse, because then there's a clearer sign of manipulation .

[Herbsman]

I disagree that it would negate my argument. I believe beauty is down to the individual, but that doesn't stop up being able to influence each others opinions. And by saying that those legs are beautiful, as opposed to saying that in their opinion those legs are beautiful, it's portrayed as a real world fact and not an opinion. Whilst that's not explicitly what they were saying there's a clear indication of prescription on that matter.

What I'm saying is:

Whoever made the picture, says the legs are beautiful. This comes across as if it's a fact.

The fact is that the legs aren't beautiful. They are just legs.

If I told the person who made the picture, "those legs aren't beautiful" they could argue against that, with something like "maybe they're not beautiful to you, but I find them beautiful (in my subjective opinion)"

Hence they would be contradicting themselves... do you see what I'm saying now?

[skoptic]

whatever anyone thinks... I reckon it's a proper crap advert