The objectification of the Female Body, feminists often inform us, is harmful to women and denotes sexism because women should be appreciated for their minds, not their bodies. This view has also been stated by various advocates of "political correctness." This essay focuses, first, on the various ways in which Men apparently view women based on a generalization of how the author views women combined with his understanding derived from various works of philosophy.
Men appear to view women objectively [i.e. both mentally and physically] - and subjectively [i.e. perceived personality, often combined with physical qualities]. The objective Mental view of women considers them as individual humans, not as women. Thus, one may admire a woman's intellectual abilities just as one may admire the intellectual abilities of Stephen Hawking. However, despite the politically correct statement that one should love a woman for her mind, if such were the true basis for desiring intimacy with another, then the sex of the other party would play, at best, a minor role in deciding with whom one desires intimacy. Indeed, the aforementioned Hawking or, in his day, Albert Einstein would have been barraged by invitations from numerous men! That Einstein, formerly, and Hawking today have probably not been the subject of countless proposals by love-sick men indicates that this is not the major criteria for intimacy between Men and Women. This does not mean that a Man cannot desire a Woman and, at the same time, admire her intellect, but it does indicate that such admiration is not the source of attraction and the desire for intimacy.
There are, as has been previously stated, two distinct (albeit closely related and often interacting) forms of the objective view, by Men, of the female form. One is sexual and one is aesthetic. The sexual view is largely self-explanatory - the degree to which a Man is attracted to a Woman in a desire to engage in physical intimacy with her. This view is based on one's own physical gratification (or the potential thereof) and involves the interest of the women only to the extent that the satisfaction of her own desires furthers the satisfaction of the Man. The aesthetic version of objectification considers the female body as a work of art, similar to the way one admires a beautiful mountain scene or a stimulating picture or building. While the appreciation of a Woman's mind makes us see her as an equal, sentient person who should be treated with the same respect and equality extended to all other sentient individuals, male or female, this aesthetic appreciation of the female form combined with the awareness of its fragility, mortality and rareness tends to a desire for association with that female, quite separate from (but often synthesized with) sexual desire - and to a desire to protect such beauty from destruction. Whereas sexual desire only lasts until satiated (although the expectation of future sexual satisfaction may make one desire to stay with the Woman until someone appears who is equally approachable and more desirable), aesthetic appreciation continues while the beauty lasts and extends beyond, due to a rememberance of that beauty even when faded.
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The perceived Personality of a Woman affects both a Man's admiration for a Woman's mental abilities and her beauty but has less of an effect on her sexual desirability, since one can literally detest a woman while desiring sexual intimacy. A poor personality can make one resent a Woman's intellectual abilities as she may seem scornful and condescending to the Man with whom she is interacting and may seem to have a debasing effect on her aesthetic appeal because it seems to lessen or "cheapen" that beauty by reducing the pleasant, warm feeling it produces. On the other hand, a pleasing personality increases the aesthetic appreciation of the Woman's form, making her seem even more beautiful and rare. Even a relatively plain Woman, generally still considered to be more attractive than the male of the species, is rendered more attractive by a pleasant personality.
Each of these interact with each other to varying degrees. The misogynist will often only view Women from the viewpoint of sexual desire and may, in the worst cases, receive pleasure from injuring those he may feel he can injure with impunity. This is similar to the pleasure a bully gets from physically and mentally bullying those weaker than himself carried into the sexual sphere. On the other hand, a Rousseau may only consider the woman from the viewpoint of personality, sexuality, and personality, believing that the sole purpose of Women (especially beautiful Women) is to be pleasing to Men and that the overall pleasure (aesthetic and sexual) thus derived results in the Man having his proper role as protector whether or not he originally intended that result. David Hume and John Stuart Mill viewed Women from a combined view of all these roles; and although, Hume bought into the view the notion(widely held during his life-time) that Women were less capable, intellectually, than Men, he also appreciated intelligence when he saw it, holding that Women should study history and other areas in which they seemed to have an aptitude. Thus, a Woman well-educated in the humanities was considered a special delight (as opposed to Rousseau's view that Women should only be taught how to better please the Man who was to become her protector).
Were Men only to see Women from the viewpoint of Mental objectivity, there would be no attraction and, thus, no continuation of the species. Were Men only to see Women from the viewpoint of Sexual Objectivity, Women would likely be nothing but sexual slaves existing solely for the pleasure of the Man. Were Men to see Women from only the viewpoints of Mental and Sexual objectivity, there would be greater equality but less affection between the sexes. It is only through the viewpoints of the aesthetic and personality that the sense of closeness, true intimacy, and affection arises and provides the basis for companionship and what we generally call love.
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