Stereotypes

A great example of in-groups versus out-groups.

In a study from 1942, Americans were asked to describe the top two features of Russians. And they described them as 'brave and hard-working'. In 1948, during / coming to the end of the Cold War, they were asked the same question. They described them as 'cruel and conceited'. The Russians didn't change, what changed was their relationship to them over the intervening years. They went from being part of a group that they were, to being part of the out-group.


~ Paul Bloom 'The Psychology of Everything'

What are you really working on at the gym?

Is atelophobia rife among the 'gymfam'?
 

Adopting a psychoanalytic stance to bodybuilding, Melanie Klein states that 'bodybuilding is, at the very least, a subculture whose [male and female] practitioners suffer from large doses of insecurity; hence, compensation through self-presentation of power to the outside world' (1993: 174).

 

Allegedly caused by antecedent personal and/or gender inadequacy and a masculinity-in-crisis within the larger society, bodybuilding...represent(s) an 'atavistic' strategy for concealing self-perceived flaws (Klein, 1993).

 

~ Bodybuilding, drugs and risk (Monaghan, L.)