Round of applause. Standing ovation. Powerful essay, Jessica. I imagine your work feels like shouting into the void sometimes, but it’s good work. Thanks for doing it.
"What good is consolation from a brand that’s also using military metaphors to distract customers from the news and put them at war with their own bodies? What good is comfort from a corporation that’s also co-opting political propaganda to convince consumers to look away from the world and into the mirror?" 👏👏👏👏
The terms battling and fighting cancer began when we actually for the very first time had drugs that would kill the cancer. Experimental then with greater refinement. Prior, it was surgery and religion. The term was apt at the time but with so much cancer and so much so treatable with some assurance, many cancers are now not fatal, ithe rhetoric does seem way too much. You, Jess are a newer generation. I honestly recommend getting on with renaming and recontextualizing your experiences in addition the complaints which are real, honest and true enough. Love your work. I’d like to see you lead a future we need so badly. ❤️✨
Thank you, Jessica. So thought provoking. For those who still buy beauty products, please consider looking up and boycotting the brands who profit from this colonization and oppression. Same for non-beauty brands/products. 🩷
Masterful piece, Jessica. Will keep contemplating. And, I feel your words and the truth of what you’re saying soaking into my cells this morning.
Undoubtedly this soaking will nourish some seeds and sprout into growth with some of my future work.
At the risk of “gushing” at you too much again, you have such a gift with your craft. With every aspect of your work. And your writing simply is stellar.
May 2024 bring you, your work and your world all abundance, every joy and as wide of visibility as you desire 💫
Jessica, you just GET IT! I hope you know how articulate, powerful, potent and truthful your writing is. Your work shines light into the darkness and underbelly of humanity. It’s real, it’s essential and I hope more people can begin to set their cognitive dissonance aside to hear the truth of just how many lies they are being sold-regularly.
My whole life, even into my early teens, I remember standing in line with my mom to checkout at the grocery store. There we were, surrounded by magazines like Prevention, and I always found myself wondering why diets and foods were always "fat-blasting".
The word "blasting" was used with conspicuous frequency in weight loss headlines on the covers of the magazines that flanked checkouts. Sure, you'd occasionally see promises of melting away fat or banishing a belly, but by and large the majority were just blasting away.
It's really interesting to see someone addressing that wrong footed feeling I always had but couldn't really explain. Thanks for this!
Round of applause. Standing ovation. Powerful essay, Jessica. I imagine your work feels like shouting into the void sometimes, but it’s good work. Thanks for doing it.
Thank you for reading it <3
Make that a standing ovation! I think ofSusan Sontag's Illness as Metaphor, another arena for military language. I add my thanks to Sarah Guerrero's.
Oooh yes I'm due for a reread
It never gets old°
"What good is consolation from a brand that’s also using military metaphors to distract customers from the news and put them at war with their own bodies? What good is comfort from a corporation that’s also co-opting political propaganda to convince consumers to look away from the world and into the mirror?" 👏👏👏👏
I only have time to skim this right now but just . . . . what? Jessica you are churning out eye-opening content and I am very appreciative of it.
thank you so much x
this is sooo interesting and also terrifying
ty!! beauty is horror!
The terms battling and fighting cancer began when we actually for the very first time had drugs that would kill the cancer. Experimental then with greater refinement. Prior, it was surgery and religion. The term was apt at the time but with so much cancer and so much so treatable with some assurance, many cancers are now not fatal, ithe rhetoric does seem way too much. You, Jess are a newer generation. I honestly recommend getting on with renaming and recontextualizing your experiences in addition the complaints which are real, honest and true enough. Love your work. I’d like to see you lead a future we need so badly. ❤️✨
Interesting take and very illuminating. Appreciate your comment very much, Gari.
Thank you, Jessica. So thought provoking. For those who still buy beauty products, please consider looking up and boycotting the brands who profit from this colonization and oppression. Same for non-beauty brands/products. 🩷
Jessica, I love your writing so much. I just wanted to say if you ever write a book, I will probably be first in line to read it.
aw thank you! it's coming!!
Fucking yes, Jess. Brilliant.
you make everything i write better <3
<3
I am thankful for your brain and how it makes me think about things I haven’t thought about before.
i am thankful to you for reading <3
Masterful piece, Jessica. Will keep contemplating. And, I feel your words and the truth of what you’re saying soaking into my cells this morning.
Undoubtedly this soaking will nourish some seeds and sprout into growth with some of my future work.
At the risk of “gushing” at you too much again, you have such a gift with your craft. With every aspect of your work. And your writing simply is stellar.
May 2024 bring you, your work and your world all abundance, every joy and as wide of visibility as you desire 💫
aw thank you so much, lesli! this made my day xx
this is so dystopian
right??
Such an interesting and important piece, as always. Also loved seeing Amanda Montell pop up here!!!
This was freaking fantastic!!
thank you!
amazing thought provoking article as ever Jess.
thank you <3
Jessica, you just GET IT! I hope you know how articulate, powerful, potent and truthful your writing is. Your work shines light into the darkness and underbelly of humanity. It’s real, it’s essential and I hope more people can begin to set their cognitive dissonance aside to hear the truth of just how many lies they are being sold-regularly.
My whole life, even into my early teens, I remember standing in line with my mom to checkout at the grocery store. There we were, surrounded by magazines like Prevention, and I always found myself wondering why diets and foods were always "fat-blasting".
The word "blasting" was used with conspicuous frequency in weight loss headlines on the covers of the magazines that flanked checkouts. Sure, you'd occasionally see promises of melting away fat or banishing a belly, but by and large the majority were just blasting away.
It's really interesting to see someone addressing that wrong footed feeling I always had but couldn't really explain. Thanks for this!
That's a really interesting point!!