Ugh...that Biore ad is just the absolute bottom. In what universe do blackheads and mourning the dead or dealing with existential crises have anything in common?!? It’s the “Calgon take me away” idea of the 70’s writ perverse but hey, at least a bath is legit temporary self care. Since I don’t TikTok at all, or Instagram (much beyond friends feeds) I’m always floored reading your missives on the absolute (and dangerous!) drivel offered up by influencers and their sponsors, especially. It’s such a dirty business. Keep up your wonderful exposés Jessica!!
“Join me and Bioré Skincare in speaking up about mental health!”
Isn’t it also hyper-problematic that there’s an expectation that being physically beautiful is being equated to having good mental health and mental wellness? Isn’t it the tale as old as time that being gorgeous means nothing about someone’s internal disposition.
Also, whatever happened to editors; who gave the go ahead for this terrible advertisement? Perhaps Instagram needs human editors, who can be like “wow, this advertisement is ridiculous and discriminatory”. School shootings should not be game for corporate advertising, but alas, what do I know, as an an educator with 13 years of teaching experience.
I was thinking about how “plastic surgery” is being marketed and sold to us as “feminism”. It’s time for honesty. We, as women, only want plastic surgery, so that we can be the next Marilyn Monroe. We want to parade and adorn ourselves in all the luxurious objects that capitalism has to offer. Then, and only then, we hallucinate, will we have power in society. Perhaps we could negotiate for the disarmament of nuclear missiles, if only we were beautiful. But let’s not kid ourselves, that’s a lot of blow jobs to give to heads of state. Or maybe we will finally be free when we are chosen as “most beautiful” from the concubines of Jeff Bezos. Let’s not pretend that we all don’t hallucinate daily about quitting our day jobs and entering sex work. Perhaps as an evil spy seductress, will we be able to stop a future Hitler. Or survive the next war.
And yet, there’s that voice. It beckons, “read a book”, “learn calculus”, “become financially literate”, “get a college degree”, and we push it down, push it down. I was born a princess, without a crown! Can’t they see? I’m an undiscovered influencer. My years of music lessons means I should have a performance career by now, if only they could see I’m truly beautiful.
And then, there’s reality. It’s all plastic. Endocrine disrupting chemicals. Carcinogens. Toxins. Lead. PFAS. Microplastics. Everything is plastic and toxic chemicals. Everything is petrochemicals.
Jessica, I am just very, very, very happy that Martha Stewart's SI cover led me to your Substack and I'm sure you know that Slate's Cultural Gabfest praised you to the skies this week.
I loved your comments in the “how to stop hating your face” piece, it’s unfortunate the author went on to suggest Botox 🙃 I’ve struggled with hating my face the last 5-7 years (as a teenager and in my early twenties I liked my face but struggled with my body). I wish the article would have suggested abandoning social media - I’ve been mostly off IG for two years and I feel like it’s radically realigned the way I see myself!! No cosmetic interventions needed!
Reminds me of when people asked Quinta Brunson to write an episode about school shooting on Abbott Elementary after Ulvade. This, and that Biore ad, is some serious cognitive dissonance. Such dissonance allows everyone to keep living as is, not having to grasp the reality of the horror that we are actually living in. It’s a way to sorta make it all pretend, and why not? The influencer above isn’t showcasing a real life. Instagram isn’t. It’s all connected to how u real we present and read the real world through entertainment/social media now. What’s real? Not surpised, sadly.
I guess these companies think there is no such thing as bad PR but even a cynic like myself is shocked by this lack of foresight. Wow. So wrong to turn a tragedy like this into a marketing opportunity on so many levels.
Ugh...that Biore ad is just the absolute bottom. In what universe do blackheads and mourning the dead or dealing with existential crises have anything in common?!? It’s the “Calgon take me away” idea of the 70’s writ perverse but hey, at least a bath is legit temporary self care. Since I don’t TikTok at all, or Instagram (much beyond friends feeds) I’m always floored reading your missives on the absolute (and dangerous!) drivel offered up by influencers and their sponsors, especially. It’s such a dirty business. Keep up your wonderful exposés Jessica!!
“Join me and Bioré Skincare in speaking up about mental health!”
Isn’t it also hyper-problematic that there’s an expectation that being physically beautiful is being equated to having good mental health and mental wellness? Isn’t it the tale as old as time that being gorgeous means nothing about someone’s internal disposition.
Also, whatever happened to editors; who gave the go ahead for this terrible advertisement? Perhaps Instagram needs human editors, who can be like “wow, this advertisement is ridiculous and discriminatory”. School shootings should not be game for corporate advertising, but alas, what do I know, as an an educator with 13 years of teaching experience.
I was thinking about how “plastic surgery” is being marketed and sold to us as “feminism”. It’s time for honesty. We, as women, only want plastic surgery, so that we can be the next Marilyn Monroe. We want to parade and adorn ourselves in all the luxurious objects that capitalism has to offer. Then, and only then, we hallucinate, will we have power in society. Perhaps we could negotiate for the disarmament of nuclear missiles, if only we were beautiful. But let’s not kid ourselves, that’s a lot of blow jobs to give to heads of state. Or maybe we will finally be free when we are chosen as “most beautiful” from the concubines of Jeff Bezos. Let’s not pretend that we all don’t hallucinate daily about quitting our day jobs and entering sex work. Perhaps as an evil spy seductress, will we be able to stop a future Hitler. Or survive the next war.
And yet, there’s that voice. It beckons, “read a book”, “learn calculus”, “become financially literate”, “get a college degree”, and we push it down, push it down. I was born a princess, without a crown! Can’t they see? I’m an undiscovered influencer. My years of music lessons means I should have a performance career by now, if only they could see I’m truly beautiful.
And then, there’s reality. It’s all plastic. Endocrine disrupting chemicals. Carcinogens. Toxins. Lead. PFAS. Microplastics. Everything is plastic and toxic chemicals. Everything is petrochemicals.
Sorry I’m disturbed, haha.
Jessica, I am just very, very, very happy that Martha Stewart's SI cover led me to your Substack and I'm sure you know that Slate's Cultural Gabfest praised you to the skies this week.
I loved your comments in the “how to stop hating your face” piece, it’s unfortunate the author went on to suggest Botox 🙃 I’ve struggled with hating my face the last 5-7 years (as a teenager and in my early twenties I liked my face but struggled with my body). I wish the article would have suggested abandoning social media - I’ve been mostly off IG for two years and I feel like it’s radically realigned the way I see myself!! No cosmetic interventions needed!
New low...until the next one. And a shudder to think what that might be. xo
Reminds me of when people asked Quinta Brunson to write an episode about school shooting on Abbott Elementary after Ulvade. This, and that Biore ad, is some serious cognitive dissonance. Such dissonance allows everyone to keep living as is, not having to grasp the reality of the horror that we are actually living in. It’s a way to sorta make it all pretend, and why not? The influencer above isn’t showcasing a real life. Instagram isn’t. It’s all connected to how u real we present and read the real world through entertainment/social media now. What’s real? Not surpised, sadly.
I desperately need you to write a book
I guess these companies think there is no such thing as bad PR but even a cynic like myself is shocked by this lack of foresight. Wow. So wrong to turn a tragedy like this into a marketing opportunity on so many levels.
I do too. Child of the 60’s. Omg some of the marketing we were subject to as kids is…startling, at best, right?
Love your insight always!!