Fetishism and the body impolitic

Perhaps the ultimate expression of alienation is the fleshlight, which reduces the most intimate human connection to an automated orifice. But reducing our desire to parts of people rather than a whole human being alive in his otherness is nothing new. Apart from the obvious example of porn, the fashion world (which sometimes appropriates and approximates porn images) uses it in all kinds of odd ways.  Here are two very peculiar examples.

First, this old promotional item for Jordache jeans — a telephone that looks like the bottom half of a manikin. Put the butt to your ear, the ankle near your mouth and start talking. Now I ask you, regardless of what your particular preferences might be with regard to butts, would you want a butt in your ear? Would you, even if you were a foot fetishist, want to speak into an ankle?

Now I understand the value of a brand, and how it can be extended, made iconic with other merchandise. But this is simply kitsch.  Of course, some companies would use kitsch intentionally. I doubt that is the case here. You may disagree, if so I’d love to hear your reasoning.

Then there is some very visually striking new advertising for 707, which appears to be a clothing brand in Indonesia:

Kind of creepy, but you can’t not look at it. Kind of like the ads you see in the back of HX or Next or online at some gay “dating” sites: just pecs, abs, or other parts. Not that these parts aren’t nice. However speaking personally, I’m looking for more. And I know I’m not alone.

Why do we sell ourselves short? Why do we believe just this part is what we have to attract someone? Certainly we believe it because we’re attracted ourselves to bits and pieces. We all notice certain things first. Advertisers and magazine publishers know this and create promotional phones, jeans ads and all kinds of material to get our attention. And in a feedback loop it creates fetishists of us all.

Don’t get the idea that I’m a puritan. Not by any means. I just think that cutting people up like this gets in the way relationship to the real, not to mention a real relationship.