1. Thou shalt be attractive

2. Learning Goals:
To understand how the dictator (the power of advertising) pressures us into conforming to the dominant view of what is attractive.
To be able to identify and reflect on one person who swims against the tide and to understand why Leunig views this as admirable.

3. Dove Beauty Evolution
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4. Pair and Share
What do they know already about the power of advertising?
How is it artificial?
Why is it that some people are more susceptible to advertising than others?
Lead into posing as authentic- eg. even the ones that claim not to use photo-shop do eg. Dove Real Beauty Campaign

5. Artificial posing as authentic
Dove Real Beauty Campaign Hypocrisy.
The campaign was advertising ‘real beauty’ but in actual fact the campaign was just as photo-shopped as the rest of them.
According to a May issue of The New Yorker, a designer who worked on the ads revealed the secret: "Do you know how much retouching was on that?” He asked. “But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone’s skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive.” I remember when these ads rolled out, many applauded Dove for showing “the real beauty” and “real women” in our society.  I believed those ads, and thought this would be the beginning  toward a future where all types of women can be used for beauty ads.  Boy does this change my outlook.

6. Inauthentic?
Was Jennifer Hawkins brave to pose nude? Write a persuasive paragraph.
The picture was taken in support of
the Butterfly Foundation:
an organisation that supports
people with eating disorders
and encourages positive
attitudes to body image.
Many people were outraged at Jen Hawkins posing nude to support the Butterfly Foundation for people with eating disorders. They argued that she does present a realistic representation of women look like and that it was hardly brave for her to pose nude considering how she looks. Around the same time Bianca Dye, a size 14 woman, also posed nude for Madison and she criticised Jen Hawkins for ruining progress made about healthy body image.

7. “Thou shalt be attractive”
Revisit your two column notes on ‘Thou shalt be attractive’.
Discuss the main ideas that Leunig raises regarding the dictator, our unforgiving society and how this has resulted in the loss of true authenticity and individuality.

8. An unforgiving world
Leunig suggests that we “have never lived in so much fear” before. It is the fear of being unattractive and abandoned, of rejection and failure. This links to Leunig’s recurring argument that we are delusional about how much freedom and individuality we have.
We believe the maxim that “the more I reveal myself, the less you will love me” so instead we pretend to be something we are not, we become what we believe other people expect or want us to be to avoid rejection.

9. It is admirable to swim against the tide...
Return to ‘Hello, Welcome to our Drought’ p.4 “To be indelibly splattered with one’s own uniqueness and irregularity and to let it show and live by it is to court a difficult life- but not to do so is to invite a feeble existence filled with a big, stupid silicone implant to keep it up.”
“We have fantasy and delusional versions of individuality but do we have the stomach for the real thing?”

10. It is admirable to swim against the tide...
Despite Leunig’s cynicism there are people who do this!
Who is this guy?
Leunig admits that it is very difficult to go against the mainstream view, to choose to value other things to what the dictator proposes and to risk rejection but he contends that this is the only way to lead an authentic life.

11. Peter Singer: Controversial Philosopher
What is controversial about his views? Which groups might find his views offensive?
Stop at 5.14 as the part on health care isn’t relevant!

12. Consequences
“We may learn the line ‘unto thine own self be true’, but we also learn about the disaster we invite when this advice from Shakespeare is put into practice.” p.44
Singer’s views on euthanasia of disabled babies caused significant controversy, particularly when he was first employed at Princeton. He has been labelled ‘Professor Death’ and has been called a ‘bigot’ against people with disabilities.

13. Writing time: Write a paragraph on what Leunig would think of Singer.
Read the article individually and take notes on the consequences that Singer has faced due to his different views.
Write a paragraph on what Leunig would think of Singer.
You could put the following sentence stems up on the board if you think they need them:
Leunig would view Singer as .... because he is willing to even though there are consequences for his actions. An example of this is...
It’s not about Singer’s views but rather his conviction and commitment to standing up for what he believes is right, regardless of how he is labelled or shunned because of it. Leunig would view this as admirable as Singer leads an authentic life where he is not afraid to be true to his individual values and beliefs.

14. Returning to the Goal:
Think of another person who has gone against the mainstream views. What was their view and did they face any consequences for believing something different?
Your example can be a historical one or more recent!

15. Homework (due Monday):
Write a 600-word expository essay using the ideas from ‘Thou shalt be attractive’ and the secondary texts discussed.
PROMPT: It is difficult not to conform to a dominant reality.