The Body

The body.

The body is adorned in cloth and metal and rubber and referred to as one’s self. The body is to be destroyed. The body is to be fetishized. The body is an object.

The body is vague.

We are not our bodies. Arguably, the self is merely a summation of beliefs and traits—qualities contained in the mind. So what is the body to the self? The body is a vessel made of flesh and bone, carrying the self, contained in the mind through the world; then what does this mean of the flesh and bone? What purpose do they serve? And if the flesh and bone do not affect the self, why do they vary?

The body is subjective.

What is the standard body? By what standard are bodies judged? How does one determine which bodies should be destroyed and which bodies should be preserved? Why does the body have so much power over the mind? Why can the shape of a body ignite lust and the color of a body inspire hate? What significance does the body have that it should arouse such strong response in the mind? And if the body does not reflect the self, why do its consequences vary?

The body is a contradiction.

The body which carries the self, contained in the mind may perish. It is prey to destruction and easily damaged. But the body mends its own wounds, refabricating flesh and bone as necessary and at its own will. But the body is slowly deteriorating from birth. Every body grows and develops, peaks, and begins to die. Every wound that heals leaves the body more fragile than before. The body weakens over time; it cannot recreate itself perfectly. But the body can procreate, generating multiple new bodies, perfect in health over many years. A sick and dying body can create a new, healthy body. Strange, no?