To Sell Ourselves is Female

Explicit content warning

09/16/19 • 75 min

What, exactly, is a brand, and why are we all trying to become one? While bestselling author Daniel Pink says that “to sell is human,” exactly what is it that women are selling?

In today’s episode, we examine why even feminist women end up objectifying themselves in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bodybrandpod.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What, exactly, is a brand, and why are we all trying to become one? While bestselling author Daniel Pink says that “to sell is human,” exactly what is it that women are selling?

In today’s episode, we examine why even feminist women end up objectifying themselves in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bodybrandpod.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Pipeline Problems

Women are dropping out. Maybe that woman is you. Maybe it's someone you know. Maybe it's someone you follow online.

They say there's a serious leak in the corporate pipeline, or maybe it’s the lack of female representation in STEM roles. If you've ever felt like your nose was pressed up against the glass ceiling or like you had to be more "masculine" in order to make it at work, then you'll understand why women are choosing to no longer either give up and work for less money and recognition or fight it out as one of the boys -- they're choosing a third way: selling their body image to other women.

In this episode, we'll get a sense of why women feel like they have less agency in the workforce than they do in yoga pants and on Instagram -- and why the conversation around feminism has shifted from burning bras to wearing sports bras.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bodybrandpod.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Dangerous Investments

No one wants to consider sunk cost, whether financial or otherwise. Losing capital in a capitalist society is a sign that you’ve failed — and especially in America’s culture of the self-made man, failure is just something that we don’t tolerate. We’re not failing at breaking the glass ceiling, we’re succeeding at harnessing alternative income streams. We’re not failing at body positivity or fat acceptance or self-love, we’re just works in progress, trying to push until we don’t have anything left. We’re going to succeed -- even if it kills us.

In this episode we're diving headfirst into a niche corner of economic theory: Identity economics. Using a theory put forth by Professors George Akerlof and Rachel Kranton, we're going to look deep into our own motivations for buying into "healthy lifestyles" and selling them back to others.

Sources:

"Economics and Identity" by George Akerlof and Rachel Kranton

Identity Economics: How Our Identities Shape Our Work, Wages, and Well-Being by George Akerlof and Rachel Kranton*

Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner? A Story of Women and Economics by Katrine Marçal*

*Amazon affiliate links

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/bodybrandpod.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.