President Obama’s Inaugural Address

“Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans.  Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.”  Well, they say Heinz sight is 20/20, and maybe his ambitions were a bit grand.  With the recent 2010 midterm elections passing some would argue with the “Republican tsunami” this was a direct aim at are President.  Could this mean a referendum on his national polices, and that people aren’t happy with the agenda he has since attempted to implement?  I would argue, no.  It is just too soon to tell.  Many what ifs surround the recent midterm election it would be nearly impossible to predict accurately what the “mind” of the nation is thinking?  The economy was and will continue to be at the forefront of political speeches and we see that demonstrated in President Obama’s Inaugural Address.  If the President had been more successful in obtaining a better economic direction for the country the policies he wants to implement would been seen as less radical currently.  Unfortunately the economic hardships of many and the “individualistic” bubble people continue to live in emanated from the ballot box this past November.  And another optimistic President cast to the side by the American people.

Bartky, pages 82-83

On pages 82-83 Bartky speaks of society's immense influence on a woman’s psyche in relation to her weight.  She provides us with various examples, and it is doubtful to assume as a woman this is not something I am already familiar with.  What I found interesting about this particular part of her writing is when she speaks of the “tyranny of slenderness.”  I found myself reflecting back to Tocqueville and his idea of the problems posed by the “tyranny of the majority.”  It seems Tocqueville’s idea of what could happen if the majority comes into power is exactly what is happening to women.  Society, or the “majority” is feeding into the minds of females and what it means to be “beautiful.”   The consequences, as Bartky points out are profound because not all girls can achieve society's “ideal.”  Therefore, they take drastic measures in an attempt to achieve perfection.