Save Face

When I saw an article “Save Face”  in a recent edition of the magazine Men’s Journal reviewing men’s skin-care productI was frankly astounded.  Are men really willing to spend anywhere from $36 to $289 for a tiny bottle of a product that allegedly would help fight age- related damage?  Apparently, contrary to my old school sensibilities, there is a sufficient market for these companies to advertise and sell their vanity promoting products.  Besides my personal views on the superficial aspects of manliness – real men aren’t overly concerned with appearance – is there a more important message about masculinity that these types of products represent?  I think it does reflect an overall obsession by both men and women not to look old.  What has changed is how much this fear of appearing old has grown among men.   The feminist movement attempted to reduce women’s fixation on superficial appearance and probably reduced young women’s need to apply makeup.  Yet it seems that men are willing to step up and fill the demand gap by their purchasing of cosmetic and grooming stuff.   I find this trajectory disheartening.   Over valuing superficial attributes- hard bodies, perfect skin, etc., – diminishes the importance of character, values and compassion in how we think of ourselves.  An unhealthy shift that has been a long standing issue for women and now increasingly for men.

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