From tortured to virtual bodies

Abstract

Rather than speaking of the “body” it would be more accurate to speak of “bodies”. Similarly, rather than speaking of the “discourse” of the body it would be more appropriate to speak of the “discourses” that make of the bodies their subject to provide them with meanings, know them and control them. Each and every body is historical and is secured, mediated and used in the context of a given society and culture. There are many different institutions, strategies and devices that imprison them: family, school, religion, the State, medicine, technology and market. In the same way, humans have always been willing to suffer or inflict the worst punishments and torments to their own bodies, or to those of the others, provided they can exhibit marks and signs of power, prestige, status, distinction, beauty, eroticism or the curse. This paper will discuss on the history of bodies from the tortured to the virtual, through its various moments and “identities”: polite, docile, fashion, daffodils and mass media bodies.

Keywords

• Courtesan bodies
• docile bodies
• bodies of fashion
• narcissistic bodies
• mass media bodies
• virtual bodies.