In our culture we use pictures to capture every "big" moment. Newborns, progressive family pictures, first day of school, prom, engagements and weddings and so on. But what can a picture, so full of love tell us?
To the right are 2 engagement pictures of a random couple I found online. We can call them the SUBJECTS and OBJECTS in this case. They are beginning a new part of their relationship, but what can their body language tell us about their relationship, and more generally how our culture views engagement and love?
Look at the picture on the left. See how the man is slightly over the woman, is a body practice that is not uncommon. It ARGUES us into thinking men have more power than women. Its not only the size difference, but the way he stands compared to her, as she leans against the tree, he turns. He wants her to feel comfortable and at the same time shows her that he in in control, without ever saying a word.
The picture on the right does the same thing. The woman has to work harder for the kiss. Yes, some of it is physical difference, she is naturally shorter, but she is also stretching up more than he is leaning down. Who has the control?
As young people look for a "soul mate" most tend to search for the fairy-tale ending. The knight in shining armor or the damsel in distress! It could all be traced back to Disney movies (I know someone did a blog on that last weekend.) We are ARGUED into our beliefs at a young age, without even knowing it, and once we are older we don't even think to question what a relationship should be. We have essentially become DOCILE BODIES, reenacting our childhood dreams through body placement in pictures.
