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we gain immunity in the sense that we no longer accept every image as representing absolute truth

GPs whole point about body image is that, as a society, we don't have that immunity. Basically no one has a healthy ideal of what a good body image is because we never even get to see them.

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The fact that media can so effectively influence our view of an ideal body has little to do with our awareness about photo manipulation. We know full well photos are touched up and fake. In fact we're at the point now where millions of people are so aware of it that they are routinely editing their own photos to match whatever the ideal being pushed at us in the moment is. Maybe that's "instagram face" or giant asses, hell I remember when it was heroin chic. The point is that we all know it's fake. It just doesn't matter because media tells us what to like/want regardless.

I disagree! photo manipulation plays a starring role in how pervasive and insidious these ideas are... I can turn off the TV and avoid movies, but I can't avoid ads, billboards, grocery stores, direct mail, you name it... it's everywhere.

I live alone, and if I go into town there's a good chance I'll see more doctored photos of people than I see actual people (depending on how busy things are, which is usually not very).

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