Kelly is correct about the changing body types in the films. In sports, it's even more extreme. Long ago, the dominating basketball player was George Mikin. He was tall, but he was skinny. I doubt that he would last five minutes in the game for ways played today. I suspect many of the players, certain in football, have to take steroids in order to keep up with the demands.
In racing bicycles, virtually nobody can compete without chemicals.
In attempting to conform to the ideal body type, various surgical procedures have become commonplace. In certain executive type positions, the expense of cosmetic surgery supposedly repays itself quickly since people generally associated certain types of good looks with intelligence.
In the end, what may be initially a healthy instinct -- to get in shape -- becomes perverted into dangerous drug use, cosmetic surgery, and eating disorders. Does capitalism ever have a healthy outcome? --
Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University michael at ecst.csuchico.edu Chico, CA 95929 530-898-5321 fax 530-898-5901