Natural vs. Socially Constructed
In Barthes’ “Preface to Mythologies”, he states, “The starting point of these reflections was usually a feeling of impatience with the ‘naturalness’ which common sense, the press, and the arts continually invoke to dress up a reality, which though we live in, is nonetheless quite historical: in a word, I resented seeing Nature and History repeatedly confused in the description of our reality, and I wanted to expose in the decorative display of what-goes-without-saying the ideological abuse I believed was hidden there” (Barthes).
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- This idea of "naturalness" has actually been constructed by society and it is all just a myth of nature.
- Society believes that most aspects of life are natural. All people should eventually be able to walk and talk. It isn't until someone doesn't learn these aspects of life at an average speed that people begin to consider that something isn't "right" with this person's development. Walking and talking along with all other aspects of our lives are socially constructed. If growing up I never heard someone talking to me, would I have ever learned how to talk?
Social construction is defined as “a social mechanism, phenomenon, or category created and developed by society; a perception of an individual, group, or idea that is ‘constructed’ through cultural or social practice” (dictionary.com).
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Natural is defined as “existing in nature and not made or caused by people” (Merriam-Webster).
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