3 ms·

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_politic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_politic The notion of individualization is a recent one, from what I know.

jnbiche 7y ago
No, that's a age-old, more general metaphor, This trend of using "body" as a synecdoche for "individual" is much more recent, starting in the past 4-5 years: https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/02/24/what-with-all-body-talk/S9Xan5n92TyNWdEsIWUZbI/story.html https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/02/24/what-with-all-b... The article describes the term as catching on among the activist left in general, but this particular usage finds its origin in academic papers from the humanities.
- brlewis 7y ago
  I agree there's some kind of recent trend here, but "body" has been used to mean "individual" for a long time. Here's an example from 1782: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Thro%27_the_Rye https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Thro%27_the_Rye
  - dTal 7y ago
    "Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Probably even the word "anybody" comes from this usage. It's old and widespread.
- mises 7y ago
  I recall hearing somewhat archaic phrasing that something was "good for what ails a body", or some such. Specifically, I think it's an archaic southern-ism? Though you're right about the general trend.
- tom_ 7y ago
  What's the difference between, say, white people and black people? It is that the white people's bodies have pale skin - or "white" if you prefer - and that black people's bodies have dark skin - or, perhaps, "black". Any discussion of white people vs black people must, then, at heart, be somehow about their bodies. Because that's exactly what "white" and "black" refer to. I assume the terminology is intended to deliberately draw one's attention to this.

jnbiche 7y ago

No, that's a age-old, more general metaphor, This trend of using "body" as a synecdoche for "individual" is much more recent, starting in the past 4-5 years: https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/02/24/what-with-all-body-talk/S9Xan5n92TyNWdEsIWUZbI/story.html https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2018/02/24/what-with-all-b... The article describes the term as catching on among the activist left in general, but this particular usage finds its origin in academic papers from the humanities.

brlewis 7y ago
I agree there's some kind of recent trend here, but "body" has been used to mean "individual" for a long time. Here's an example from 1782: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Thro%27_the_Rye https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comin%27_Thro%27_the_Rye
- dTal 7y ago
  "Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do." - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Probably even the word "anybody" comes from this usage. It's old and widespread.
mises 7y ago
I recall hearing somewhat archaic phrasing that something was "good for what ails a body", or some such. Specifically, I think it's an archaic southern-ism? Though you're right about the general trend.
tom_ 7y ago
What's the difference between, say, white people and black people? It is that the white people's bodies have pale skin - or "white" if you prefer - and that black people's bodies have dark skin - or, perhaps, "black". Any discussion of white people vs black people must, then, at heart, be somehow about their bodies. Because that's exactly what "white" and "black" refer to. I assume the terminology is intended to deliberately draw one's attention to this.