The Flesh of Modernity

Through a history of public health, I look at how early 19th-century public health interventions were a product of a modern line of thought that has a dark side, leading to discrimination, authoritarianism, eugenics, and the Nazis.
What does it mean for a body - flesh and bones - to be politicized? For the rhythm of heartbeats, the density of muscles, and the flow of the arteries to be molded and shaped by power?
What's the best way to rank citizens on a scale? To make the child’s body still, obedient, but strong?
How far can we go in engineering modern utopian bodies?
Is it possible to forge the iron of the national body through recommendations or if not, by force?
Throughout the 19th century, bodies emigrated in droves from the country to the city. Their stomachs were hungry, for food, for work. They crowded flesh on flesh into slums. “Little Ireland” in Manchester had two toilets between 250. 5 or more often slept in one bed. Cesspools and dunghills were everywhere.
At the same time, factory owners needed these bodies to be productive, energetic, malleable.
We take a look at the Philosophical Radicals, who were inspired by Jeremy Bentham, Edwin Chadwick, Social Darwinism, Eugenics, and enforced sterilization. The 1846 Nuisance Removal Acts, Robert Bayden-Powel and his concerns about national degeneration that led to the development of the Scouts, productivity during the First World War, and the development of eugenicist thought and societies.
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Credits:
Chadwick's sanitary map of Leeds.. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Section of the Thames embankment in 1867: the position of the low-level sewer is shown. Wood engraving.. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Sources:
James Le Fanu, The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine (London: Basic Books, 2012)
George Rosen, A History of Public Health (Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2015)
David Armstrong, Political Anatomy of the Body,
PATRICK E CARROLL, Medical Police and the History of Public Health, www.cambridge.org/core/servic...
www.parliament.uk/about/livin...
Deborah Lupton, Imperative of Health: Public Health and the Regulated Body
Steffan Blayney, Industrial Fatigue and the Productive Body: the Science of Work in Britain, c., Social History of Medicine Vol. 3 1900-191
Cornelie Usborne, Social Body, Racial Body, Woman’s Body: Discourse, Policies, Practices from Wilhelmine to Nazi Germany, 1912-1945
Marius Turda, Modernism and Eugenics
thehistoriansapprentice.com/2...

[@bez1196]

This channel is extremely underrated and should have way more subscribers. Very good quality content.

[@jblue1622]

The content is rather very extra fleshy in quality, I agree

[@occupationallystrong1606]

Give it time. Share the videos, and help it reach critical mass

[@ParkerPacmanTV]

git tbis to 69 gueis cmon

[@jaratustra4873]

Comenting to make the algorithm stronk for this great content creator.

[@rusirumunasinghe7354]

Stonks

[@rusirumunasinghe7354]

Recommend me more of this

[@rusirumunasinghe7354]

Ignore me I am commenting for the algo as well

[@goroman001]

@@rusirumunasinghe7354 me too, I deem that indeed. It is amazo g that write gibberish could be useful in the current times

[@peggyharris3815]

Very thought provoking. Couldn't help but think of the saying, "the good old days." Yeah...sure.

[@tokenblackwoman127]

I wouldn't say inferior... *L E S S E R* Me: Yeah... that's not worse at all.

[@openone3183]

This is such an eerie webbing in relation to what we're going through now

[@fallowfieldoutwest]

You always add the most eloquent epigraphs

[@deathbycognitivedissonance5036]

"Fml, today absolutely sucks." 😥 *Then & Now posts a new video* "This is the best day of my life!" 🥳

[@assad5260]

change your life then

[@kristagibbard7611]

You’re doing incredible work. Your production value is so good, and the actual content is well researched, thought out, and presented. I seriously hope more people find you! I wanted to mention that I’d be keen to see a video along these lines with a female focus. Not to say this video is specifically looking at the male body, but there is a lot to be considered when it comes to fascism and the fetishization of fertility, and the changing expectations for a woman’s weight and so called “health”.

[@Daniel-rw9um]

The videos of this channel are important resources to the world.

[@jvb9553]

How important is historical analysis? Very important! Brilliant and timely.

[@chrismaupin]

Like most great historical reviews, this one throws a wrench in our neat views of history and makes us swallow a strong dose of nuance, complication and complexity. The uproar going on right now about Covid measures has a nice analogue in the changes of the industrial era. On the one hand, teeming masses huddled in unsafe quarters, "2 toilets for 250" among mounds of excrement is a cry for something to be done. On the other hand, the author here shows us that once you start this kind of regulation of human life, it is difficult to know where to stop. Furthermore quackery abounds in the arena of health and wellness. Loved this really thoughtful (if troubling) look at the past. Well done!

[@fairplayer7435]

I am blown away that you condensed so much knowledge into a mere 20 minutes of insight. Well done. Subbed!

[@Xuebei]

Elegantly composed mate

[@mechailreydon3784]

My gosh I literally stopped and clapped my hands after watching this video.

[@Bojoschannel]

Great content as always! Watching this, it occurred to me that the natural continuation of this x of modernity series would be the "mind" of modernity, seeing how a lot of the matter of investigation overlaps with the development of psychology also.

[@biomutarist6832]

Very interesting video essay, I hope it gets more views because this info is relevant even today.

[@jkam2524]

The highest quality content on the internet. Thanks again.

[@TealiciousTea7]

Was taking a break from Foucault to youtube then this video came up on the feed. There is no escape 😛

[@moch.farisdzulfiqar6123]

Just like how's power works and panopticon gaze, am I right?

[@minimaleSSe]

Not an absolutely novel framing, but that was expertly delivered. Really grateful for your content to be on this platform

[@brandonwilliams3788]

This one was so great! This channel is a treasure

[@shoylevv]

Best video yet, mate. Absolutely stunning in every aspect.

[@olliesmart665]

You're a legend, man. Thank you so much for all of this amazing content and for your hard work. Congrats on the full time status.

[@CanadianRevolution27]

Again, I am blown away by your production and analysis. Keep up the great work; someday I'm gonna make something like this.

[@msfl54]

Interesting the thought to assume the worker may be accident prone, and not an indication of poor design or lack of training.

[@king638]

You deserve so much more recognition!

[@hosung6936]

Thanks for the great video! I really enjoyed it since I was interested in biopolitics recently. Can you consider doing one on the contemporary issue of 'well being' (e.g yoga, organic foods, meditation, etc.) as a continuation of this video?

[@karinamariapiotrowska5505]

That would be dope

[@Megaghost_]

I'm glad to know this channel, thanks for your videos!

[@carlomarx7412]

Love these videos, you need more subscribers!

[@aaron2709]

So happy you're doing this full-time.

[@msmelanie.]

Lewis this is fascinating, informative and so relevant! Great work!

[@aitorboadabenito1362]

What an amazing topic! Love this! Please keep it up! Thank you :)

[@sarahbellum6209]

Fascinating & well made video!This channel is outstanding!

[@1Dimee]

Great video as always!

[@charlesgillispie9097]

This is amazing content dude

[@baroncruelty8215]

Love your work. Who is recorded saying, "the race which is in a lesser state of development is by far in the majority...", it is about 16 minutes into your video? Thank you.

[@cabl3guy2012]

Your videos are great!

[@borisdjordjepetrovic]

immensely interesting topic on the body in different times. keep it up.

[@Yukon-Solar]

Great stuff!

[@kevingibbard4457]

This might be my fav video of yours.

[@FILOSOFIANEANDERTAL]

Great video!

[@stino9635]

love your videos man.

[@icanhasutoobz]

Chief Medical Officer: "Parents should look out for children that show signs of normal human expressions or independent behaviors."

[@rusirumunasinghe7354]

Amazing content!

[@veniceismine1]

Great work. Keep it up.

[@raimondogenna7912]

Thank you for this.

[@timquigley986]

Great video

[@ugenbhutia5526]

Excellent video. The only thing I feel has been missed is how Europeans segregated themselves and the natives in Colonies. Diseases, pandemics, sanitation and healthcare were pretexts for colonizers to substantiate their 'white man's burden' philosophy.

[@rcadeu]

Excelent research report!

[@Nicolaspereyra7]

Love the video! Is there any possibility on a future video about vitalism?

[@Jack-uc6nm]

Fantastic

[@gabrielnunez1964]

Magnífico montaje y locución

[@mrjones7222]

Thanks

[@spectralv709]

I think it’s telling that public health officials warned parents of children who were “overly introspective.” Self-knowledge is of no use to creating a complacent, obedient working class. Self-knowledge wakes you up to how you actually feel, in spite of society... this is why it isn’t taught in school.

[@celestesubieta8803]

Great work dude

[@WillMcCartneyAI]

commenting for algorithm good work sir

[@MattStranberg]

Today is my birthday and this was an amazing birthday present! Your art has improved so much over time and this piece was fantastic!

[@bboschboi]

Damn good video

[@mattbonanza9032]

Of all your videos so far, and liked all, I think this one hit me the most. Because I think this topic is always discussed in a very "unconstructive" way. You have a way to put it so plain, so genuine and so true. Please do more on this topic. Ideal body, value of masculinity and the universe of "the others". I think it is very important topic of the future. More than ruthless capitalism and religion. Because ruthless capitalism and religion come from body, the ideal body, the masculine body, and then they take it out on "the others". In certain way society is obsessed with masculinity. Masculinity is ultimate value. Maybe it is? If it is then why? I belong to "the others", that's why I ask. If I was masculine man I would feel fit for the world and make no deeper thoughts. I would just live and unconsciously bask in my perfection.

[@saoirserosenstock8144]

Don't mind me, just an algorithm charmer doing my duty for this ART 🌼✨🌺

[@carraicodonnell8156]

set the playback speed at 1.25 for optimum listening 👌

[@richardouvrier3078]

The alterity of conspicuous disharmoniousness.

[@AS-rl5vr]

We need the sauce for that intense poem at the beginning.

[@zwatwashdc]

Thankfully we have it all worked out now and there is no nutty stuff in our current social policy that people will shiver at.

[@ResGestae0]

Have you read the Flesh Machine by critical art ensemble?

[@gwillsthewizard]

Is there specifically a reason you didn't include anything about Foucault in this series? Are you trying to keep it just about historical records?

[@ekeneam3644]

Yes.

[@malcolmgraham8319]

Well produced and organized as always. I strongly support capitalism but I love your scathing critiques and optimization problems. You display the development of intertwining ideology with politics and production so well. Some outcomes seem inevitable. Some outcomes seem like accidents of history.

[@brainspatula]

LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH

[@19BenZ57]

from PERSIA ArmeniA Israel with Passion

[@susanneeineigel4889]

👏

[@TennesseeJed]

I am livestock

[@realWesThompson]

7:45 😳

[@AGSTRANGERTunisianAuthor]

Rationality, not religion, has been and will always be the greatest source of evil.

[@fabiodeoliveiraribeiro1602]

Algorithms don't have bodies, but billions of bodies around the world are already being permanently stirred up and synchronized to buy things, break up into small or large groups that attack each other for weird reasons, and jeopardize political systems everywhere. Algorithms create algorithms that even IT engineers don't know how to work. The disembodiment of power amounts to the permanent exploitation of the vulnerabilities of internet platform users. Controlling minds is easier and more efficient than controlling bodies. And never before has anything like this occurred: a system capable of turning calm people into violent activists for meaningless causes (like the war on vaccines or the invasion of Parliament because of an electoral defeat). Fake News, distorted information and falsification of journalism can be propelled profitably. Violent bodies hallucinated unpaid in the service of the lucrative desertification of the real. Reality as an illusion created and spread in a segmented way by algorithms that fill bodies with racist hatred, the desire to commit unworthy, cowardly and even criminal acts. Millions of Internet users turned into batteries for a new Deus Ex Machina: Artificial Intelligence. AI is the bodiless Matrix and human bodies are more and more driven to do what it wants by thinking they are free.

[@richardouvrier3078]

Utilitarianism = Epicureanist policy = philosophical radicalism

[@jibdee]

You should consider producing a non-progressive reading of a thinker/history. It would really spice the channel up.

[@kellyrankin8844]

yikes

[@Rakinjo2]

The only problem I find with the logic of this philosophy, as it clearly tends toward favoring a certain view of the human body and (more alarmingly) as health being purely relativistic, is that the so-called "modern ideals" explored in this context aren't very modern at all, but have persisted throughout history. The notion that a doctor telling you to lose weight is eugenics because the fact that obesity is tied to a shorter life expectancy is frankly ridiculous in my opinion.

[@lolathompson5922]

I love the content but I feel like youre too into the aesthetic of academia, to the point that it pushes away lay people and i feels tiny amount of cringe when I click on the video. But still, I loved it. very much.