On Modesty and Self-Identity

There is an interesting parallel, obvious open reflection, between modesty and sense of self. It occurred to me on one particularly lazy Saturday as I sat on a friend’s couch and watched a “real” housewife “find” herself relearning the art of striptease (Sorry for the excessive quotation marks, but I can’t help but feel they are necessary). As her male friends looked on and handed over dollar bills, she boasted that she was finally feeling like herself again. Now, I don’t know what exactly this woman was experiencing, but it is hard to believe it was anything like an actual sense of self. For one who has not felt her soul for a long time, the external validation of her exposed body seemed an ample substitute. And just like that, I felt like I understood pop-culture.