--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the differences between now and…" description: "\"One of the differences between now and then is that the idea of body image is a much bigger issue now. Back then, just being kind of heavy and barrel-c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/ben-affleck-2043_abdomen_one-of-the-differences-between-now-and-t_1908765.jpg" --- # One of the differences between now and then is that the… ![“One of the differences between now and then is that the idea of body image is a much bigger issue now. Back then, just being kind of heavy and barrel-chested passed for heroic. Now, you wouldn't dare to play a hero without a lot of dieting and various specialised abdomen machines. But that was one…” quote by Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/ben-affleck-2043_abdomen_one-of-the-differences-between-now-and-t_1908765.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/ben-affleck-2043_abdomen_one-of-the-differences-between-now-and-t_1908765.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/ben-affleck-2043_abdomen_one-of-the-differences-between-now-and-t_1908765.jpg) > “One of the differences between now and then is that the idea of body image is a much bigger issue now. Back then, just being kind of heavy and barrel-chested passed for heroic. Now, you wouldn't dare to play a hero without a lot of dieting and various specialised abdomen machines. But that was one of the things which was interesting about it and I did want to portray because there's good and bad.” [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal standards for physical appearance have intensified, making body image a central concern in modern hero portrayals, unlike past eras where larger builds were accepted. **In simple terms:** Body image expectations have grown, shaping how heroes are depicted. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge unrealistic body standards. Themes body image media influence heroic ideals cultural change self perception Mood critical reflective inspirational Type observational cultural commentary When to use this quote - casting decisions - fitness training - public health campaigns - personal self-esteem - industry standards Key Concepts sociology psychology media studies Questions to Reflect On - How do media standards affect personal self‑esteem? - What can creators do to broaden hero archetypes? A Different Perspective The focus on appearance can marginalize diverse body types and overlook other heroic qualities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abdomen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abdomen/) [Barrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barrels/) [Be kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-kind/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-image/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/) [Dieting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dieting/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Good and bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-bad/) [Heavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavy/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic/) [Heroic Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroic-wouldn-2861121/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Just being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-being/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Now and then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now-and-then/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Portray Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portray-good-2861120/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Portray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-portray-471765/) ## Related quotes > [It's extremely seldom that anybody wants me to change what I've written about them. Generally I portray them in a good light, if they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/it-s-extremely-seldom-that-anybody-wants-me-to-change-what-i-ve/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [Don’t portray yourself as who you want to be. Portray yourself as who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-harrison/don-t-portray-yourself-as-who-you-want-to-be-portray-yourself-as-who/) [Kathryn Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-harrison/) > [I always want to portray veterans in a positive light, and since I got into acting full time, I've made that part of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huertas/i-always-want-to-portray-veterans-in-a-positive-light-and-since-i-got/) [Jon Huertas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huertas/) > [We all have dark sides to ourselves, and I want to portray that in a realistic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-weston-jones/we-all-have-dark-sides-to-ourselves-and-i-want-to-portray-that-in-a/) [Tom Weston-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-weston-jones/) > [Every artist picks what they want to put out there, what image they want to portray, and what they want people to know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/every-artist-picks-what-they-want-to-put-out-there-what-image-they/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [It's very easy for me to begin to believe the publicity about myself, whether for or against. It can give you an absurd idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-begin-to-believe-the-publicity-about-myself/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Sometimes I want to convey something complex philosophically, and sometimes I just want to portray myself in a situation that I think other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/sometimes-i-want-to-convey-something-complex-philosophically-and/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I don't want to portray myself as a hardman in management or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-pearce/i-don-t-want-to-portray-myself-as-a-hardman-in-management-or-anything/) [Stuart Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-pearce/) > [When you watch films, there are so many different types of characters you want to portray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-chakraborty/when-you-watch-films-there-are-so-many-different-types-of-characters/) [Rhea Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-chakraborty/) > [I just want to portray a very honest character that displays traits that people can truly relate to and can help them - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kreuk/i-just-want-to-portray-a-very-honest-character-that-displays-traits/) [Kristin Kreuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-kreuk/) > [I was trying to find my way into the music business still, but I didn't want to portray something that I wasn't. I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/i-was-trying-to-find-my-way-into-the-music-business-still-but-i-didn/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [Sometimes I don't want to go out and socialize; I just want to watch my favorite shows and comedians. But then I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-peck/sometimes-i-don-t-want-to-go-out-and-socialize-i-just-want-to-watch/) [Josh Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-peck/) > [Some people seek to understand, and some people seek to portray what they want to portray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/some-people-seek-to-understand-and-some-people-seek-to-portray-what/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [My dad discouraged me and my older sister watching too much TV. I don't want to portray them as crazy hippies, but I definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-king/my-dad-discouraged-me-and-my-older-sister-watching-too-much-tv-i-don/) [Georgia King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-king/) > [I want to make movies - and I want to portray characters - that make people think. I want to make movies that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-waters/i-want-to-make-movies-and-i-want-to-portray-characters-that-make/) [Drew Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-waters/) ## More by Ben Affleck > [School plays are fine. Theater in school is fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/school-plays-are-fine-theater-in-school-is-fine/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [What happens is this sort of bleed-over from the tabloids across your movie work. You go to a movie, you only go once. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/what-happens-is-this-sort-of-bleed-over-from-the-tabloids-across-your/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Never film yourself having sex. You think you'll look powerful and vital, but you don't. You look like a sick, shivering polar bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/never-film-yourself-having-sex-you-think-you-ll-look-powerful-and/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [No matter how much you change, you still got to pay the price for the things you’ve done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/no-matter-how-much-you-change-you-still-got-to-pay-the-price-for-the/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [All I do, really, is go to work and try to be professional, be on time and be prepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/all-i-do-really-is-go-to-work-and-try-to-be-professional-be-on-time/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [On the night of the awards, I carried the Oscar around waist-high. I never had so many women ask me 'Can I touch it?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/on-the-night-of-the-awards-i-carried-the-oscar-around-waist-high-i/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Not that it entirely matters: There is a perception that all actors make their movies. A lot of people assume you're responsible. George Clooney…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/not-that-it-entirely-matters-there-is-a-perception-that-all-actors/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I just feel like sometimes I'm a force to be dealt with. My talents are sometimes overused and also sometimes underused. It's not easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-just-feel-like-sometimes-i-m-a-force-to-be-dealt-with-my-talents/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Affleck was the bomb in Phantoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/affleck-was-the-bomb-in-phantoms/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [Sometimes the people we meet change us forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/sometimes-the-people-we-meet-change-us-forever/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [To answer the question, though: I didn't always want to direct. I just liked the idea of it. If a friend was making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/to-answer-the-question-though-i-didn-t-always-want-to-direct-i-just/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [But when I felt like I had something to prove? Then I got up early every morning and worked all day long. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/but-when-i-felt-like-i-had-something-to-prove-then-i-got-up-early/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I feel things more deeply... anything to do with kids. It just makes a big difference in my life... Having a child is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-feel-things-more-deeply-anything-to-do-with-kids-it-just-makes-a/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I've learned to think, I may succeed or fail, but I'm going to do so on the merit of my own instincts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-ve-learned-to-think-i-may-succeed-or-fail-but-i-m-going-to-do-so-on/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) > [I flew back just in time to pick up a toilet seat for my girlfriend. It didn't go over that well. I thought, 'It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-flew-back-just-in-time-to-pick-up-a-toilet-seat-for-my-girlfriend/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) [Explore all 189 Ben Affleck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## More Abdomen quotes > [If you lay a hand on me I'll ram your testicles so far up inside your abdomen it'll take a heart surgeon to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/if-you-lay-a-hand-on-me-i-ll-ram-your-testicles-so-far-up-inside-your/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“INDICACIONES PARA LAPARTOMIA PROGRAMADA CON ABDOMEN ABIERTO”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-ralon/indicaciones-para-lapartomia-programada-con-abdomen-abierto/) [Sergio Ralon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-ralon/) > [ABDOMEN, n. The temple of the god Stomach, in whose worship, with sacrificial rights, all true men engage. From women this ancient faith commands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/abdomen-n-the-temple-of-the-god-stomach-in-whose-worship-with/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There cannot always be fresh fields of conquest by the knife; there must be portions of the human frame that will ever remain sacred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eric-erichsen/there-cannot-always-be-fresh-fields-of-conquest-by-the-knife-there/) [John Eric Erichsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eric-erichsen/) > [How do you know if your child is a writer? Your obstetrician holds his stethoscope to your abdomen and only hears excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/how-do-you-know-if-your-child-is-a-writer-your-obstetrician-holds-his/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Kylie watched as his shirttail upward, exposing a very hard abdomen. The hem of his shirt inched higher, and she took in the cutest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/kylie-watched-as-his-shirttail-upward-exposing-a-very-hard-abdomen/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [Hoy te di besitos tu abdomen liso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aventura/hoy-te-di-besitos-tu-abdomen-liso/) [Aventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aventura/) > [There's nothing worse than when someone takes a community education course and becomes an expert on how yoga is the best way to burn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-john/there-s-nothing-worse-than-when-someone-takes-a-community-education/) [Dan John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-john/) > [When a liver becomes cirrhotic, those are the common complications. We see that the patients have bleeding from their stomach and intestines. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/when-a-liver-becomes-cirrhotic-those-are-the-common-complications-we/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [There is no good word for stomach; just as there is no good word for girlfriend. Stomach is to girlfriend as belly is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/there-is-no-good-word-for-stomach-just-as-there-is-no-good-word-for/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Empires rise and fall like the abdomen of God. It's just the universe breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-nisker/empires-rise-and-fall-like-the-abdomen-of-god-it-s-just-the-universe/) [Wes Nisker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-nisker/) > [She lay on her back and walked her fingers down her ribs, skipped them over her abdomen, and landed on her pelvic bones. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-lay-on-her-back-and-walked-her-fingers-down-her-ribs-skipped-them/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [The "stiff, dead, retracted pelvis" is one of man's most frequent vegetative disturbances. It is responsible for lumbago as well as for hemorrhoidal disturbances.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/the-stiff-dead-retracted-pelvis-is-one-of-man-s-most-frequent/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [He slid his hand onto Riley's bare abdomen. "I got to thinkin' that a few years down the line, when yer older, what if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-oliver/he-slid-his-hand-onto-riley-s-bare-abdomen-i-got-to-thinkin-that-a/) [Jana Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-oliver/) > [Ben Franklin was a little stout later in life and it was said that in Paris a young woman, tapping him on his protruding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/ben-franklin-was-a-little-stout-later-in-life-and-it-was-said-that-in/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 35 Abdomen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abdomen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the differences between now and then is that the idea of body image is a much bigger issue now. Back then, just being kind of heavy and barrel-chested passed for heroic. 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