Our culture is kind of hung-up on the idea of (self-esteem and) self-love. I see it as a way of focusing on the individual rather than on deep problems in the culture. Perhaps instead of focusing on self-love, we should be focussing on less obsession with the self, more directedness outside the self.

Getting involved in a social movement to change things, even on a small scale, such as at one's school or place of work, can shift one's sense of life significantly. You begin to develop bonds that are based on things other than romantic attraction or admiring someone's appearance.

You begin to feel that you are effective in the world in a context other than making yourself beautiful or making yourself thin. It's tremendously energizing, for body, soul, sexuality, everything. And I think that is much more effective at giving people inner resources to fight the abuses of the culture than anything else. When we're most integrated in the world we become much more sexual in a fuller, more expressive way.