The idea that objectifying human beings isn't as straightforward as previously assumed is a compelling one. As someone who self-objectifies as a brain in a particularly unsightly container (while at times secretly yearning to be seen as a charming and eminently beddable hunk), the idea of bipolar objectification has a lot of intuitive appeal. On reflection it doesn't seem a particularly novel idea; in the visual arts nudity has traditionally been associated with purity, valor, sensitivity, and spirituality. Clothing on the other hand, no matter how fine and fancy, merely imparts one's earthly rank. And the sterotype of the emotionally barren intellectual is almost certainly as old as that of the simple-minded prostitute with a heart of gold.

This is not to say that either extreme does anything but a disservice to the individual thus objectified. I suppose I just prefer my social ills to be nuanced and interesting.