What makes something or someone beautiful
What makes something or someone beautiful? What does it take to be “perfect”? What is the secret to being beautiful? We all ask ourselves several questions about ourselves and what it takes to be beautiful. It has been a goal for everyone to find the secrets of beauty. As human beings, we are influenced to becoming “beautiful” to fit into society. But what does it take? In today’s society one of the most common problems that people are deeply affected by is body image. Yet, it also affects those who take body image into one’s state of mind. Body image is not a joke and is taken very seriously. It is a very serious topic that many struggle on taking in. This common problem easily creates and ruins mindsets. As the thought and concept of body images continue to spread, men and women take insecurity to a whole new level. Men and women become less confident in themselves and start to rely on other ways on being viewed. Body image plays a big role in everyone’s everyday life because in most minds, it can define who one can be. We have always told ourselves that looks never matter, however it has been a problem with society interfering with that thought. Quickly to be criticized and looked at, deeply affects everyone on a day to day basis. People would put themselves through this because they just want to feel beautiful. But there are different forms of social media such as magazines, television shows, advertisement, etc. that portray what it takes to become “beautiful”. Body image has been a compelling issue that affects both men and women.
In today’s society, the standards for beauty are just becoming higher and higher. And becoming more of an issue. An issue that has been growing and growing with no solution on stopping it. It makes it even harder when us humans, see certain things in several different perspectives. Many ways that can be for the best or worst. Today, we are provided with various forms of social media. Television, shows, movies, magazines, and smartphones which happen to be extremely popular. This will only continue to grow and grow. Everywhere we go, we are provided with everything and anything we really need. Everything is usually placed right in front of us or straight into our hands. However, there are certain advertisements that became a severe issue with today. For example: The Victoria Secret Ad or commercials that displays “the perfect body”. According to the article “Victoria’s Secret’s ‘Perfect Body’ Ad Sparks Controversy” (Anderson), women are offended to the idea that there are certain ways to even achieve the “perfect body”. Those ways include: having long hair, being flat-tummied, having a long limb, having slim body features, and etc. However, women fought against this Victoria Secret advertisement and blew up on Twitter and Instagram showing off their own bodies and flaunting what is perfect in their eyes. This just shows that there are women out there that are happy with what they have and how they look. It also shows a lesson towards those that believe that having slim body features and all can be proven wrong. But see it’s not just women who struggle with this as well, but men.
According to the article “Body Image Men”, it is an average thing to feel insecure from time to time, however, if it becomes a constant issue, men should feel worried. It all starts at young age for a male to realize that the body image is very important. As young males go to school, watch t.v, play with action figures and etc, they all end up realizing that older body images are different from where they stand. With that being said, it sparks a young male’s mind to overthink and question the males typical body image. It sets the standard for all these young individuals. But as time goes on and the older each male gets, everything becomes more realistic and they end up setting the expectations higher than it already is. Also as time flies by and the older these males get, the more they are open to trying new things. Such as sports, weight lifting, or basically anything requiring strength and physical activity. All of that requires body images inside and out. For example, some kids or teenagers would not even try playing football due to the size mismatches. Meaning the body image must be big muscle or powerfully strong. Sports alone takes the whole body image concept into perspective. Because of that standards are set everywhere, all over the world, and specifically towards males. Not only are the standards set among themselves, but they are also set through the women’s state of mind. Women look at men and typically want to see masculinity, but not every male has those features or defines the masculine type. Since women are attracted to a male that is more physically fit, those that are not, happened to lower their self-esteem. Since the self-esteems drop, it can or does cause males to react differently and even create bad habits. For instance, a male would distract himself by friends, or video games, or even one of the most common habits of eating.
Numerous people such as teenagers or young adults have been developing eating disorders or diseases due to the lack of self-esteem or other issues relating body image. According to the study from Eating Disorder Hope, titled “Eating Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, Signs & Treatment Help”, those disorders include: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, excessive exercise and nutrition, etc. The lack of self- esteem may also cause depression, and or anxiety. One may constantly thinking about their own body and comparing it to other people, which can lead to negative factors. Nonstop negative thoughts can spark different behaviors, attitudes, or emotions. When men and women see celebrities and models on advertisements, commercials, television, etc., they are urged to change their lifestyle to become more attractive or change how they look. Forcing them to be someone who they aren’t just to fit in and get accepted like the celebrities. But once they realize it isn’t the same, they are left unhappy and discouraged as they compare themselves. Men and women are pelted with indefinite messages to change the way they look to the point where it becomes a sickness or disorder. Despite the negative, it is possible to achieve a happy, healthy body. There are also several ways to feel good about your body and to boost that self-esteem. According to the article “Obsessed” (Abbondanza), does not deny that insecurities may lead to negative effects but it can also turned around and make you feel better about yourself.
Boosting one’s self-esteem may be a challenge, but with the right help and it can be easy. There are many definite ways to create unimaginable standards to achieving a perfect body. One of the most common easiest ways to do so is by “photoshop.” With little edits made to a photo, that can easily boost up one’s self-esteem. That way of boosting up the self-esteem can be a good or bad thing. But the only thing is because it is photoshopped, they are not being true to everyone else that sees the photo and to themselves. Photoshop became an easy way to cover up something that is false. Misleading pictures can surely change one’s mind about oneself and affect that person’s self- esteem. But that’s the thing about the self-esteem. Many are willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves feel confident or accept themselves. More women or young girls see more of those images and start to believe they are true and what society wants them to be seen as which causes them to spend massive amounts of money for them to be able to change or remove their insecurities. According to UMKC Women’s Center’s article titled “Keep it real challenge: Photoshop’s impact on body image”, states that Brad Pitt had used photoshopping on his body. Which made him break one of the golden rules in a magazine. Therefore, stating the article, if celebrities today became less insecure about their bodies and not include photoshopping more people will realize there is no perfect body. Because they used photoshop, others are convinced that it is okay to do it as well. After realizing that there is no perfect body, people are left to handle the truth by themselves.
Without an effort, there are no achievements. As we realize the negative with ourselves, it is important to make a change to better ourselves. It is up to us whether or not we are willing to better ourselves or to just let the negativity take over our mindsets and crush us. It is possible to produce a healthy body with the right effort and mind set. The main key is to be confident and accept yourself for who you are and the image you give. Once all that is accomplished, the better the mindset would be and more relaxed one can act. Body image is one of the toughest challenges one person can ever face. It’s hard to not feel embarrassed or not feel accepted in today’s society. Things get harder because there will always be someone who will try and put someone down in any way possible. No one is alone in this world even though many may think they are. There are many people out there who are willing to help people who go through this type of stress. The Dove Company –which is known as the home of real beauty– had created a Dove Self- Esteem Project. Their mission is to help with body issues from a young age and to help build a positive self- esteem. They so provide several topics to help parents and mentors, teachers, and youth leaders. The Dove Self-Esteem Project includes a variety of information to help finding the beauty within oneself such as: benefits of exercise for a child, developing positive body image, stopping cyberbullying, celebrity culture, and peer pressure, etc. Despite the negative effects that can lead to poor body image, the media does help provide positive solutions.
As we realize, there is no such thing as achieving a “perfect body” because each individual is already perfect the way they are. There are also no real secrets to being beautiful. Everyone is beautiful and unique in their own way. No one will ever be the same in any way. People just want to be like what they see in the advertisements, commercials, and celebrities. It’s just hard to get people to accept what they see. Not everyone will agree to those terms. Some may think they can get help, and some may think they can not. Body image is a dangerous thing to be worrying about. It can either destroy or make someone. It all depends on themselves whether or not they are capable of being strong or just losing it. People will cluelessly just get sucked into believing that there is something wrong with themselves just based off how they look. Because of that they are willing to do whatever it takes to be accepted in the society or by the people around them. There are no limits to body image. From reality to plastic surgery to whatever it takes. People will continue to do what they believe will create a “perfect body.” No matter what age, male or female, body image will always be seen at as a challenge. This body image is strictly one of the hardest challenges to overcome and everyone just keeps on trying to complete the never-ending challenge. In order for others to realize the truth, they must go through the stress, questions, and doubts to finally see that who they are is reality. Truthfully, the main thing is that whether or not anyone can accept themselves and not worry to be accepted by society.
