Media Messages

With media constantly present in my everyday life, I believe that just one message or advertisement advocating my imperfections can, and does, instantly effect me in a direct and negative way. While I’m not implying that media is cynical as a whole, it can sometimes tend to lower the self-esteem and confidence inside of me. Many commercial and advertisements are inclined to display a stereotypical image of “pretty” that consists of a tall, slender woman/girl that has perfect teeth, tiny waist, and a flat stomach. Not only does this show the outside world that they do not have this “beauty”, it convinces girls and women to believe that to be pretty, they must encompass those qualities. 

I feel completely puzzled and disappointed with myself after a commercial tells me I’m beautiful just the way I am, but, my flaws can be hidden or non-existent with the use of a certain product that I could buy from their company. These messages make me question what the true meaning of beautiful is in the first place, is it to create a mask that hides and conceals the real me to deceive people into thinking that I’m “attractive”? 

What is the point of a real beauty campaign if the girls and women advocating it in advertisements are photoshopped and wearing heavy makeup?

How can these companies make people feel comfortable in their own skin if their own promoters aren't because photoshop and heavy makeup is greatly used in advertisements to sell their campaigns?

Why do they attempt to sell a product that goes completely against what they represent in the first place?

I feel that the display of only aesthetically pleasing figures in media not only lowers the self esteem of “normal” people, it sets standards of beauty that will never be met. Although the models in media look appealing and merry, the person inside could be experiencing immense pain from anorexia, bulimia and/or self harm. This is why I am completely opposed to the idea of real beauty because while I may define real beauty as something that is not materialistic, one might say that real beauty is being appealing to the eyes of the outside world. Beauty cannot be defined, and when it is attempted to be, only physical features are taken into account.

Based on the points I stated above, I am more inclined to like the idea of realistic beauty. Realistic beauty is something that doesn’t need to be seen physically, one can encompass it mentally. Realistic beauty doesn’t have a size, IQ, or race restriction. It’s there to show that normal people like me can be beautiful in their own way and not be compared to people that lead a completely different lifestyle. Realistic beauty shows that beauty is in anyone and everyone and to think otherwise, is false. Realistic beauty can’t be measured, it can only be felt. 

“Beauty isn’t worth thinking about; what’s important is your mind. You don’t want a fifty-dollar haircut on a fifty-cent head.” 

Garrison Keillor