Determining Beauty

670 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What Is Beauty

Over the years, America has become a society that judges beauty based mainly on appearance. Throughout the course of a day, men and women are bombarded with grotesque images of malnourished supermodels selling their own bodies; claiming that they are somehow beautiful. What does it mean to be beautiful? Can self-worth be measured by body weight, clothing size, or shade of lipstick?. “Sometime ago I came across an article in a beauty magazine in which a man said that there were no more ugly women in the world because make-up, weaves, false eyelashes among other beauty treatments have evened out the playing field and has resulted in all women looking the same” ( Gale 1). At the same time, misinformed judgements have caused women to change their physical appearance in order to become more beautiful rather than embracing their own true beauty. To measure beauty effectively one must remember that beauty cannot be determined by physical attributes, but is found in the personality and uniqueness of each individual. To determine what it means to posses beauty, one must keep in mind that the appeal of the flesh will always leave people with the desire for something more. “Western women have become pre-occupied the with concepts of beauty, image and appearance” (Shabaat 6). Society has caused many individuals to believe that the main characteristic of beauty is physical appeal, causing inaccurate interpretations of beauty to become globally accepted. “I concluded that beautiful and perfect women are on the increase and so are the women who feel ugly on the inside” (Gale 1). In order to break free from all misleading exemplifications of beauty, one must always remember that the person in the mirror is not what defines self-worth. Mai... ... middle of paper ... ...re of attractiveness while embracing the personality and unique aspects of an individual. Any other solicitation of beauty requiring something more should be labeled fraudulent and considered nothing more than a way to demolish self esteem. Works Cited Davidson, John, et al : “Engagement With Beauty: Appreciating Natural, Artistic, and Moral Beauty”. 303-329 AcademicOneFile. The Journal of Psychology, 3 Jun. 2007. Web. 8 Sept 2011. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. “Beauty and Women [opinion]”. Galeopposing.com. AcademicOneFile: Africa News Service, 31 May 2011. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. Jakes, T.D: “True Beauty”. AcademicSearchPremier. Essence. Oct 2009. Web. 8 Sept. 2011. Shabaat, Hizb of ut-Tahrir: The Western Beauty Myth. Khilfah Publications. 22 Feb. 2003. Print. Webster, Miriam: Webster”s Dictionary: AcademicOneFile. Web. 8 Sept. 2011.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis: When Can Women Stop Trying To Look Perfect By Jennifer Weiner

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    Women are told that in order to get anywhere in life they must constantly worry about their outer appearance. In Jennifer Weiner’s article, “When Can Women Stop Trying to Look Perfect?” she delves deeply into how today’s society women’s worth is based on how they look. Weiner believes that women who do not meet the standards of beauty do not have as many opportunities.

    Read More

  • Media and Body Image

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    We hear sayings everyday such as “Looks don’t matter; beauty is only skin-deep”, yet we live in a decade that contradicts this very notion. If looks don’t matter, then why are so many women harming themselves because they are not satisfied with how they look? If looks don’t matter, then why is the media using airbrushing to hide any flaws that one has? This is because with the media establishing unattainable standards for body perfection, American Women have taken drastic measures to live up to these impractical societal expectations. “The ‘body image’ construct tends to comprise a mixture of self-perceptions, ideas and feelings about one’s physical attributes. It is linked to self-esteem and to the individual’s emotional stability” (Wykes 2). As portrayed throughout all aspects of our media, whether it is through the television, Internet, or social media, we are exploited to a look that we wish we could have; a toned body, long legs, and nicely delineated six-pack abs. Our society promotes a body image that is “beautiful” and a far cry from the average woman’s size 12, not 2. The effects are overwhelming and we need to make more suitable changes as a way to help women not feel the need to live up to these unrealistic standards that have been self-imposed throughout our society.

    Read More

  • Two Or Three Things I Know For Sure

    1042 Words  | 3 Pages

    know beauty in any form”(86). We are so conditioned to see female beauty as what men

    Read More

  • Physical Beauty In Mr. Ryder's The Wife Of His Youth

    1523 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is a famous saying that states, “ we should not judge a book by its cover”, but oftentimes the first thing noticed on a person is their looks. One’s “physical beauty” strongly influences people’s first impressions of them. As a whole, we tend to assume that pretty people are more likeable and better people than those who are unattractive. Around the world, we believe that what is beautiful is good. There is a general consensus within a culture about what is considered physically appealing and beautiful. “Physical beauty” is associated with being more sociable, intelligent, and even socially skilled. Society shares this common notion of who has and who does not have “physical beauty”. Thus, “physical beauty”, as seen

    Read More

  • Definition of Beauty and Its Portrayal in Art and Fashion

    1851 Words  | 4 Pages

    Who sets the standards for beauty? What must one do to truly look beautiful? What does feeling beautiful mean? When considering the concept of beauty one must differentiate between the universal and relative perception of beauty. Among the components of universal beauty are harmony, symmetry and utility. However, perception of beauty is also relative, when it is defined by the standards of the time that are subjective to the socio economic values of the era. One of the ways these values are communicated is through images portrayed in art and in modern times through the media. ‘Fashion’ is the carrier of theses values though physical appearance and self-image that define power, rank, acceptability and belonging. Having ‘fashion’ as the medium of these relative values bring advantages and disadvantages. Although there are benefits of matching the fashion of the time, positive self-image and satisfaction with a feeling of acceptance these are temporary because fashion is ever changing. On the other hand not conforming to the contemporary standards can have a detrimental impact on self-image that leads to feeling a sense negative self worth and marginalized. Eating disorders are a powerful manifestation that fashion has on the psyche. The underlying idea of what fashion ‘is’ is value. Amongst all the change of fashion, value remains ever present.

    Read More

  • What Meets The Eye David Akst Analysis

    1100 Words  | 3 Pages

    The concept of beauty is a subject society speaks on through many channels. Social media plays a tremendous role in how society measures beauty and how to achieve these impossible standards. People from all walks of life have become obsessed with the idea of beauty and achieving the highest level it. In many cases, those who do not meet societal views of what is “beautiful” can become very resentful to these predisposed notions of beauty. David Akst in his writing “What Meets the Eye”, is bitter toward women and their ongoing obsession with beauty.

    Read More

  • The Everchanging Perception of Beauty

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    What is beauty? It seems like a simple enough question, yet it has an extremely elusive, ever-changing answer according to American society. What is “popular” or “stylish” at the moment could be completely obsolete the next. This question has plagued societies for ages and continues to motivate women all over the world go to drastic lengths in their search for beauty. As women in remote Asian villages search to attain beauty by stretching their necks with heavy metal coils (Anitei) and women in America lie in enclosed melanoma-inducing tunnels of light so they can emerge gloriously tanned (Is Indoor Tanning Safe?), God has another, far more fulfilling plan for true beauty. Beauty in American society is so fluid, elusive, and superficial that it doesn’t possibly equate to the plan that God has for women to view themselves. Real beauty comes from character, confidence, and an identity in Christ.

    Read More

  • Suffering to be Beautiful

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    The meaning of beauty has a vast and varied makeup, curving and swaying into the depths of poetry, literature, and history. However, the modern world has skinned the concept of Beauty down to only three words: Thin and Popular. This Modus Operandi and Ponens, respectively, have rooted themselves into all corners of the media and beyond. The industry of fashion, fragrance, and cosmetics nets an annual profit of over thirteen billion dollars in the US alone; why then statistics of poor body image and the problems- both psychologically and medically- remain at lofty and concerning heights? The answer to the question “Why don't I look like that?” asked by Americans, adolescents and young women in particular, is this: It is not what is outside, but what is inside that matters. And they have poorly balanced enzymes and inaccurate interpretations of those around them on the inside.

    Read More

  • Body Image Standards

    1255 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Looks don’t matter; beauty is only skin-deep” (Godfrey, 2013). We hear these sayings all the time, yet we live in a society that seems to constantly contradict this idea (Godfrey, 2013). If looks don’t matter, why is every woman in magazines photoshopped? If looks don’t matter, why are women constantly harming their bodies because they are unhappy with how they look and just want to fit in (Godfrey, 2013)? The unrealistic standard of beauty that women are bombarded with everyday gives them a goal that is impossible (Godfrey, 2013). Sociocultural standard of feminine beauty is presented in almost all forms of popular media, forcing women with images that portray what is considered to be the ideal body (Serdar). A majority of the models

    Read More

  • An Extended Definition of Beauty

    1058 Words  | 3 Pages

    The subjective element of beauty involves judgment, not opinion. Many people feel beauty is only something seen by the eyes. St. Thomas Aquinas views beauty in both the supernatural and natural orders. Aquinas lists the attributes of beauty to be found in nature. These are; unity, proportion, and clarity. We will see how these attributes of beauty are seen through the eye and felt by the heart.

    Read More

  • Ideal Beauty Essay

    1899 Words  | 4 Pages

    The perception of the "ideal beauty" is an arbitrary and abstract concept that is constantly being modified as a result of the times. People are influenced by the images they see in the media to determine what the ideal beauty is. The media is manipulative and deceptive in nature, and it continues to carry harmful suggestions about ideal beauty despite the concrete evidence of damaging effects to people of all ages. Fortunately, it seems there may be shifts in the media that are beginning to portray men and women more realistically.

    Read More

  • Media Manipulation Essay

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the media beautiful women are used all the time to market products to women. The large amount of exposure the media has is influencing what is considered beauty in the eyes of men and women. It brings to question whether or not this should be seen as the standard of beauty since every image in the media is retouched in one way or the other.

    Read More

  • Beauty Essay: The Definition Of Beauty

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    The definition of beauty is varying among different people in the world. Even though almost everyone knows the term beauty, many people are struggling in defining it and persuading others to agree with their opinions. Beauty is defined by a combination of qualities existent in a person or thing that fulfills the aesthetic feels or brings about profound gratification. Many people define beauty as a term to describe a person’s physical appearance; they often think that beauty comes from magazines, video girls, or even models. Although the term beauty can define a person’s physical appearance, true beauty lies in the way one acts and thinks rather than the way one look.

    Read More

  • Are Women Slaves to Fashion and Beauty?

    1707 Words  | 4 Pages

    What does it take to feel beautiful? Perhaps a little bit of time, make-up, and a breathtaking dress; or at least that's what we have been programmed to believe.  Without a doubt, all of the magazines, advertisements, and make-up beauty tips have influenced women’s beliefs about what it means to be beautiful. An artificial image of beauty has been imposed on each and every woman in our culture.

    Read More

  • Media, Culture: Beauty, Media And Culture

    1927 Words  | 4 Pages

    For a long time, women have been depicted explicitly in media through art, music, and dances (Roelofs 60). The message that has been passed across is that of reducing the status of a woman in society to a sexual object. This reduces the self-esteem of women in society as they are regarded of low social status and immoral behavior in society. It is worth noting that the standard of beauty is not universal and furthermore it is dynamic. ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’ summarizes this fact. The standards of true beauty vary from one culture to another. From a cross-cultural perspective, beauty is normally associated with all that is good, kind; moral and attractive (Wolf 12). Conversely, the ugly is linked with cruelty, evil, and

    Read More

More about Determining Beauty

Open Document