Media's Unrealistic Portrayal of the Ideal Body

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Media exists in many forms; billboard ads, television ads, magazine ads, newspapers, websites etc. Daily advertisements surround us every step of the way from the skies to subways, and from our work to our homes. It’s unthinkable what impact do these advertisements play in the lives of many people. Media is a very strong tool to have control of because it has great influence on the mind of the viewer and also sometimes creates norms that the society starts to incorporate in the “Normal norms.” Media promotes the young and adult to disfigure their bodies by portraying an “ideal” body image for men as muscular and women to be thin as being beautiful in today’s world.

The image of the ideal body and beauty for men and women in the world today is completely different from that throughout history. In history beauty was shown through art work such as painting, sculptures while today we have the media to tell us what beauty is. Looking at some of the most famous artist today from the earlier period and their work would clearly point out what beauty was through their eyes and in their society. For example the famous painting of Leonardo Da Vinci titled Mona Lisa is of a woman whom could be described as a normal healthy day to day person today but according to the media she would not be on any advertisements. Historically people who were fat were considered to be beautiful and fashionable because it meant they were wealthy. This is probably where the phrase “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,” came from and has been heard many times although understanding the meaning is another thing.

Beauty in the dictionary is defined as a pleasing and impressive quality of something and that should be different for everyone because everyone has d...

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...o work for everyone and if one thing doesn’t work then people go on to the next and these ways spend thousands of dollars and the results could be devastating to them. This is what the whole media is working to achieve, your hard earned money in to their pockets for the price they put on your self-image.

The ideal body image has become a major issue in today’s world because it’s the root of some of the most dangerous mental disease and disorders that can not only try to gain the ideal image but destroy the person in the process. The media is one way that this disease of idealistic body is spreading, others are movies, fashion industry etc. The truth behind all this is that it’s just another way of making money and many people have adapted it as a reality. What we need to remember is that beauty is what you feel comfortable with no what others force you to believe.

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