Saturday, March 24, 2007
Time sets beauty standards!
Every generation has its own standards of beauty. We learned from old paintings for artists like Da Vinci that the concept of beauty was women with long nech and a really light skin color. Later on in time, people's concepts of beauty changed, by time they started prefering chubby women with a light skin. In our time, people prefer thin women with really small facial parts. I totally agree with the fact that inner beauty is more important, but it is a fact that we all try to be better looking whether by the clothes we buy, or haircuts, or make up, exc... Models and actresses are the women who are most of the time appearing on TV to the whole globe, and just like any of us would fix him/her self when he has a presentation infront of alot of people, these women fix themselves to appear infront of alot of people. I agree that these women might be really bad people from the inside, but no body can deny the fact that they are beautiful. God created us in a beautiful ways, but some of us have defaults that can be fixed by a surgery or using a little bit of make up. These celebrities sometimes update us with the latest fashion, this is the only reason we might try to copy them in some ways. A plastic surgery does not change a person's personality it just fixed some small parts of his body to make it prettier and in many cases healthier. I do not agree with the phrase of "fake beauty" because there is not such thing, these models and actresses are really beautiful physically, and the reason we might copy them is because we want to be beautiful as well. Media is the only connection we have with these celebrities, and this is why we depend on the media to define the concept of beauty in our life. It updates us with the latest fashion, the latest solutions of fixing up some defaults in our bodies. Beauty is not a bad thing, like it is being percieved by many people, on the contrary, no religion or law in this world, and there is no moral phrase that says that being more beautiful is a bad thing.
Do we have to look good?
Honestly speaking, when go to a movie, I like to see beautiful actors! However that doesn’t mean that every body on earth has to look good. I believe in chances in life, if he or she looks good that’s a blessing and a trade-off at the same time, because I strongly believe that no one gets to have every thing. Beautiful people miss other things just like rich people are most of the time unhappy, I have heard a very nice quote that say’s: “because light is faster than sound, people appear good until they talk.” I’m not sure who said it, but I am sure it makes sense, there is a stereo type that blonds are stupid, I am not saying its right but just emphasizing that there has to be a tradeoff somehow, so, -not so good looking- people don’t have to go through the pain of surgery to look good because they are going to have something else good in them.
Even if beauty is subjective, as most people believe still it’s obvious to tell the difference between beautiful and ugly by human nature, because as I see it, beauty is beauty regardless of its level. However some media people defined beauty according to their own tastes and made us believe in their opinion as a fact! They no longer want beautiful people; they want perfect people who simply don’t exist. As an example couple of decades ago people didn’t like skinny girls, majority of people liked plumpy girls, and we can see that in the art of previous people who drew plumpy women as a sign of beauty. Over time, as a result of many events, we suddenly realize that if a girl doesn’t weight 50 km and look like a pencil with a head then she is not pretty! The media succeeded to convince the mass that looks is one of the most important things in life by focusing on how happy and successful a person would be if they looked good or even if they look good why don’t they look better?!, and as usual the media left out many other important factors of the case. Yes, looks is important ,but if you don’t look good it’s not the end of the world ,and you don’t have to go for surgery just like ill people because ugliness is not an illness!
Even if beauty is subjective, as most people believe still it’s obvious to tell the difference between beautiful and ugly by human nature, because as I see it, beauty is beauty regardless of its level. However some media people defined beauty according to their own tastes and made us believe in their opinion as a fact! They no longer want beautiful people; they want perfect people who simply don’t exist. As an example couple of decades ago people didn’t like skinny girls, majority of people liked plumpy girls, and we can see that in the art of previous people who drew plumpy women as a sign of beauty. Over time, as a result of many events, we suddenly realize that if a girl doesn’t weight 50 km and look like a pencil with a head then she is not pretty! The media succeeded to convince the mass that looks is one of the most important things in life by focusing on how happy and successful a person would be if they looked good or even if they look good why don’t they look better?!, and as usual the media left out many other important factors of the case. Yes, looks is important ,but if you don’t look good it’s not the end of the world ,and you don’t have to go for surgery just like ill people because ugliness is not an illness!
plastic surgeries and the media
Media is a very influential aspect in our everyday lives. One of the aspects that media had influenced our perspective about is the way we approach beauty. The media had always preferred using female figures with perfect or gorgeous looks in order to get their messages delivered. In most movies the actresses are thin having perfect teeth, hair, skin etc. most women get really affected and they even go through severe depressions because they start feeling ugly as they don’t meet the criteria that is portrayed through out the media. In addition, the men or here the husbands that even used to find their wives or their girlfriends or whatever attractive or pretty doesn’t feel the same as before after being exposed to the extra ordinary beauty that are in the magazines and on TV the whole time. As a result they start showing less interest in their wives and unintentionally they start the comparisons in their minds. So these women don’t find any alternatives other than plastic surgeries. Moreover, nowadays surgeries are so much more common since the media encourages them the whole time. As they show the results of those plastic fantastic surgeries with popular celebrities that women look up to. In addition, other than the celebrities the media encourages plastic surgeries by other means, for example, is “the swan” they convert very ordinary women to very attractive and appealing women, which gives hope to other women with similar conditions. As we can see nowadays lots of women that don’t suffer from any physical issues and are considered of average beauties still seek plastic surgeries as a result of the propaganda that is caused by the media
plastic surgeries and the media
Media is a very influential aspect in our everyday lives. One of the aspects that media had influenced our perspective about is the way we approach beauty. The media had always preferred using female figures with perfect or gorgeous looks in order to get their messages delivered. In most movies the actresses are thin having perfect teeth, hair, skin etc. most women get really affected and they even go through severe depressions because they start feeling ugly as they don’t meet the criteria that is portrayed through out the media. In addition, the men or here the husbands that even used to find their wives or their girlfriends or whatever attractive or pretty doesn’t feel the same as before after being exposed to the extra ordinary beauty that are in the magazines and on TV the whole time. As a result they start showing less interest in their wives and unintentionally they start the comparisons in their minds. So these women don’t find any alternatives other than plastic surgeries. Moreover, nowadays surgeries are so much more common since the media encourages them the whole time. As they show the results of those plastic fantastic surgeries with popular celebrities that women look up to. In addition, other than the celebrities the media encourages plastic surgeries by other means, for example, is “the swan” they convert very ordinary women to very attractive and appealing women, which gives hope to other women with similar conditions. As we can see nowadays lots of women that don’t suffer from any physical issues and are considered of average beauties still seek plastic surgeries as a result of the propaganda that is caused by the media
The fake beauty
Media plays a significant role in changing peoples perceptions and believes about every thing in life. A group of people found that they can promote their goods or ideas through the best medium which is Mass Media. These people began to promote for their deceived programs and ideas picturing to the audience that these ideas and practices are the best at all. For instance, “The Swan Show” which pictures the beauty of the women in a fake way that makes people accept it believing that it is the real beauty. But a lot of people don’t know that however the person was beautiful from outside, stills the true beauty is the beauty of the soul. It is right that the outside beauty plays an important role these days especially women’s body which became an important commodity for spreading any product. In fact, this body god honored it with decency and chastity not by showing it to people. In addition, these programs didn’t only play with women’s minds it also motivated men to do some plastic surgeries. It is right that god is beautiful and he loves beauty, but the beauty doesn’t come from playing and changing our faces into mummies. For example, some of the Arab singers such as: Nancy Ajram, Haifa Wehbe, and Elesa. They all have the same lips, body, and breast. My mother actually can’t differ between them she always says that they look the same. So does the models they look very skinny like mummies, their bodies are not for them it is for the company that owns them. I once saw a program that talks about the life of the models. This program says that most of the models suffer from malnutrition and psychological diseases; they actually don’t like their bodies at all. This is why they quit this job in an early age.
"The Perfect Body" according to the media!
No one is perfect, as we all know, yet shows such as The Swan, Nip/Tuck, Dr. 90210 and Extreme Makeover bring out a false image of the “perfect” body for a woman, for example. Unlike music videos or diet based shows, which also show the audience varying body images that many wish to have, plastic-surgery themed shows put emphasis onto this, saying, sometimes indirectly, that the only way to achieve the “perfect” body, is by plastic-surgery!
There is an increase of these shown which consequently increases the influence they have on the audience’s perception of the criteria’s we use to judge our bodies. In my case, I could never be influenced by these shows because I will always have in my mind that the only way to have a healthy good looking figure is with exercise and in some cases diet, while others see these people going through operation after operation to change and “improve” their body, without realizing the amount of editing that takes place in these programs.
When someone who is unhappy with their body and is easily influenced, sees these shows, they have this idea on their mind that plastic surgery is the only way out. This does depend on your self-esteem and morals to yourself, but effectively that is the purpose of these shows!
There is an increase of these shown which consequently increases the influence they have on the audience’s perception of the criteria’s we use to judge our bodies. In my case, I could never be influenced by these shows because I will always have in my mind that the only way to have a healthy good looking figure is with exercise and in some cases diet, while others see these people going through operation after operation to change and “improve” their body, without realizing the amount of editing that takes place in these programs.
When someone who is unhappy with their body and is easily influenced, sees these shows, they have this idea on their mind that plastic surgery is the only way out. This does depend on your self-esteem and morals to yourself, but effectively that is the purpose of these shows!
Plastic Surgery
Well, now every one is concerned with her/his look. No matter if this person is a male or a female. We all care about how we look in a way or another. It might be by the way we dress, the way we do our hair and even with the way we talk. In fact, beauty is not something negative it’s something loved and even by our god and our profit Mohammad.
But this all was the real and the natural beauty that god gave us. It was not something we did to our self by changing the shape of the nose, ear or any other part of our body. But now all these surgeries are very simple surgeries to every body. Of course the media effect on these criteria was a very big effect. On TV, radio, stands and every where else most of the ads are even for beauty products that help you look younger, slimmer or what ever or are for some make up brands. Companies that are selling these products are making huge profits from people. Because people are pulled to these stuff.
In fact, the beauty contests, and the TV shows that are shown all the time change our look to beauty. In front of us we can see some ugly, fat girl turning into a beautiful princess in two weeks. Anyone will get amazed, especially girls and even if the girl is a beautiful one she will start thinking I have to do this and that. But the most important point is when this girl or woman change into a beautiful one, we all knows that this is fake!! In fact, the original thing is always better than the fake one. No matter what is the concept or the product. I think that people shouldn’t go to plastic surgeries unless if they have to. If they have a birth defect, accidents, or any thing else like that. Finally, despite the fact that every body is into this kind of things, we all shouldn’t be amazed by something we all know that it’s not real.
But this all was the real and the natural beauty that god gave us. It was not something we did to our self by changing the shape of the nose, ear or any other part of our body. But now all these surgeries are very simple surgeries to every body. Of course the media effect on these criteria was a very big effect. On TV, radio, stands and every where else most of the ads are even for beauty products that help you look younger, slimmer or what ever or are for some make up brands. Companies that are selling these products are making huge profits from people. Because people are pulled to these stuff.
In fact, the beauty contests, and the TV shows that are shown all the time change our look to beauty. In front of us we can see some ugly, fat girl turning into a beautiful princess in two weeks. Anyone will get amazed, especially girls and even if the girl is a beautiful one she will start thinking I have to do this and that. But the most important point is when this girl or woman change into a beautiful one, we all knows that this is fake!! In fact, the original thing is always better than the fake one. No matter what is the concept or the product. I think that people shouldn’t go to plastic surgeries unless if they have to. If they have a birth defect, accidents, or any thing else like that. Finally, despite the fact that every body is into this kind of things, we all shouldn’t be amazed by something we all know that it’s not real.
Plastic Surgery
Nowadays, plastic surgery is becoming more of a field for advertisement and making money than anything else. Every girl has an image more or less like a Barbie doll in her mind as her ideal and perfect woman. Unfortunately, the mass media tools are supporting them as well. Every beauty production company would support its products by spending money on advertising them.
The main question that each of us has to ask him or herself, is am I really that ugly which forced me to change what had God given me? This is more about the definition that each of us has about beauty. From our point of view, a person could be very unattractive but that doesn’t mean that is how he perceives himself the same way. So, the definition of beauty varies from a person to another.
The problem occurs when the mass media channels show few people as figures of beauty and the ideal. These few people become universal icons for beauty and everyone’s perception of beauty changes according to what they see on mass media channels.
My own perception of an ideal person is:
It’s not about how we look; it’s about who we are.
The main question that each of us has to ask him or herself, is am I really that ugly which forced me to change what had God given me? This is more about the definition that each of us has about beauty. From our point of view, a person could be very unattractive but that doesn’t mean that is how he perceives himself the same way. So, the definition of beauty varies from a person to another.
The problem occurs when the mass media channels show few people as figures of beauty and the ideal. These few people become universal icons for beauty and everyone’s perception of beauty changes according to what they see on mass media channels.
My own perception of an ideal person is:
It’s not about how we look; it’s about who we are.
Media Image of Unattainable Beauty
God is beautiful and God loves beauty “Allah gameel, yoheeb al gamal”
What is beauty?? Why our idea of beauty becomes so distorted? Why we care about surface beauty and we ignore deep beauty? What is beauty and what is ugliness? How do we judge beauty and ugliness?
Nowadays, People judge beauty based on body parts and how perfect they match with face features. Our perception of beauty becomes so artificial because the standards of beauty are being imposed on us. Whenever we watch an ad, a movie, a music clip or read a magazine we always see tall, skinny women with ideal skin and features. Same thing happens to men, T.V guys are always hot with muscles and six packs. Yet, images of superlative beauty have a higher impact on women than on men.
Images of women and their body parts are being used all over the world. In order to attract people and mostly teenagers, popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. In addition, women’s magazines are full of articles urging them to lose weight, so that they’ll have it all: the perfect marriage, great sex, and a rewarding career.
Programs like The Swan and Besaraha Ahla are making it worst. Because they show that the life of the women turns to the best after doing the plastic surgeries she did to look pretty. This is nonsense, being pretty doesn’t only depend on your shape; your personality plays a great role in this. What is the benefit of being beautiful, but dumb??? I’m not saying that the look is not important, but it shouldn’t be more important than the personality and the heart. I support plastic surgeries only for medical purposes. Other wise, women should be natural and have a high level of self confidence because running to plastic surgeries will never satisfy us. For example, can we say that Nancy Ajram is beautiful??? Sure NO, because she’s fake. She is full of plastic surgeries that made her looks like a Barbie doll.
Plastic surgeries and being a super beautiful is a serious issue. It has a negative impact on a huge number of girls and women around the world. People are using this medical service in a harmful way. Besides, media images of thin and young female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls. The number of real life women and girls who use unhealthy methods of weight control; including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting, is epidemic. These people are suffering from devastating health consequences such as: fainting on the set from lack of food. I believe that we should work on our bodies in order to be fit and healthy but everything has a red line limit that we shouldn’t cross.
You are beautiful because of what you do, not what you look like.
What is beauty?? Why our idea of beauty becomes so distorted? Why we care about surface beauty and we ignore deep beauty? What is beauty and what is ugliness? How do we judge beauty and ugliness?
Nowadays, People judge beauty based on body parts and how perfect they match with face features. Our perception of beauty becomes so artificial because the standards of beauty are being imposed on us. Whenever we watch an ad, a movie, a music clip or read a magazine we always see tall, skinny women with ideal skin and features. Same thing happens to men, T.V guys are always hot with muscles and six packs. Yet, images of superlative beauty have a higher impact on women than on men.
Images of women and their body parts are being used all over the world. In order to attract people and mostly teenagers, popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. In addition, women’s magazines are full of articles urging them to lose weight, so that they’ll have it all: the perfect marriage, great sex, and a rewarding career.
Programs like The Swan and Besaraha Ahla are making it worst. Because they show that the life of the women turns to the best after doing the plastic surgeries she did to look pretty. This is nonsense, being pretty doesn’t only depend on your shape; your personality plays a great role in this. What is the benefit of being beautiful, but dumb??? I’m not saying that the look is not important, but it shouldn’t be more important than the personality and the heart. I support plastic surgeries only for medical purposes. Other wise, women should be natural and have a high level of self confidence because running to plastic surgeries will never satisfy us. For example, can we say that Nancy Ajram is beautiful??? Sure NO, because she’s fake. She is full of plastic surgeries that made her looks like a Barbie doll.
Plastic surgeries and being a super beautiful is a serious issue. It has a negative impact on a huge number of girls and women around the world. People are using this medical service in a harmful way. Besides, media images of thin and young female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls. The number of real life women and girls who use unhealthy methods of weight control; including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting, is epidemic. These people are suffering from devastating health consequences such as: fainting on the set from lack of food. I believe that we should work on our bodies in order to be fit and healthy but everything has a red line limit that we shouldn’t cross.
You are beautiful because of what you do, not what you look like.
Media and shaping our body image
Nowadays, plastic surgeries are becoming the first and the easiest solution for people who have problems with their stomachs, thighs or noses. Images of Janet Jackson’s breasts, Britney spears tummy and Nancy Ajram’s eyes are forcing people mainly women to walk into the plastic surgeon’s tables to win the battle of beauty. Media has changed our perception of the body image, it have distorted our self-esteem and have exposed us with the fact that our happiness, success and confidence and be simply accomplished with the physical attraction and that can be achieved by the nip and tuck surgeries. The most victims of this mass media propaganda are teenagers; many of the young girls are suffering from anorexia due to the dissatisfaction of their own body image. I remember I saw one of these ads in a magazine, it was promoting for anorexia by portraying the Barbie as the perfect body. Actors and Actress can also be a great weapon as they are considered the role model for most of the teenagers and even adults.
T.V shows producers were aware of this issue and unlike most us, they took it and abused it as an advantage for their own benefits. Plastic surgeries nowadays become a very popular and well succeed T.V theme and they have greatly increased such as nip tuck, the swan and many others. What we don’t realize is that these shows are giving us the wrong message and they are also brainwashing us to the fact the beauty is only with what is seen not what is hidden, meaning that our physical shape define our personality or who we are regarding what’s in being hidden behind our skins. In a research done by Miranda Hitti from the WebMD Medical News that there is a 299% increase in the use of plastic surgeries and it is also and $8.4 million industry in the United states.
Plastic surgeries should only be used in extreme cases of severe damages either from burning or other factors. If we want to be fit and healthy we should consider other simple solutions such as exercises and healthy food.
T.V shows producers were aware of this issue and unlike most us, they took it and abused it as an advantage for their own benefits. Plastic surgeries nowadays become a very popular and well succeed T.V theme and they have greatly increased such as nip tuck, the swan and many others. What we don’t realize is that these shows are giving us the wrong message and they are also brainwashing us to the fact the beauty is only with what is seen not what is hidden, meaning that our physical shape define our personality or who we are regarding what’s in being hidden behind our skins. In a research done by Miranda Hitti from the WebMD Medical News that there is a 299% increase in the use of plastic surgeries and it is also and $8.4 million industry in the United states.
Plastic surgeries should only be used in extreme cases of severe damages either from burning or other factors. If we want to be fit and healthy we should consider other simple solutions such as exercises and healthy food.
Media Effects on Body Image
The criterion for beauty is and has always been shaped by the media around us. Magazines and especially television portray and represent beauty with those extra skinny models and actresses whom have no link or connection with the average looking women. If we were to examine the data, which shows that each individual is exposed to approximately 3000 ads from various media sources on a daily basis, one would realize how massive the number of those people getting affected by the wrong messages that the media is sending to us. The number one target with the most severe damages, regarding this issue, is teenage girls who are blinded with the false fact which is represented by the mass media to them emphasizing on a simple equation “ ideal beauty= skinny”. Media have affected most of the teenage girls self-esteem and created a negative perception of their body image, which generated anger and dissatisfaction. 53% of teenage girls are suffering from anorexia and bulimia.
Television discovered how young adults and teenagers are attracted toward what is supposed to be “ideal beauty” and exploited the concept without any regard towards its consequences. Plastic surgery became a regular issue represented to us through various television shows and it did not stop at different series such as nip tuck but it was represented to us through various reality shows which for it seems to me have more of an impact on people than any other show. Plastic surgeries have become a game that is being sold and represented to people as a very simple procedure regardless of its complications and dangerous impacts that were hidden from the audience.
Television discovered how young adults and teenagers are attracted toward what is supposed to be “ideal beauty” and exploited the concept without any regard towards its consequences. Plastic surgery became a regular issue represented to us through various television shows and it did not stop at different series such as nip tuck but it was represented to us through various reality shows which for it seems to me have more of an impact on people than any other show. Plastic surgeries have become a game that is being sold and represented to people as a very simple procedure regardless of its complications and dangerous impacts that were hidden from the audience.
Media Effects on Body Image
The criterion for beauty is and has always been shaped by the media around us. Magazines and especially television portray and represent beauty with those extra skinny models and actresses whom have no link or connection with the average looking women. If we were to examine the data, which shows that each individual is exposed to approximately 3000 ads from various media sources on a daily basis, one would realize how massive the number of those people getting affected by the wrong messages that the media is sending to us. The number one target with the most severe damages, regarding this issue, is teenage girls who are blinded with the false fact which is represented by the mass media to them emphasizing on a simple equation “ ideal beauty= skinny”. Media have affected most of the teenage girls self-esteem and created a negative perception of their body image, which generated anger and dissatisfaction. 53% of teenage girls are suffering from anorexia and bulimia.
Television discovered how young adults and teenagers are attracted toward what is supposed to be “ideal beauty” and exploited the concept without any regard towards its consequences. Plastic surgery became a regular issue represented to us through various television shows and it did not stop at different series such as nip tuck but it was represented to us through various reality shows which for it seems to me have more of an impact on people than any other show. Plastic surgeries have become a game that is being sold and represented to people as a very simple procedure regardless of its complications and dangerous impacts that were hidden from the audience.
Television discovered how young adults and teenagers are attracted toward what is supposed to be “ideal beauty” and exploited the concept without any regard towards its consequences. Plastic surgery became a regular issue represented to us through various television shows and it did not stop at different series such as nip tuck but it was represented to us through various reality shows which for it seems to me have more of an impact on people than any other show. Plastic surgeries have become a game that is being sold and represented to people as a very simple procedure regardless of its complications and dangerous impacts that were hidden from the audience.
I think that the problem with the society nowadays is the fact that we tend to blame practically everything and everyone but not ourselves for all our daily troubles, mistakes and misfortunes. Our favorite thing to take out all our frustrations on is the media. We tend to say things like, “Look at how this girl is dressed. Must be because of all these music videos she watches on tv”, or, “my son has punched his cousin again because of all these violent cartoons”. The same thing goes to people who diet intensively, and as a result develop some kind of an eating disorder. They tend to blame the media for this, and although I do feel sorry for them, I actually find their excuse rather silly.
Sure, the media often does cultivate a tall, thin, large-breasted, wrinkleless girl image but I think that it is up to people if they wish to follow all these trends blindly, or instead, focus on developing their own style.
Also, people often forget to realise that some of these celebrities take years to work on their image – intensive body fitness and hours spent at the gym is the price one must pay in order to get there. At the same time, their perfect hair and make-up is usually the hard work of their stylists (notice that celebrities don’t always look perfect *hint hint* find photos of celebrities without makeup on and you’ll be surprised!).
People who follow the lives of celebrities often want the easy way out (provided that they have the cash) so they opt for plastic surgeries. I am not saying that all cosmetic surgeries are bad. There are some people out there with tremendous complexes, and at times a small amendment in their looks can make their life so much better. However what I think is bad, is when people go overboard with these kinds of surgeries. After they get their nose done, they want to botox-up their lips, enlarge their breasts… after that they want liposuction on the thighs… it’s basically like a never-ending process of becoming “perfect”. However these people fail to realise that instead of becoming beautiful, their bodies are just becoming more and more fake.
Is this really the fault of the media? Well, I don’t really think so for I think that people should be smart enough to know what is good for them.
In addition to that, there are certain celebrities (like Monica Bellucci, Jennifer Lopez, etc.) who have got fuller figures and yet they are considered beautiful too. So even media people do realize that what is beautiful isn’t necessarily thin.
Sure, the media often does cultivate a tall, thin, large-breasted, wrinkleless girl image but I think that it is up to people if they wish to follow all these trends blindly, or instead, focus on developing their own style.
Also, people often forget to realise that some of these celebrities take years to work on their image – intensive body fitness and hours spent at the gym is the price one must pay in order to get there. At the same time, their perfect hair and make-up is usually the hard work of their stylists (notice that celebrities don’t always look perfect *hint hint* find photos of celebrities without makeup on and you’ll be surprised!).
People who follow the lives of celebrities often want the easy way out (provided that they have the cash) so they opt for plastic surgeries. I am not saying that all cosmetic surgeries are bad. There are some people out there with tremendous complexes, and at times a small amendment in their looks can make their life so much better. However what I think is bad, is when people go overboard with these kinds of surgeries. After they get their nose done, they want to botox-up their lips, enlarge their breasts… after that they want liposuction on the thighs… it’s basically like a never-ending process of becoming “perfect”. However these people fail to realise that instead of becoming beautiful, their bodies are just becoming more and more fake.
Is this really the fault of the media? Well, I don’t really think so for I think that people should be smart enough to know what is good for them.
In addition to that, there are certain celebrities (like Monica Bellucci, Jennifer Lopez, etc.) who have got fuller figures and yet they are considered beautiful too. So even media people do realize that what is beautiful isn’t necessarily thin.
Media and Fake Beauty
According to the new standards of beauty that has been set by the media, a beautiful women has to have 170 cm and above height, skinny, and well-toned skin. As all the models appear with those standards in TV, Magazines, advertisements and almost everywhere it is hard to ignore the fact that the media is forcing women to accept these standards and follow them.
With the models getting skinnier every day and thanks to computer technologies pictures are getting more edited to look “perfect,” reaching the standards of beauty is becoming a dream for women. Teenagers are trying to follow the foot steps of models and to be skinny and supposedly beautiful; they find the easiest way out. They literally stop eating. The amount of anorexic and bulimic teenagers all around the world is sadly increasing to meet the standards of beauty.
Apart from the skinny models on the runways which hardly reached the age of 17 or 18 to have their breasts grow, in magazines and TV they use more mature females with an odd body image which is mostly a skinny girl with large breasts. The whole idea of such ideal beauty starts at a very young age where girls start to play with their Barbie’s. Barbie is a bizarre creature which is tall, skinny, big breasts, moderately big behind, small nose, big puffy lips, and also long straight blond hair; in other words beautiful. As young girls have their standards set by their Barbie’s and later on with the models in magazines and television it forces them to try other ways than nutrition diets and exercise.
As women run out of natural ways to meet the standards of beauty, they try to achieve their goals through plastic surgeries. Injections, liposuction, plastic surgeries are their way out to become beautiful. As a result of the TV shows like swan and extreme make over which gives a support and approval to their decisions on the “fake beauty” rate of plastic surgeries are sadly increasing.
With the models getting skinnier every day and thanks to computer technologies pictures are getting more edited to look “perfect,” reaching the standards of beauty is becoming a dream for women. Teenagers are trying to follow the foot steps of models and to be skinny and supposedly beautiful; they find the easiest way out. They literally stop eating. The amount of anorexic and bulimic teenagers all around the world is sadly increasing to meet the standards of beauty.
Apart from the skinny models on the runways which hardly reached the age of 17 or 18 to have their breasts grow, in magazines and TV they use more mature females with an odd body image which is mostly a skinny girl with large breasts. The whole idea of such ideal beauty starts at a very young age where girls start to play with their Barbie’s. Barbie is a bizarre creature which is tall, skinny, big breasts, moderately big behind, small nose, big puffy lips, and also long straight blond hair; in other words beautiful. As young girls have their standards set by their Barbie’s and later on with the models in magazines and television it forces them to try other ways than nutrition diets and exercise.
As women run out of natural ways to meet the standards of beauty, they try to achieve their goals through plastic surgeries. Injections, liposuction, plastic surgeries are their way out to become beautiful. As a result of the TV shows like swan and extreme make over which gives a support and approval to their decisions on the “fake beauty” rate of plastic surgeries are sadly increasing.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Plastic Surgery and The Media
The Swan. Nip/Tuck. Dr. 90210. Extreme Makeover. We've all heard of them. The number of these plastic-surgery themed shows seems to have increased in recent years. This implies that the concept of these shows have become more and more acceptable amongst the mass audience as a whole. There is no doubt that the changes in media, and Hollywood specifically, have triggered people's perceptions of beauty and sexuality. Before, you had actresses like Grace Kelly; modest and sultry was the appeal. Then came Marilyn Monroe who broke those barriers. Sexy was the new thing. Hollywood's A-listers like Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, and Reese Witherspoon are not merely characterized for their talented acting skills, but for their appearances as well.
Actors, actresses, singers, and tv stars have a strange impact on people. They are seen as role models and almost 'perfect' creations. People want to be like them, look like them, and act like them. This makes the fact that the plastic surgery industry has been rising dramatically no surprise at all. There is a specific criteria of beauty nowadays that is far from natural, and to be 'perfect', this set of criteria has to be reached. This is easily but costly available nowadays through the knives of plastic surgeons. Hollywood makes plastic surgery look like such a normal thing to people, totally disregarding the fact that it comes with its own set of risks and harmful side effects.
People have to realize that taking it to the extreme is a always bad thing. Teenage girls are being driven into anorexia and other such dangerous diseases because of unneccessary insecurities about their looks. Even the very actresses of Hollywood themselves are dealing with such problems as we hear in the tabloids everyday when it comes to the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie. People also have to realize that most of what we see and percieve is fake. Actresses have tons of make up on before they film a scene, and models have been photoshopped to death before their pictures are even considered for publishing.
Fortunately, there are campaigns that try to invoke some sense into the mass audience. Dove is one example. Dove's campaign for "real beauty" aims to encourage people and especially girls to be natural. Another example is the TV show "Ugly Betty". The heroine of the show is far from Hollywood's typical sexy bombshell, and yet she is portrayed as a confident, career and family-driven young lady who struggles for what she wants. The show has surprisingly been wildly accepted (even though it goes against Hollywood's agenda), and the lead actress even got a Golden Globe award this year for her performance.
People have to realize that what they see in the media is mostly fake, and they musn't let their insecurities lead them to plastic surgeries or any other extreme methods that only encourages fake and unnatural beauty. Plastic surgery should only be a solution for medical-related issues and problems.
Actors, actresses, singers, and tv stars have a strange impact on people. They are seen as role models and almost 'perfect' creations. People want to be like them, look like them, and act like them. This makes the fact that the plastic surgery industry has been rising dramatically no surprise at all. There is a specific criteria of beauty nowadays that is far from natural, and to be 'perfect', this set of criteria has to be reached. This is easily but costly available nowadays through the knives of plastic surgeons. Hollywood makes plastic surgery look like such a normal thing to people, totally disregarding the fact that it comes with its own set of risks and harmful side effects.
People have to realize that taking it to the extreme is a always bad thing. Teenage girls are being driven into anorexia and other such dangerous diseases because of unneccessary insecurities about their looks. Even the very actresses of Hollywood themselves are dealing with such problems as we hear in the tabloids everyday when it comes to the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie. People also have to realize that most of what we see and percieve is fake. Actresses have tons of make up on before they film a scene, and models have been photoshopped to death before their pictures are even considered for publishing.
Fortunately, there are campaigns that try to invoke some sense into the mass audience. Dove is one example. Dove's campaign for "real beauty" aims to encourage people and especially girls to be natural. Another example is the TV show "Ugly Betty". The heroine of the show is far from Hollywood's typical sexy bombshell, and yet she is portrayed as a confident, career and family-driven young lady who struggles for what she wants. The show has surprisingly been wildly accepted (even though it goes against Hollywood's agenda), and the lead actress even got a Golden Globe award this year for her performance.
People have to realize that what they see in the media is mostly fake, and they musn't let their insecurities lead them to plastic surgeries or any other extreme methods that only encourages fake and unnatural beauty. Plastic surgery should only be a solution for medical-related issues and problems.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cosmotec Surgeries
the relation between cosmetic surgeries on the one hand, the practice and perception of it between women and men, and between the media on the other hand.
many studies have been conducted dealing with the potential influence of the mass media on our perception of beauty and of our beauty. different researchers looked at women self esteem and how it could be affected by the over edited images broadcasted by the media
But those images are honed by a team of professionals including makeup artists, stylists, photographers, lighting pros -- and editors wielding airbrushes.
Most women think they can't live up to that standard. In fact, top models and actresses aren't always born that way. "The current ideal of female beauty -- that of a thin, well-toned, yet big-breasted woman -- rarely occurs without restrictive dieting, excessive exercise, and cosmetic surgery," write the researchers.
one of the important points here is how far do you think the mass media, in their broadcast of these shows as the Swan, etc are affecting our attitudes towards cosmetic surgeries
how far the prototype of the thin sexy semi-perfect models are affecting our self esteem and our images and the criteria we use for beauty
many studies have been conducted dealing with the potential influence of the mass media on our perception of beauty and of our beauty. different researchers looked at women self esteem and how it could be affected by the over edited images broadcasted by the media
But those images are honed by a team of professionals including makeup artists, stylists, photographers, lighting pros -- and editors wielding airbrushes.
Most women think they can't live up to that standard. In fact, top models and actresses aren't always born that way. "The current ideal of female beauty -- that of a thin, well-toned, yet big-breasted woman -- rarely occurs without restrictive dieting, excessive exercise, and cosmetic surgery," write the researchers.
one of the important points here is how far do you think the mass media, in their broadcast of these shows as the Swan, etc are affecting our attitudes towards cosmetic surgeries
how far the prototype of the thin sexy semi-perfect models are affecting our self esteem and our images and the criteria we use for beauty
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Saadam vs the media
Saddam Hussein was in the news for over a year. The western media made if very possible to show us that Hussein was a tyrant. Over the last months that Hussein was alive all we saw in the media was coverage of his court days and how he was being distraught at the judge. In some news channel Hussein was a hero in other he was a devil. Although I am not in any of the two sides but one usually believes that media is the most convincing idea to all humans. I am not a big fan of the media and I always try to read more into everything before actually believing any stories or topics. In the united states before any execution there are sufficient evidence brought on to the supreme courts and the actual media. In Hussein’s trial there was none of the above. All we saw were videos of him being brutal, although in many other cases of executions there we able to have the trial in there own countries with this main guy, the US wanted it to be in there home ground because that’s how they know it would be over, he would be dead! I believe many things in this actual topic are wrong due to several of reasons. Saddam Hussein, the former tyrant, became another one of history's ghosts when he was hanged on December 29, 2006 for ordering the execution of 148 Shia men and boys. His death marked the end of several chapters of history, from the all the Bush’s family. Saddam Hussein unfortunately was another one of the US’s targets. Saddam's hanging also marked a first: the first execution made public by virtue of the World Wide Web. Within hours of his execution, a camera phone vidoe appeared on hundreds of internet sites, making it quite possibly the most watched execution in history. How sad? You know what was the most shocking part is that they couldn’t ban it from any were it was all over and the illiterate Americans did not even let him finish prayers they killed him while he was reciting his prayers. Respect is missing and I was kind of glad that people around the world were able to witness how disrespectful the government was. Media has its negative and positive signs but most all of the media is seducing and playing around with a lot of people’s opinions and goals. Saadam Hussein was a leader, a politician that did not allow any one to mess with his country I respect him for that now-a-days you see a lot of leaders all over the world getting whipped by America because they are scared. But Saadam didn’t allow that and he was willing to die for his country, although he killed many innocent people im sure it was all for his country and people. YES, he deserved to die but not that way killing someone makes it all go away, but punishing someone is revenge. The US needs to have laws for its media and so what? If it’s a free country that does not mean they do what they are doing now. FALSE INFORMATION. VERY BIAS AND SELF CENTERED. It has to stop I believe the Saadam Hussein story should have been a wake up call to the whole world.
I do believe in the quote ‘greatness, no matter how short, lasts forever’, and I also believe that shame lasts forever as well. Saddam Hussein has been the president of Iraq for quite sometime and took a lot of serious movements during that period of time. I can’t judge all his actions buy ‘good or bad’ deeds because the case is a lot more complicated than it seems, but all I can say that in my opinion he was unmerciful!
However when think of Saddam Hussein and the whole execution process, I don’t think of the man as well as of what he symbolises, because after all he was an Arab president to one of the most important countries in the middle east, he stood as a symbol more than him being a man . And whatever he did wasn’t only in his name but in the name of Iraq and whatever that was done to him also had huge effects on Iraqi people.
I believe that arresting him and executing him had more negative than positive effects .the positive effect was the so called ‘freedom’ of Iraqi’s but on the other hand, Iraq is now devastated, the people are lost, civil war between Sunni and sheit started, the countries natural resources are being stolen, telling a long story short the country is in total cayous. I’m not saying that I didn’t want him to leave because obviously it was about time, all I am saying that the way he left was strange.
However when think of Saddam Hussein and the whole execution process, I don’t think of the man as well as of what he symbolises, because after all he was an Arab president to one of the most important countries in the middle east, he stood as a symbol more than him being a man . And whatever he did wasn’t only in his name but in the name of Iraq and whatever that was done to him also had huge effects on Iraqi people.
I believe that arresting him and executing him had more negative than positive effects .the positive effect was the so called ‘freedom’ of Iraqi’s but on the other hand, Iraq is now devastated, the people are lost, civil war between Sunni and sheit started, the countries natural resources are being stolen, telling a long story short the country is in total cayous. I’m not saying that I didn’t want him to leave because obviously it was about time, all I am saying that the way he left was strange.
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