It was a day jus like any other, I was watching my daily "programs" and enjoying the chance to finally relax after a long day of stressful classes. It was during the dreaded commercial break that an even more dreaded message was relayed to me...what appeared to be a harmless Olay beauty product advertisement quickly became evidence in my case against the media and its perception of beauty. It was only about five seconds out of the thirty second commericial that caught my attention, five seconds of pure societal bias that I got out of that thirty second advertisement that played over and over in my mind like a broken record. The message "Inner beauty is important, but not nearly as important as outer beauty" sprinted through my head like a marathon runner, taunting and plaguing my brain with the thought that outer beauty is more important than inner beauty; A message infecting the minds of youth constantly and with no remorce. I have always been aware of the subliminal beauty messages in advertisements, but never have I heard such a straight forward negative perception of the definition of beauty in such a proud and humorous manner. Is this what our world has come to? Our society has no regard for the struggling individuals of bulimia and anorexia nervosa, unecessary body distortion, and the people who have died as a direct result of them. Outer beauty is more important than inner beauty. You can't be muh more blunt than that. Well here is me being blunt, You're wrong. Outer beauty is most definitely not more important than inner beauty, and who are you to define what outer and inner beauty is? Seems like a research paper with no works cited to me, a sentence without a period, a conviction without substantial evidence, I could go on and on. Inner beauty in every sense is exponentially more important and respectable than containing minature silicone-filled water beds in your breasts an the ability to apply makeup.
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I could not agree more with your position on outer vs inner beauty portrayed in the media. But as sad as it is to say, the world is a very vain place. In commercials and throughout the media, advertisements for products like clothes, make-up, and even plastic surgery will be extremely more prominent than a message that appeals to inner beauty. Advertisements come from businesses attempting to make money, and if that will come from placing a 6-foot, 100 pound girl in the ad, then that is what they will do with disregard to its possible affects.
ReplyDeleteBut there are exceptions to this. I applaud companies like Dove who feature women who represent the average size of females in America. Even some magazines now feature sections for dressing for your body type -- whatever they type that may be. I guess the hope could be all companies will follow in this direction in time.
I am shocked to see that something like that could be said on the national stage of broadcast television. SInce being in college I haven't been able to enjoy my mindless time in front of the television. A brief statement can easily be blown out of proportion from the companies main intentions. I am sure the company meant for the statement to be taken aas a light joke, but it is also apparent they didn't think far enough to see how it could be manipulated. I think some brands forget how much of an influence they have on to self-image. This is not me saying they cause the insecurities, but that insecurities are sometimes strengthened by the images they see in the media.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Yes, outer beauty is a factor, but inner beauty is so much more. People would much rather want to talk to or be around someone who is nice and not a complete, in light of a better term, jerk. This society worships outer beauty so much it is actually sickening. People never take into account who a person could really be on the inside.
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