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The media plays an integral role in society, influencing the general population about how they perceive real life. From the news to science fiction, media gives a large audience a certain point of view from which they may draw conclusion. One of the most controversial topics is, “What weight is a beautiful weight?” Today, women are supposed to be tall and thin, while men are expected to be muscular and well groomed. Do these stereotypes of an “ideal” take away from individuality and uniqueness? Does it take away from concentrating on health? Media does not allow for an overall look at individuals and their uniqueness.
In the United States, weight is one of the most discussed topics. Media tends to portray beautiful women and men in movies and on the television having wonderful, exciting and fulfilling lives. This causes the audience to think that because the tall and thin person is successful, being thin will allow that same success. Movies like Sin City or Tom Raider depict thin, gorgeous women leading a life full of adventure and excitement. Romance films like Mr. and Mrs. Smith or Moulin Rouge depict these people finding love and happiness. Where is the average looking person? They are usually the housemaids or the back up people making these “attractive” people look better on film. When people see these thin and tall people depicted on film as having a successful, emotionally fulfilling, and exciting life, then the average person sees that the look must be what drives the success, and goes to extremes to try and achieve that.
Fashion magazines and celebrity magazines depict and criticize the human body. In fashion, a woman must be thin and tall. The women or men displayed in a magazine are trying to sell a product, so the thin women or the muscular male that wear the fashion item up-sale it. By buying that product an individual will look like the person in the add and will be as happy and as fulfilled as the model. In reality, the product...