Evolving Body Image

1628 Words7 Pages
From the time we begin developing our ability to comprehend the world around us; we are shaped by our societal beliefs and social systems. Our culture is so diverse yet obtaining a specific body image seems a universal concept. There will always be that new trend and image that everyone runs after. As the seasons change, also does the wave of fashion. The current “look” moves out and in rushes the sometimes obscurities of fashionistas and media corporations abound. It is sadly so that the psyche of the modern-day person battles to create and/or maintain a perfect, or nearly so, body image. The media is setting unrealistic pressures for body image and they are coming in from every angle, everywhere you look, including television, radio ads, billboards, and even toys; just to name a few. Each division specializes in targeting specific age groups, classes, races, and sexual genders to "sell" a product. People are spending more time making frequent trips to the mirror, and finding themselves quite unhappy with their self image as a result of the expectations of media and our culture. When you look at Covergirl’s makeup ads with super models, or a radio ad about not having large enough breasts, it all adds to the pressure of our self-proclaimed image. Everything from diet products, surgical procedures, trendy exercise regimens, and fashion must-dos muddle the minds of millions, all “starving for the same thing; a sense of belonging. This on-going struggle of self is also causing people to expend an incredible excess of monetary resources, especially in these harsh economical times. It used to be that the strife for ideal self representation would begin in adolescents in their early teens. But somehow this craze has made its way down the line to children at an even younger age. Either parents aren’t silencing their inner daemons any longer, the
Open Document