One of the most unpleasant things about growing up is finding one’s own identity. It can really be a very difficult task since there are so many influences on our self esteem and what we perceive as “normal”. There are literally millions of people everywhere who go through life subject to the opinions of greater society. It is a much harder job to develop an individual identity while disregarding the constant wishes of often very powerful forces that affect popular opinion.
Quite simply put, it is very hard for the average person to feel good about themselves when it comes to beauty. After all, how can people live up to the many images seen in movies and magazines that are impossible to live up to? In order to develop a keen sense of personal identity it is essential to separate the images of beauty from what we choose to solidify in our own minds as the definition.
Beauty in the media is often heightened to the point of absolute absurdity because what we see on the big screen is impossible to replicate in real life. In print, images are finely airbrushed to the point where every imperfection is concisely eliminated. Both actors and actresses enjoy the benefit of hours of makeup, solid cinematography, and even special effects. The problem is it is very difficult not to separate these elements as standards we want to obtain. The media tells us yellow stained teeth are disgusting and the bikini line should be clean shaven. Skin should be flawlessly crystal clear, hair combed to perfection, and fashion is all important.
The effect of all these intense messages has influenced the conception of beauty in an intense and cerebral way. Without us necessarily realizing it, we live our own lives and see ourselves in certain ways due in large part to the strong images we see in front of our eyes every day. The next time you really think about who you are and what you value as true beauty, think how much of that concrete idea comes from a source other than you. Be careful not to lose your own individuality to powerful commercial forces and you’ll go a very long way into establishing true identity.
