#4 Beauty - Is it Really in the Eye of the Beholder?

This topic is brought up a lot in assignments at school. I don't know whether teachers actually want to see how we react to the media, or if they just ran out of topics. LOL just kidding. But seriously, I get it, the media is a big influence on us, we have to make sure that we know it's not real, and that "people as well as situations are altered to look like they're flawless and desirable to the mind."  I think people are portrayed this way because nobody wants to look at someone who looks like this:

It's just not appealing. I mean, I can stare at this picture for a few minutes, but eventually I'll throw up. I think that everyone is shallow, and that everyone judges each other, It's just that some people don't like to admit it. I'm shallow too, there's not much point in hiding it. A lot of people say, "It's what's on the inside that counts." and "Don't judge a book by it's cover." But who are we kidding? When you're looking at a bookshelf, what book do you think is more 'eye popping?' 

This one?

Or these ones?

Probably the colourful ones right? But that still doesn't guarantee that you'll want to take it off the shelf and read it... Bottom line: it catches your attention, just like a commercial with a really pretty girl or celebrity would catch your attention. Well, if you think about it, a really ugly person would catch your attention too, but a pretty person would be more appealing.

I get why people would choose more "attractive" people to be in ads and stuff, but sometimes they tend to obsess about how perfect these people have to look, and go over the top with photoshop. Sometimes I look at a magazine and I ask myself if it's even possible to look that good, or if the model actually looks like that in person. All these pictures do is remind me that the people in them aren't real, and that I don't have to look like that if I don't want to. But those thoughts aren't the same with everyone. For some people, these pictures can have no effect, but for others they might have a negative effect and make them think that they aren't good enough because they don't look like that. I guess that's why people tell us "Don't judge a book by it's cover." and "It's on the inside that matters." because it consoles the people who feel bad about how they look.  Maybe if photo editors would lay off the photoshop a little bit, then people wouldn't feel that bad.

If these pictures in the media weren't so 'glammed up', people would feel less pressured, and probably live happier lives. Maybe if I saw more realistic looking people on a magazine cover, I would feel like it was a real life situation, and buy the magazine. But society's too caught up in earning money, and looking like celebrities to do that. so I don't think that's gonna happen.