Media Tells All, Or Does It?

Many people look to the media for everything. The fashion magazines show us what to wear; the commercials tell us what to eat or what to buy; the social media sites seem to define us. No, it’s simply not the case: we are the only ones who can define ourselves, not the media, and they can’t control what we do.

For one, we don’t have to look like supermodels. Attempts to change one’s appearance to conform to the media’s portrayal of beauty can lead to eating disorders, all to live up to an unrealistic standard. “Advertisers commonly alter photographs to enhance the appearance of models' bodies, and such alterations can contribute to unrealistic expectations of appropriate body image - especially among impressionable children and adolescents. A large body of literature links exposure to media-propagated images of unrealistic body image to eating disorders and other child and adolescent health problems,” says The American Medical Association. On the upside, we have Meghan Trainor and her hit song “All About That Bass” to remind us that “every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top” (Meghan Trainor).

Internet media shakes the teenage world. On social media networks like Snapchat and Instagram, you can find loads of hurtful comments criticizing everything and anything commenters can get their hands on.

Try going to Youtube and typing “Am I pretty or ugly?” into the search bar. These videos are people asking for feedback on how they look. Can you guess how many results come up? Over 37 pages with about 20 videos each pop up.

Many teenage girls are putting themselves “out there,” and asking for approval from strangers. There are also some older guys seeking the same thing. Then there are the little girls. One girl appearing to be about five posted her pretty or ugly video. Comments included swears about her ugliness, or just the simple one-word response- “Ugly.”

There were some good comments. Most were telling everyone she was beautiful, pretty, or adorable. There were also several saying that she shouldn’t listen to the jealous haters. All the bad comments were short, while the good ones were long. Other people find ways to lie on social sites, like edit their selfies to look more appealing to others. Those people are ashamed of their appearance, and afraid of what others would say if they saw their true self.

The world can be cruel. People will seek to hurt you. You will be confused on what others want and what you want, and you will be bombarded with images of people that look hotter than you, yes. Just remember, social media is not the boss of you, so take charge and think and do what you want to. “The opinion which others have of you is their problem, not yours” (Elisabeth Kubler-Ross).

#iam #kaleygiboney #editorial #20142015