Beauty Question

The question that was raised in Monday nights class was, "Is beauty a problem?" I believe it is a problem now. I don't think that it has always been a problem. It seems that there is so much pressure that is put on little girls to be almost "perfect" and I do think there is a need for that. Actually the pressure is being put on little boys now too. What is perfect? I surely don't know. Too many reality shows are emphasizing on how to "fix" yourself. I will admit to watching Dr. 90210. I watch these shows and see people (male/female, young/old) go in for a consultation for one thing and walk out with a laundry list of things that need to be "fixed" according to the doctor. They look fine to me, but there is such and emphasis on making yourself into something different or "better." Even men are getting into cosmetic surgery. I have seen them go in for calf implants, bicep implants and other parts that they are not able to build up by working out.

My co-worker showed me this website she found. It is a cover photo of Faith Hill on an issue of Redbook magazine. They show you the before and after effects of editing a photo. It is amazing the difference. Here is the link: http://jezebel.com/gossip/photoshop-of-horrors/heres-our-winner-redbook-shatters-our-faith-in-well-not-publishing-but-maybe-god-278919.php

Just by looking at the pictures and the difference pretty much proves that even what you see in the magazines and on TV is edited. Those beautiful people are not as "perfect" as they make them. Although I still believe that Faith Hill is beautiful as is, and yet they went in and changed her. Some of her bone structure was even changed.

I think my favorite is when Jamie Lee Curtis was on the cover of More Magazine in Sept. 2002. They did a photo shoot of her as she really is and then after she "gets some help." It shows what she truly looks like under all of the hair, make-up and wardrobe. I have a lot of respect for her after this magazine issue came out. Here is the link: http://www.lhj.com/lhj/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/lhj/story/data/jamieleecurtistruethighs_08212002.xml

I believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and people need to stop modifing themselves.