{"id":74989,"date":"2019-06-09T01:19:09","date_gmt":"2019-06-09T01:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essays.homeworkacetutors.com\/media-and-beauty-standards-causes-and-effects\/"},"modified":"2019-06-09T01:19:09","modified_gmt":"2019-06-09T01:19:09","slug":"media-and-beauty-standards-causes-and-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colapapers.com\/us\/media-and-beauty-standards-causes-and-effects\/","title":{"rendered":"Media and Beauty Standards: Causes and Effects"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

OUR
\nBEAUTY OBSESSION: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF MODERN BEAUTY
\nIDEALS IN A WORLD DRIVEN BY CONSUMERISM AND MASS MEDIA<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h2>\n

The concept of beauty is one that is difficult to
\ndefine and has remained a popular topic of debate for centuries. Philosophers,
\nartists, scholars and poets, all have attempted to capture and define the
\nquality that is beauty. The question as to what is beauty remains one with many
\nvarying answers. A common belief is that beauty is subjective, that for a
\nperson, place or thing to be considered beautiful, depends on the opinion of
\nthe person perceiving it. The Oxford dictionary defines beauty as, \u201ca
\ncombination of qualities, such as shape, colour, or form, that pleases the
\naesthetic senses, especially the sight.\u201d[1]<\/a>
\nAnd according to Aristotle \u201cThe chief forms of beauty are order and symmetry
\nand definiteness.\u201d[2]<\/a> Regarding
\nphysical beauty, in her book \u201cThe Beauty Myth\u201d, author and feminist Naomi Wolf
\nwrote, \u201cBeauty is a currency system like the gold standard.\u201d[3]<\/a>
\nWolf\u2019s theory of beauty being a construct used for profit and control from male
\ndominated institutions and political agenda, is one that will feature in this
\nbody of writing. <\/p>\n

This essay will focus primarily on the notion of physical beauty, particularly beauty in a modern society and how it has today become a fabricated concept put in place to control and manipulate the masses primarily for profit. By referencing and referring to various writers, feminists and sociologists, such as Susie Orbach, Naomi Wolf and Ted Polhemus, and having collected a variety of research via text, documentary films and articles, this essay will analyse the subject of beauty ideals in a capitalist culture<\/a> and will discuss various aspects within this topic such as westernisation and the influences and effects of globalisation and mass media on body image and beauty standards.<\/p>\n

The first chapter of this essay will debate the theory
\nof sexual selection vs globalisation as the primary causes behind modern beauty
\nstandards. The second chapter will discuss beauty in advertising and mass media
\nand the strategies and tactics used to market and sell products. Prior to
\ncompletion, this chapter will also include a discussion about male beauty.
\nFinally, before concluding, chapter three will analyse the effects of these
\nbeauty ideals and will show statistics regarding mental health and eating
\ndisorders, but will also discuss what the effects on the economy would be if certain
\nindustries did not exist. <\/p>\n

Chapter 1.<\/h2>\n

As a society we have developed a dangerous and ever-growing obsession with physical beauty, a fixation that is particularly damaging and destructive to the body image and self-esteem<\/a> of women and men. Scars, excess body fat, aging and body hair, each of these \u201cimperfections\u201d and countless others are so often the object of scorn and condemnation by many beauty, fashion and lifestyle magazines that fill their pages with articles body shaming various celebrities for not adhering to the perfect, unattainable beauty ideals dictated by society, while simultaneously praising those who do meet these unrealistic standards.[4]<\/a> Images of perfect bodies flood mass media and propaganda promoting skin care, weight loss and any other expensive and unachievable ideals brainwash the majority of the global population. What may seem like harmless advertising and entertainment, can through enough exposure become detrimental in how we view ourselves and others, and can cause serious repercussions to our health as proven in the increase of eating disorders throughout the years.[5]<\/a> But where has this obsession come from and who is behind it? <\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
Figure 2- National Enquirer Magazine cover, Sep 2017. <\/figcaption><\/img><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\"\"
Figure 1- National Enquirer Magazine cover, July 2017<\/figcaption><\/img><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

There are various theories regarding the man behind
\nthe mask, so to speak. One possible explanation is based upon the theory of
\nsexual selection, a theory derived from natural selection in which specific
\ncharacteristics of a species are found particularly attractive to the opposite
\nsex and therefore mates are chosen to reproduce.[6]<\/a>
\nAccording to this theory, our craving for physical perfection is biological and
\nevolutionary, it is a natural part of who we are and cannot be altered or
\nchanged, and to some extent this is true. However, in society what people are
\nincreasingly becoming attracted to has less to do with a biological instinct to
\nprocreate and more to do with what advertising agencies and global industries
\ntell us we should be and what we should desire. Long hair, rosy cheeks, red
\nlips, wide hips and large breasts, each of these characteristics are just a few
\nexamples of feminine physical features that are scientifically proven to
\nattract the attention of heterosexual men because they signify fertility, good health
\nand sexual arousal[7]<\/a>, this
\nis a perfect example of sexual selection. But in modern society these traits
\nare all but overlooked and forgotten as new artificial beauty standards emerge
\nand take over. <\/p>\n

Modern beauty promises happiness, love and
\nself-satisfaction. These promises are empty, because the ideal beauty we are
\nfed via mass media and advertising is nothing more than a marketing strategy
\nand a lie.[8]<\/a>
\n[9]<\/a>
\nNaomi Wolf claims that these lies are a \u201ccultural conspiracy\u201d[10]<\/a>
\nagainst women, a conspiracy she aptly termed the beauty myth. In her book of
\nthe same name Wolf wrote,<\/p>\n

\n

If the beauty myth is not based on evolution, sex, gender, aesthetics, or God, on what is it based? It claims to be about intimacy and sex and life, a celebration of women. It is actually composed of emotional distance, politics, finance and sexual repression. The beauty myth is not about women at all. It is about men\u2019s institutions and institutional power.[11]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

According to Wolf, the beauty myth has been in
\nexistence since the 1830\u2019s and grew with the rise of industrialism, however,
\nthe myth in its current state was born when housewives of the 20th<\/sup>
\ncentury set aside their domestic responsibilities in the home for new exciting
\ncareer opportunities and independence they otherwise hadn\u2019t had before. Companies
\nand advertisers whose primary consumers were these unfulfilled homemakers, then
\nbegan to fear a considerable loss of profit because women just weren\u2019t
\nconsuming like they used to. As a result, an \u201cinnovative\u201d marketing strategy
\nwas set in motion, beauty creams and cosmetic products replaced the household
\nessentials that every good housewife swore by.[12]<\/a>
\n\u201cInexhaustible but ephemeral beauty work took over from inexhaustible but
\nephemeral housework.\u201d[13]<\/a><\/p>\n

Since then the marketing of female beauty has grown rapidly,
\nvarious industries have long since been dictating feminine physical beauty
\nstandards and have been making an abundance of profit whilst doing so. Included
\namongst these is the pornography industry, worth $97 billion globally[14]<\/a>
\nand grossing $3,000 every second.[15]<\/a>
\nThe fact that pornography takes up 12% of internet content[16]<\/a>,
\nand that the most commonly used sites are more popular than Amazon, Twitter and
\nNetflix combined[17]<\/a>, are
\njust a few statistics to reveal how porn incredibly popular and widely accepted
\nporn has become. Since the dawn of the industry, pornography has been seen as a
\ncontroversial pastime for numerous reasons: It\u2019s highly addictive, promotes unhealthy
\nideas of sex and (arguably) endorses the sexual exploitation of women. But another
\nexample of the detriment of porn, which many people often overlook, are the
\nharmful effects that it has on female body image. The typical physical traits
\nassociated with female porn stars are often unrealistic and unattainable, such
\nas the absence of body hair.[18]<\/a>
\nThere is a stigma that surrounds female body hair, women that decide to reject the
\nconventions of hair removal and flaunt their natural body, are often met with
\nhostility and disgust, this is a result of porn and the ideals that are
\npromoted within it. Attempts to achieve these ideals are often time consuming,
\nuncomfortable and painful.[19]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

The images pornography present of women are damaging
\nfor multiple reasons, they provide adolescent boys and young men with
\nunrealistic expectations of sex and of the female form. And for girls and women
\nalike, whether they are themselves consumers of pornography or not, images of
\nwomen in porn aren\u2019t easy to avoid and can shape their concept of beauty and
\nresult in added insecurity and pressure to conform to the beauty standards presented
\nby an industry whose main targeted audience is predominantly male. However,
\ncurrently pornography is no longer associated with being a form of
\n\u201centertainment\u201d used exclusively by men, the use of erotica with women has
\nbecome more widely acknowledged and socially acceptable, and has received
\nacclaim from various feminists such as Betty Dodson, who praise pornography for
\nits role in female empowerment and sexual liberation[20]<\/a>.
\nIt has recently been found that teenagers and younger women were more likely to
\nactively seek out porn than women over 25[21]<\/a>.
\nRegarding body image this is quite worrying, if this is the kind of imagery
\nthat the younger generation of females are increasingly pursuing, it could alter
\ntheir self-perception and damage their self-esteem. <\/p>\n

Studies have repeatedly shown how the frequent viewing of pornography has severely influenced and weakened the viewers sexual desires and attraction for \u201creal\u201d people. Statistics claim that 75% of men consuming pornography would prefer their partners to look like their favourite porn stars.[22]<\/a> And a social experiment conducted in the 1980\u2019s by Dr. Jennings Bryant and Dr. Dolf Zillmann showed the results of what happened when 160 male and female participants were exposed to hourly six-week sessions of pornography, \u201cAfter consumption of pornography, subjects reported less satisfaction with their intimate partners affection, physical appearance, sexual curiosity, and sexual performance proper. These effects were uniform across gender and populations.\u201d[23]<\/a> Like pornography, the consumption of mass media and consumerism in modern society have similar effects on the population; lowered self-esteem, higher physical standards and distorted views of body image. <\/p>\n

Chapter 2.<\/h2>\n

Throughout history, and within many indigenous
\ncultures still active today, concepts of beauty have varied and changed. These
\nstandards can include almost anything from the receding hairlines of the
\nRenaissance period,[24]<\/a>
\nto the traditional t\u0101 moko (chin tattoo), a tradition within the Maori women
\nthat symbolizes beauty, identity and womanhood.[25]<\/a>
\nFor many cultures, beauty ideals are a result of tradition and have been
\nenforced for centuries, but for the remaining majority of the global population
\nthis is not the case. Our view of beauty is dictated by consumerism, capitalism
\nand globalisation. As the saying goes, \u201cbeauty is in the eye of the beholder\u201d,
\nand according to the 2015 documentary, \u201cThe Illusionists\u201d, \u201cIt also has a lot
\nto do with the beholders cultural environment. We can\u2019t discuss the evolution
\nof beauty ideals without discussing the rise of consumer culture, the two are
\ninextricably entwined.\u201d[26]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

During the beginning of the 20th<\/sup> Century consumers were frugal and bought products based upon their practicality and function. Ernest Dichter and Edward Bernays[27]<\/a> are the men responsible for revolutionizing marketing and advertising by connecting shopping to desire and emotion. By successfully romanticising consumerism, customers began to buy out of want rather than need.[28]<\/a> Now almost a century later, capitalism has boomed, and combined with the rise of the digital age and birth of the internet, multi-billion-dollar industries are experiencing an all-time high, particularly the beauty industry. In 21st<\/sup> Century consumer culture the bombardment of images depicting seemingly perfect women are everywhere. Advertisements and marketing campaigns promoting this flawless image of the female body saturate media, and industries such as the cosmetic surgery, anti-aging, fashion, cosmetics and diet industries profit remarkably. The selling of products relies heavily upon the images promoting them, and in displaying this image of elite female perfection, companies and brands are spreading a very simple yet effective message, a message that promises beauty, desire and happiness, but only to those who are willing to pay the right price. By promoting this unattainable body image, it increasingly encourages unhealthy feelings of low self-esteem, self-doubt and anxiety; it\u2019s the perfect marketing strategy. \u201cSex sells, what sells even more? Insecurity.\u201d[29]<\/a> Happy, satisfied and confident women, generally don\u2019t make good consumers, for a woman that is content with her appearance she may not necessarily see a need for dieting pills or miracle creams. And so, for industries to sell products and create substantial revenue, that same secure woman must then become insecure and self-deprecating, ever seeking the perfect products to transform her from flawed to flawless.[30]<\/a> Of course, the majority of these sought-after products very rarely deliver the desired effects, or at least permanent ones because if they did the industries who produced them wouldn\u2019t profit as successfully, it\u2019s an ingenious marketing ploy that keeps supply in demand, and dissatisfied costumers constantly consuming[31]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"
Figure 5- \u2018Cellulite: The Fat You Couldn\u2019t Lose Before\u2019, US Vogue Magazine Cover, 1968 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The numerous physical imperfections invented by
\nadvertising agencies, magazines and media has been an incredibly successful strategy
\nto create products and profit based on an \u2018imaginary\u2019, fabricated need. For
\nexample, throughout history cellulite was thought of as perfectly normal and healthy
\nbody fat, then in 1968, Vogue magazine published an article stigmatizing this
\ninevitable and natural characteristic.[32]<\/a>
\n[33]<\/a>
\nNow cellulite, a trait most people have regardless of shape and size, is a
\npopular object of scrutiny and dread among women and a common hot topic within
\nwomen\u2019s celebrity and lifestyle magazines.[34]<\/a>
\nAnti-cellulite creams and treatments are a thriving sector of the cosmetics
\nindustry. <\/p>\n

Advertisements promoting products often contain
\ncontradictory imagery. This has proven to be a powerful marketing tool for the
\ndiet and fast food industries. Commercials frequently portray sexualised images
\nof attractive, physically fit men and women indulging in unhealthy, calorific
\nand fatty foods, which send mixed messages to the viewers.[35]<\/a>
\nThe combination of the diet industry and fast food industry (including soft
\ndrinks and sweets), together create an incredible annual income of $1.39
\ntrillion worldwide.[36]<\/a>
\nIn April 2000 Unilever, the company that owns Dove and Fair and Lovely skin
\nwhitening cream, subsequently bought Slimfast and Ben & Jerry\u2019s on the same
\nday[37]<\/a>.
\nNo other business with a 98% failure rate is as successful as the dieting
\nindustry[38]<\/a>,
\nand like the anti-aging, relies on the failure of its consumers to create such
\nextensive profit. The vicious cycle of dieting and splurging is one that has
\nbenefited both trades for many decades but has also further endorsed a culture
\nof binge eaters, yoyo dieters and obsessive behaviour regarding body image and
\nweight, albeit these industries don\u2019t care about the well-being of the consumer
\nor whether you meet your goal weight or not, as long as the products keep
\nflying off the shelves and profit continuously increases[39]<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

One of the greatest problems with globalization are
\nthe effects of Westernisation in various countries across the world. Because of
\nthe authority and influence that Western society holds predominantly via mass
\nmedia, and the celebrities and cultural aspects it presents, many non-Caucasian,
\nnon-European men and women aspire to conform to the ideals presented within
\nWestern Culture.[40]<\/a> This
\nis in large part due to internalized racism because of colonialism[41]<\/a>,
\nespecially regarding beauty and physical appearance. However, another reason is
\nthat many of the men and women that belong to these countries believe that if
\nthey adopt the physical attributes typically associated with western body types,
\nthen they too, like countless white celebrities, can have success, status and
\npower because that is where such qualities come from.[42]<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019re losing bodies as fast as we\u2019re losing languages. Just as English has become the lingua franca of the world, so the white, blondified, small-nosed, pert breasted, long legged body is coming to stand in for the great variety of human bodies that there are.\u201d[43]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Encouraged endlessly by advertising and mass media, women
\n(and men, but to a lesser extent) often go to extreme lengths in pursuit of achieving
\nthe American and European beauty ideals. Countries such as South Korea, China
\nand Lebanon have seen a surge in cosmetic surgeries over the years. With
\n980,000 recorded procedures in 2014 alone and more surgeries per capita, Seoul,
\nthe South Korean capital city has been named the cosmetic surgery capital of
\nthe world,[44]<\/a> [45]<\/a>
\nand as 1 in 3 women have undergone plastic surgery in Lebanon, it is no
\nsurprise that banks provide special cosmetic surgery loans of up to $5,000.[46]<\/a>
\n[47]<\/a><\/p>\n

In countries such as India, Japan and even France, the ideal beauty comes in the form of a fairer complexion. \u00a0Advertisements upon advertisements hoard the men and women of these countries with the promise of a beautiful, flawless and fair skin tone, and that with this complexion love and professional success will surely follow.[48]<\/a> Since the 1970\u2019s skin lightening creams have seen exponential growth, in the Asia Pacific region 50 new creams are introduced annually.[49]<\/a> Of course, the models and actors\/actresses that are featured in skin lightening commercials are heavily edited and airbrushed, therefore creating the deceitful illusion that these products work, when in reality the effect of these creams are much subtler considering that their main ingredients include sunblock and exfoliants.[50]<\/a> Although there are still illegal bleaching creams responsible for causing cancer and disfiguration that are available on the black market, not only in India but in many countries where stigma surrounding darker skin tones still occurs, even in Europe.[51]<\/a> The digital lightening and airbrushing of dark skin tones don\u2019t exist exclusively for the marketing of whitening creams, but has made its way into mainstream media with the white washing of various celebrities. When comparing past and present magazine covers, music videos and ad campaigns featuring stars such as Beyonc\u00e9, Rhianna, Naomi Campbell[52]<\/a> and Nicki Minaj, the difference in the images are obvious and shocking, depicting the women as blonder, whiter and more westernized.[53]<\/a> <\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

When analysing the idea of beauty, it seems that it
\nhas long been a concept synonymous with femininity. For centuries through art,
\nliterature and even now in film, music and media, beauty is a quality heavily associated
\nwith women.[54]<\/a> [55]<\/a>This
\nis also evident in how the majority of beauty products are aimed towards women
\nand not at men. However, this is not to say that men don\u2019t long to be attractive
\nand desired just like their female counterparts. To quote Plato, \u201cThe three
\nwishes of every man: to be healthy, to be rich by honest means, and to be
\nbeautiful.\u201d[56]<\/a> But
\nif a man were to wear make-up (men that aren\u2019t professional models and actors)
\nor use the same cosmetic products that are targeted towards women, his
\nsexuality is automatically called into question, because these things are
\nrelated to womanliness. Typically, male beauty gets marketed quite differently;
\na man\u2019s attractiveness must correlate with his masculinity. Generally speaking,
\nthe same rules of beauty that are put in place for women, haven\u2019t always
\napplied to men. Take for example aging; when a man shows signs of aging it can
\ngive him added sex appeal and a look of maturity, whereas aging in women is
\nusually seen as unattractive and undesirable, a sign that a woman looks haggard
\nrather than empowered.[57]<\/a>
\n[58]<\/a>
\nAlthough this kind of hypocrisy still exists, it has slowly begun to change as
\nthe male skin care industry has grown dramatically. Before 2000 the industry
\ndid not exist but now earns $3 billion per year[59]<\/a>.
\nThe branding and marketing campaigns of skin care and cosmetic products aimed
\ntowards men usually feature fit, manly actors and athletes, so as to secure and
\nreassure the male masses of their masculinity and sexuality.[60]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

Despite magazines such as \u201cMen\u2019s Health\u201d, that
\npromote the masculine ideal, the magazine \u201cShortlist\u201d aimed at \u201cmen with more
\nthan one thing on their minds\u201d, has seemingly taken a more honest and open
\napproach in its first issue dedicated to male beauty. The front cover displays an
\nimage of actor Stephen Graham flaunting a full face of make-up, and the pages
\nthat follow contain articles with headlines such as \u201cBluff Yourself Beautiful\u201d,
\n\u201cWho\u2019s A Pretty Boy Then\u201d and \u201cBeauty Products to Pinch Off Your Girlfriend\u201d. Advice
\ncolumns on disguising hairlines, Botox, ridding yourself of signs of fatigue
\nand tricks on achieving the appearance of longer legs, fill the pages. Beside
\nthe table of contents lies a short, somewhat intimate editor\u2019s letter that
\nappeals directly to the reader and proclaims messages of self-love and leads on
\nto further claim, <\/p>\n

\u201cIn
\nthe past, \u2018beauty issues\u2019 were the sole preserve of women\u2019s magazines. But it\u2019s
\n2017 and gender norms are being shredded like beef shin ragu. In the same way
\nwomen can pursue careers as powerlifters and blacksmiths, we should be free to
\ndive face-first into the world of potions, emollients and youth-preserving
\ntinctures. Gentlemen: let\u2019s get pretty.\u201d[61]<\/a><\/p>\n

The magazine appears to have a positive and refreshing point of view towards male beauty ideals, by embracing beauty and rejecting the stigma that surrounds it. It seems like a progressive step forward in the male beauty world, one that could prove beneficial for both genders as it could help discard the negative associations of femininity, whilst also providing men with newfound freedom. However, the liberation of men\u2019s beauty will also prove beneficial to countless industries, now that men are increasingly jumping on the beauty band wagon, markets will expand, and the same tactics and manipulation used on women will also extend towards men.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

Chapter 3.<\/h2>\n
\n

\u201cThe Ideal Beauty is the source of untold human misery.\u201d[62]<\/a> <\/p>\n

(Polhemus, T., 1988)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In a day and age where the consumption of media is at
\nan astonishing high, statistics have shown that by the year 2020, the average
\nperson\u2019s expected media intake will reach 90 hours per week.[63]<\/a>
\nThe human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than words[64]<\/a>,
\nand considering that much of the media is visual, the incredible influence that
\nthis over-exposure holds is not surprising. In a culture where physical
\nappearance has become a quality more valued than any other, the rise of eating disorders
\nand disordered eating (the effects of poor body image and body related anxiety
\nthat result in disrupted eating patterns and dieting habits. Disordered eating
\nis not considered a disorder)[65]<\/a>
\nhas become an increasingly worrying global health crisis. Research has shown
\nthat 80% of 10-year-old girls in the United States have dieted at least once
\nand half of American teenage girls have resorted to the use of laxatives,
\nvomiting, smoking and not eating in attempts of controlling their weight[66]<\/a>.
\nWhat\u2019s more is that 70 million men and women worldwide suffer from eating
\ndisorders such as Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa and binge eating disorders,
\nand that the number of children under the ages of 12 that are hospitalized for
\neating disorders has increased by 119%[67]<\/a>.
\nThere are of course several factors that contribute towards eating disorders
\nother than societal pressure and body ideals, such as genetics and sexual abuse[68]<\/a>.
\nHowever, that does not lessen the accountability and involvement that diet
\nculture and media have in the development of these serious mental health
\nissues. <\/p>\n

The use of photo-editing software and airbrushing has
\nbecome a common tool used in many forms of media. For the most part it would be
\nan almost impossible task to find any un-edited images in magazines and
\ntelevision, the exception being images used for the purposes of body shaming. While
\nthe majority of models and celebrities make up a small percentage of elite
\nindividuals born beautiful by society\u2019s standards, in the world of beauty this is
\nstill not good enough. It is not uncommon for already thin models to be told to
\nlose weight by employers and to be put under immense pressure to obtain and
\npreserve an unhealthily skinny figure[69]<\/a>.
\nBut while the endorsing of these body types is harmful enough, to the public
\nand to the models themselves, much of the published imagery is heavily edited,
\ncreating bodies that without the use of photoshop, are humanly impossible to
\nachieve. In the words of Laura Mulvey, \u201cThe idealized body has become even more
\nidealized\u201d[70]<\/a>. <\/p>\n

There is no denying the harm caused by capitalism, consumerism
\nand mass media and how an epidemic of low self-esteem and distorted body image
\nis plaguing society, but what would happen if the beauty, diet and fashion
\nindustries etc were to simply close and discontinue? What would the
\nconsequences be, and would the world be better off? Well, to answer this
\nquestion in depth one would require a strong knowledge and understanding of
\neconomics, but as a brief speculation; without the trillions that such
\nindustries earn every year the economy would probably collapse, and millions of
\npeople would be left unemployed. And eventually other industries would rise and
\ntake their place to only continue the cycle of manipulation and brainwashing
\nfor profit. This would do very little to resolve the issue of body image and
\nwould only cause an even greater global crisis. However, the problem with such
\nindustries doesn\u2019t necessarily lie in the industries themselves but rather in
\nthe toxic tactics and ways in which they target, extort and body shame
\nconsumers. But without the use of such effective methods, large companies would
\nsee a considerable decline in income, resulting in more modest earnings. It
\nseems that the only way to effectively bring forth social change and put an end
\nto this epidemic of negative body image is to transform a narrow-minded society
\ninto one with diverse ideas of beauty, where bodies outside the \u201cideal\u201d will be
\naccepted and celebrated.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

In summary, the relevance of Wolf\u2019s theory regarding
\nthe beauty myth is still as prominent in society today as it was in the 1990\u2019s
\nwhen the book was first published. Although capitalism is the driving force
\nbehind modern beauty standards, the patriarchy still holds incredible influence
\nin dominating these ideals. This is evident particularly in the sheer
\nconcentration of beauty aimed towards women and how in a day and age where
\nwomen have had more freedom and advantages than ever before, they are still
\nvalued based on their looks. It is because of this that the standard of beauty
\nfor women has been set incredibly high, much higher than the standards for men.
\nAs earlier explained, the male beauty industry does exist, and men are used as
\ntools for profit and extortion just like women, however to a far less extent.
\nBased on the countless advertisements and products aimed towards females, not
\nto mention the societal pressure pushed upon them, when regarding male and
\nfemale beauty ideals there is no comparison. When it comes to beauty, society
\nis full of double standards; men are allowed much more freedom in their
\nappearances and how they present their bodies than women. Characteristics in
\nwomen such as signs of ageing and body hair are seen as grotesque and socially
\nunacceptable, a betrayal of femininity and beauty. Whereas, the same
\ncharacteristics in men are generally accepted and considered natural. Regardless
\nof gender, human beings are born naturally covered in hair, if women were not
\nmeant to have hair then they would have been born hairless. Such standards only
\nfurther separate men and women and create more needless inequality. <\/p>\n

The pressure of obtaining some form of ideal beauty
\nis something that has affected everyone, at least to some degree. Throughout
\nhistory there have always been beauty standards to some extent, however due to
\nthe unique technological advances of the 21st<\/sup> Century, there has
\nnever before been such an intense exposure as there is today. This has only
\ncaused an influx of insecurity and self-loathing within the global population,
\nresulting in the rise of eating disorders and poor mental health. However, as previously
\naddressed in chapter three, by putting an end to the industry\u2019s that endorse
\nand promote such unhealthy body image, it would only lead to greater problems
\nand wouldn\u2019t solve the issue at hand. Neither would giving in to the societal
\npressure and adhering to these ideals. For a person who struggles with
\nlow-self-esteem, the feelings of success, self-satisfaction and security when
\nachieving a target weight or any other \u201caccomplishment\u201d are fleeting and
\ntemporary and only feed the feelings of anxiety and self-deprecation when the sense
\nof achievement fades or when weight gain occurs. The only way to create a
\nlasting difference is to change the mind sets of the global population and our
\nperceptions of physical beauty. <\/p>\n

Recently, slightly more varied body types have been slowly
\nintegrated into mainstream media with the occasional token plus size model or
\nmodel with a darker than average skin tone. The level of diversity depicted
\nwithin mainstream media is still seriously lacking. Women of body sizes larger
\nthan the average supermodel (women whose bodies represent the majority) still
\nreceive media backlash because of their bodies, fat-shaming these women in
\narticles and social media. <\/p>\n

Finally in closing, if the minds of the masses were
\nto become unconditioned, and people changed the way they thought about beauty,
\nnot only would the levels of self-esteem rise and eating disorders decrease along
\nwith societal pressure, but industries and mass media would as a result be
\nforced to change their perspective on beauty as well, which would further
\nresult in the inclusion of bodies in the mainstream regardless of shape, size, ethnicity
\nor physical ability. And the stigma that surrounds this diversity would
\neventually disappear, creating a healthier, happier society.<\/p>\n

Bibliography<\/h2>\n

Books & E-Books<\/h3>\n