Beauty...

We live in a very peculiar world, where society is constantly trying to shape how we think about ourselves by displacing one image of the 'self' with another. An example of this is the concept of 'beauty'.

For now, we hold 'beauty' to be what would be defined as what is physically attractive, as in what we would see on the covers of contemporary fashion magazines. Society, or rather the mass media of which society uses a medium to convey its opinion, tries to shape us into this 'perfect' image. It tells us that pursuit of 'beauty' (as in the beauty it defines) will bring self-confidence to the pursuer. Those who are not born or do not try to conform with or follow this prescription are looked upon as 'imperfect'. They do not appear as how one should appear, and therefore they are not 'beautiful'. Yet, they do not have to be condemned to be this way! There are myriad of methods to 'correct' this 'imperfection'. Make up, fashionable clothing, plastic surgery...all of these are 'cures' for this 'disease of imperfection'!

So we live our lives constantly being told how undesirable we are, how ugly we look, with the comparison of what is 'desirable' and 'beautiful' inevitably drawn from the celebrities and models whose images adorn the different forms of mass media. Those who choose not to listen despite hearing these messages, messages that bombard us relentless everyday and everywhere we go in our modern world, are labeled as 'freaks'. How could they not want to be beautiful? Especially when a wide range of products are available to them on the market to 'improve' their pathetic selves?

And so this is the norm. Or rather, it is the hegemony we have accepted.

But this conception of beauty has not always existed in its current state in history, or even in every culture in contemporary societies. Nor will it likely continue to persist in this form into the foreseeable future. Already, there are signs that this is changing. And it comes from who else but the mass media itself!

An example of this is the trend of the 'no make up' look. Celebrities and models are increasingly embracing the au naturel look because 'natural beauty' is now considered to be more 'desirable'. The media plays its part by conveying to readers and television viewers that this, now, is 'beauty'. Or rather, the media is 'selling' this look as the latest fashionable trend.

Just not so long ago, tabloids and fashion magazines were denouncing 'make up-less' celebrities, citing unflattering pictures of them as incriminating evidence of their transgression to beauty. Of course, they do not mention the fact that anyone, if being photographed in the wrong instant in the wrong way, could look horrendous; just as anyone, if being photographed at the right instant in the right way, could look 'beautiful'. But these are merely images, they do not necessarily represent the actual 'self' of the particular person. Merely the 'image of the self'. We do not actually know a lot about these people just based on how they look. And so we go on to read about how they live their lives, for which celebrity rags will often 'rag' the celebrities to provide entertaining gossip. So we still do not know how they are as people. But I digress.

Another example is the popularity of Lady Gaga and like public figures. How could some one dressed like a freak-show be on the cover of magazines!? She is definitely not 'beautiful' in the sense that we have been conditioned to view as 'beauty' up until now. Her fashion-sense is in many ways the complete opposite of convention. Yet, this is increasingly being accepted as 'beautiful' in one way or another. For this 'alternative' image of 'beauty' is being plastered on every single advertising surface that will have it. And so it is increasingly becoming accepted just as much as what has been the 'conventional' definition of 'beauty'.

So looking at how it is possible to distort and twist the idea of 'beauty' with such images, why is it that we still subject ourselves to following what we are told to be 'beautiful'? Certainly, there is some value to dressing well and looking presentable, for there are many social situations that require a particular 'look' (this is just one of the realities of society), but for this function there are no clear judgments of 'beauty' per se. 'Beauty' might play a role, but more often than not there are other elements that are of greater importance that reduces its usefulness. And whatever usefulness of 'beauty', in its current definition by society, becomes obsolete with the onset of time and the inevitable process of aging. One can, and many do, try to find means to 'preserve' this 'beauty', but it is often futile. For a face injected full of toxins is not a real face anymore, but just a hideous image of what once was considered 'beautiful'. So 'beauty' is not ever-lasting either.

At the end of the day, do we really need to concern ourselves with what is 'beauty' if it is often just a different image projected by society at different times? Perhaps a little, for it is useful in many cases when trying to live (or be left alone) in peace as a member of society. But should we feel ourselves less 'beautiful' if we decide not to 'live up' to this image at every single instant of our lives? Certainly not.