Cause and Effect of the Obsession of Physical Appearance
The Impact of Society’s Obsession with Physical Appearance
Kathryn Kennedy
Keiser University
The Impact of Society’s Obsession with Physical Appearance What is beautiful? In today’s society there are many different ways in which we encounter expectations of what beautiful should be. Right now there are millions of people who look at themselves in the mirror and wish there was something that they could change about their physical appearance. It’s no help that wherever we turn there is a picture of a perfect woman, or man with perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair, and a perfect weight. Even when we watch our favorite TV shows, and commercials we are looking at an actor, or actress who has a makeup artist to enhance their look before going on camera. When we see the media constantly portray beauty in a certain way we begin to believe we need to look a certain way, or even begin to obsess over it. Obsessing over physical appearance can cause people to take it to the extreme by undergoing plastic surgery to drastically change their physical appearance, or even put their own physical health in danger by developing eating disorders. Others become severely depressed, and have a low self-esteem because of what they look like. People tend to become fixated on their appearance, and it can turn into a full-blown obsession. Some people take the obsession of physical appearance to the extreme by spending thousands of dollars on plastic surgery to drastically change their look. There has been instances where people have spent over fifty thousand dollars to look like celebrities. Recently a woman spent that amount to be transformed into Kim Kardashian, and a man spent the same to look like Justin Bieber. Plastic surgery is undeniably expensive, and takes weeks maybe even months of recovery. There are people who are willing to spend their life savings, and suffer any consequences of a possible surgery gone wrong just to change their appearance. “In the
Kathryn Kennedy
Keiser University
The Impact of Society’s Obsession with Physical Appearance What is beautiful? In today’s society there are many different ways in which we encounter expectations of what beautiful should be. Right now there are millions of people who look at themselves in the mirror and wish there was something that they could change about their physical appearance. It’s no help that wherever we turn there is a picture of a perfect woman, or man with perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair, and a perfect weight. Even when we watch our favorite TV shows, and commercials we are looking at an actor, or actress who has a makeup artist to enhance their look before going on camera. When we see the media constantly portray beauty in a certain way we begin to believe we need to look a certain way, or even begin to obsess over it. Obsessing over physical appearance can cause people to take it to the extreme by undergoing plastic surgery to drastically change their physical appearance, or even put their own physical health in danger by developing eating disorders. Others become severely depressed, and have a low self-esteem because of what they look like. People tend to become fixated on their appearance, and it can turn into a full-blown obsession. Some people take the obsession of physical appearance to the extreme by spending thousands of dollars on plastic surgery to drastically change their look. There has been instances where people have spent over fifty thousand dollars to look like celebrities. Recently a woman spent that amount to be transformed into Kim Kardashian, and a man spent the same to look like Justin Bieber. Plastic surgery is undeniably expensive, and takes weeks maybe even months of recovery. There are people who are willing to spend their life savings, and suffer any consequences of a possible surgery gone wrong just to change their appearance. “In the
References: Didie, E. R.; Howes, S.; Loerke. E. H.; Phillips, K. A. (Jun 2012). Severity of Interpersonal Problems in Individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Journal of Personality Disorders, 26(3), 345-356. Retrieved from:http://search.proquest.com/docview/1019735154/fulltextPDF/931C942C01548 85PQ/1?accountid=35796# USA Today. (Sep 1994). Plastic Surgery. No Longer Just for the Rich and Vein, 23, 60-62. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/214589170/abstract/C0700F57267C45ADPQ/2?accountid=35796