Does American Society Put Too Much Emphasis on Physical Appearance? Essay Example

When you watch television, it is challenging to finish a program without seeing an advertisement for cosmetics or fashion at least once. In these commercials, companies focus on emphasizing the beauty of the actors because doing so helps them sell their products. However, these strategies also help the viewer develop unrealistic expectations with regards to beauty standards. Overall, such emphasis on physical appearance distracts Americans from what really matters; our health, safety, and sense of belonging. Thus, it is apparent that focusing too much on outside beauty prevents us from being able to achieve happiness.

Focusing too much on the physical appearance of people is a problem. In doing so, people lose the ability to live their lives according to their own perceptions and desires. In, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business But My Own”, the author argues that “…Allow me to say that it’s none of your goddamned business if I dye my hair, take Botox, get a facelift or augment/decrease my boob size” (Gaines 1). This shows us that it is important to consider the negative consequences that an intense focus on the importance of beauty has on the population. Due to these standards, there are some people who strive to fit the mold. While there are still those who act against these popular trends, they are often made to feel inferior for not agreeing with the majority. It is apparent that this contributes to the sense of depression that many young girls feel about their appearance. This is a problem that can impact both men and women. Furthermore, a growing proportion of youth have begun to suffer from self-esteem and mental problems related to self-perception issues. Therefore, it is clear that American society puts too much emphasis on physical appearance, which is becoming problematic because it is damaging even for those that attempt to evade the appearance standards that are so regularly promoted by the media. It is valuable for us to retaliate against this emphasis on beauty. Doing so will help young women be more self-confident and therefore live higher quality lives.

An additional problem concerning the emphasis on physical appearance in America is that children are starting to wear makeup at an earlier age than they ever have before. According to a publication in Newsweek, “Reared on reality TV and celebrity makeovers, girls as young as Marleigh are using beauty products earlier, spending more and still feeling worse about themselves. Four years ago, a survey by the NPD Group showed that, on average, women began using beauty products at 17” (Bennett). Young girls are wearing makeup at young ages and this doesn’t make them feel better about themselves. It is apparent that the focus that the country has on physical appearance is contributing to the creation of a negative effect. To explain this phenomenon, the author argues, “To start, this is a group that’s grown up on pop culture that screams, again and again, that everything, everything, is a candidate for upgrading” (Bennett). Since young girls are influenced by the media, this is partially the fault of this industry. Thus, it is important to consider that the media doesn’t exist just for entertainment, it also works to sell products. However, it is important to help young women distinguish between truth and advertising. Overall, the media misleads young women and it is important to help protect their mental well-being. Protecting our youth is a necessity. It is therefore essential to prevent physical appearance from having so much emphasis in society.

In conclusion, too much emphasis is put on physical appearance in society. This is damaging the ego and therefore well-being of youth around the country. In order to protect our youth, it is necessary to take action to reverse these societal beliefs about beauty. Instead, we must emphasize the importance of self-esteem, intelligence, and other factors, because these are the characteristics that allow for the greatest contributions to society.