Bad Influence from Unrealistic Image
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Bad Influence from Unrealistic Image
Internationally, the media plays a significant role in economic and social growth. Besides, businesses and the entire private and public sector highly contribute to national growth and improved living standards. However, there is a growing culture for glorifying unrealistic images of perfect body complexion for women in the media. Notably, businesses and advertisers are increasingly using these modified and manipulated images to attract more customers to their businesses. While advertisements are traditionally useful marketing tools for businesses, marketers are sending wrong messages to most of the young people by using manipulated “perfect looking” images. This paper argues that the use of unrealistic physic perfection images for women is bad and thus should be restricted.
Sean Rossman, the author of the article “Americans are spending more than ever on plastic surgery,” and a journalist at the USA Today Network, helps most of the consumers to clearly and correctly interpret various advertisements with informed minds. While quoting a report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Rossman asserts that in the year 2016, “Americans spent more than $16 billion on cosmetic plastic surgeries and minimally invasive procedures” (Rossman, 2017). According to the plastic surgeons’ report, 2016 recorded the highest expenditure on these kinds of surgeries. In the modern world, media content containing unrealistic physic perfection images for women is available in various locations, including in the internet, magazines, newspapers, televisions, and social media. Limiting the use of these untrue images can significantly help to develop a good society in the United States and other parts of the world. Notably, advertisers often use graphic tools to manipulate the appearances of images in their adverts towards creating “perfect models.” However, many young viewers are likely to have wrong interpretations and hence use incorrect procedures to look good.
For instance, many young girls with big bodies are likely to use every available procedure given by their peers likely to make them have slim bodies. However, sometimes the methods may not be successful. As such, these young girls start developing anxieties and low self-esteem. Eventually, a significant population of the youths is developing withdrawal syndrome, among other cognitive challenges due to the corrupt and unrealistic images for women’s physic perfection on the media. Most of the model images appearing in many advertisements are “too perfect” to be true. In the article “False beauty in advertising and the pressure to look ‘good,'” a CNN journalist, Jo Swinson argues that although most images in the advertisements are unreal, many young adults and the youths continue to aspire these technologically modified outlooks that are naturally impossible. Therefore, these unrealistic images are deceitful and corrupt the minds of many women while introducing bad behaviors.
A recent study among the youths shows that a significant number of young girls are developing emotional and psychological challenges because of bullying by the naturally slim girls or by some of the young males. These experiences establish a negative self-image, among other mental problems among the young girls. As such, these influences are significant societal concerns that cannot be solved by impossible attempts to look for perfection but by restricting the use and appearances of these false model appearances in the adverts. Empirical and scientific evidence links negative body image among women and the exposure to untrue pictures from the media. While a few photos could be real, the growing culture will erode the essence of recognizing talents in society. Notably, individuals have different abilities and hence should use the talents to complement each other rather than rebuking one another. As such, limiting the use of these unrealistic model images will significantly help to restore sanity in the society.
Marketers use these “perfect-looking models” on the advertisements as a selling strategy without caring about the consumers’ health concerns arising from the images. According to Swinson (2011), these unrealistic images influence wrong self-perception among different people, particularly young women. He continues to argue that people with negative self-perception on their body image “can develop eating disorders, turn to diet pills or steroids, or try cosmetic surgery and Botox injections” while trying to develop such unrealistic bodies appearing on the adverts. Consequently, the victims may harm both their bodies and cognitive health.
For instance, many young girls in china and some parts of the United States are tirelessly looking for strategies to have skinny body shapes regardless of any health implications just because they want to look like someone they saw on an advert (Swinson, 2011). As such, already skinny marketers in China have developed a marketing phrase, “do you want to look like me?” it is apparent that when a young girl consumer purchases the product, she will be looking for a shape similar to that of the marketer. Notably, many young girls begin to starve themselves as a strategy to make them lose weight while others inject or consume some medicines for a similar purpose. Consequently, a lot of girls would end up developing stomach concerns and anorexia for starving. It is thus clear that some of the social and health problems experienced by modern society are developed by petty issues, including misinterpretation of the rampant use of unrealistic images for women’s body perfection. Restrictions on the usage of these images can, therefore, help to reduce these psychophysiological and social disorders in society.
As earlier highlighted, plastic surgery is one of the most developing challenges from the use of untrue images. Usually, marketers use “perfect models” that have a perfect body and facial appearance that attracts everyone. However, this beauty can hardly be achieved through natural means, medicine, diet, or age. When people use prior methods unsuccessfully, they begin to think and save money for plastic surgeries. Although plastic surgery is believed to be one of the contemporary medicine for some injuries, including severe burns and congenital issues, people are increasingly abusing it for misplaced priorities. In the United States, for instance, most of the plastic surgeries involve beauty where individuals are copying appearances of some models found in the advertisements.
Although plastic surgery involves risky procedures, and hence the individuals are vulnerable to various risks such as nerve damages, pulmonary embolism, hematoma, and deep vein thrombosis, sometimes the entire process and procedures are unsuccessful. Therefore, many people end up developing cognitive and emotional challenges due to disappointments. For instance, some people who seek facial surgery may have ugly faces with unhealthy sports or scars, while individuals looking for breast surgery are likely to experience asymmetry or contouring challenges. Rossman asserts that in the year 2016, “Americans spent more than $16 billion on cosmetic plastic surgeries and minimally invasive procedures” (Rossman, 2017). The research shows that Koreans conduct the highest number of plastic surgeries across Asia and beyond. Although China records a very high number of surgeries every year, it is only the second from Korea, while other Asian countries follow. Interestingly, among more than 60% of the plastic surgery operations across the globe involving beauty, more than 30% are reasonably unsuccessful, leaving the clients with unresolved challenges that are likely to create even worse problems than the initial beauty concerns (Rossman, 2017). Therefore, developing policies, structures, and behaviors that restrict the use of unrealistic body perfection images can help to shape society while saving considerable money for other priorities.
According to the Center for Diseases Control, the United States spends a significant amount on health. Notably, cognitive and mental challenges consume a considerable proportion. As demonstrated above, some cognitive, social, and mental disorders are caused by unsuccessful plastic surgeries, bullying due to body image, low self-esteem, and other concerns relating to body image. However, much of these perceptions are caused by the desire to develop an “unrealistic perfect physic” as traced to the advertisements. In light of this, it is essential to restrict the use of these untrue and deceiving appearances of perfect models that create unwarranted thoughts, especially among the youth girls and young adult females. Individuals have unique beauty points, including skin complexion, personality, hair color, and outlook or outfit designs. Without the excessive use of unrealistic model images in the media, people can accept and admire their appearances or physic and thus the need to limit this element that is increasingly corrupting and changing culture in the society.
Conclusion
People will always make a good society when they believe, respect, and love themselves while increasingly develop positive self-perception. However, the current trend of using unrealistic “perfect body model” images on the advertisements is rapidly eroding the desire for natural beauty and acceptance of oneself. Additionally, these images are highly developing misplaced priorities, including expensive and sometimes unsuccessful plastic surgeries, starving, and the use of medicines that may end up influencing other health challenges. Besides, countries are increasingly spending on some health concerns that could otherwise have not emerged. Therefore, limiting the use of untrue images of models towards developing perfect physic among women, can significantly resolve several challenges in society, including health and lifestyle-related problems.
References
Rossman, S. (2017). “Americans are spending more than ever on plastic surgery.” Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/04/12/americans-spending-more-than-ever-plastic-surgery/100365258/
Swinson, J. (2011). “False beauty in advertising and the pressure to look ‘good.'” Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/08/swinson.airbrushing.ads/index.html