The Influence of Media on Perception of Beauty - 2091 Words

The influence of the media on our perception of female beauty Defining beauty is not without its challenges: look up the definition of beauty in any english dictionary and one will be met with an ambiguous description similar to this: A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense (Newman 2010) acknowledges the dilemma in asking what beauty is. She maintains we grope around the edges of the question as if trying to get a toe-hold on a cloud. We know it when we see it, or so we think. Philosophers construct beauty as a moral equation (Newman 2010). Plato once said that what is beautiful is good. Poets reach for the lofty, according to (Newman 2010). Jean Pullman wrote true beauty is how she acts,†¦show more content†¦According to (Kite 2011) images of white women dominate the media, which creates a negative impact on women who are not of a white ethnicity. Celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles and Aiswarya Rai who are successful actresses in their own right, have experienced what is known as the whitewashing of the media (Beauty Redefined 2011). In advertisements and magazine features these women have been subjected to this harmful media representation where their dark skin has been noticeably whitened before publication. See Figure 1 and 2 where you wil l see two photographs of both women, one of before each were whitewashed and one afterwards.The media digitally lighten both the skin and hair colour. The transformation of both women is very disturbing. The actresses are considered beautiful women but when they are respresented as beauty icons in the media, they fit the white ideal – light skin, light-colored hair and lightened eyes (Beauty Redefined 2011). In Killing Us Softly, a documentary made by Jean Killbourne in 2010, Jean confirms this. In it she says that women of colour are considered beautiful only if they fullfill the white ideal that is light skin, hair, eyes and caucasian features (Kilbourne 2010). In Asia beauty is often equated with white skin. In fact it has spawned a lucrative and dangerous industry of skin-bleaching products (Hwang Lynch 2011). According to (Hwang Lynch 2011) theShow MoreRelatedMedia s Influence On The Perception Of Beauty1389 Words   |  6 Pagesdefine beauty? The answer is seemingly yes, though agreement on said definition(s) is an entirely different matter. Some concepts have the luxury of general consensus. Of course, where there is consensus on definition, there will be debate on operationalization. Nothing remains unchallenged. Beauty, however, is in a class of the transient, the ineffable, and the ephemeral. The word is just a word, but the identity ascribed to it is of the mysterious. So how does one begin to define beauty if suchRead MoreThe Influence Of Media Reporting On Society s Perception Of Beauty1730 Words   |  7 PagesIt is evident that over the last decade the media has created an image that is unrealistic and unattainable for teenage girls. As such, based upon a macro perspective, the societal roles, status and expectations of young women have been impacted negatively. This paper will analyze how the combination of media reporting, socioeconomics and sociocultural factors contribute to the development of eating disorders as well as how society s perception of beauty has been distorted. This paper will furtherRead More‚Äà ºMass Media (Television, the Internet, Advertising) Influence Youth Too Much Nowadays.‚Äà ¹ to What Extent Is This True?794 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Mass media (television, the internet, advertising) influence youth too much nowadays.† To what extent is this true? In the recent years, the prevalence of mass media has been undeniable. All over the world, youths have access to mass media through their smartphones, television sets and computers. In such a media-driven world, it is no surprise that mass media has come to play a substantial role in the attitudes and mindsets of youth. To a large extent, mass media does have the power to influenceRead MoreSocietal Standards Of Female Beauty1282 Words   |  6 PagesMedia is something every female and male look to for guidance when it comes to fashion, beauty, and information. â€Å"Magazines and advertisements are used to help women better themselves by giving information and products to make them look and feel better† (Serdar 1). Without magazines and advertisements there wouldn t be an exact focus on beauty standards.. People would have the freedom to choose what they like and what they consider beautiful instead of following the crowd. â€Å"Sociocultural standardsRead MoreThe Culture o f Beauty Essay873 Words   |  4 Pagesmain reason for this is because everyone is an individual with their own perceptions. In addition, another reason is because of the culture they have grown up in and learned to accept. One’s cultural perception has a huge impact on their idea of beauty. Each cultural group has invented their own ideas to reflect their natural idea of beauty. A broad example would be the Eastern and Western ideals of beauty. The Western beauty is described as white, usually tan, thin, large breasts, small waists, andRead MoreImpact Of Advertising On Female Identity Formation1592 Words   |  7 Pagesculture is highly concerned with beauty. From magazine to television advertisements, women are bombarded with images of perfection—perfect figure, perfect hair, and perfect skin. Moreover, advertisements sell products that would help improve women’s appearance. The problem with these advertisements is the subjectivity of beauty as a whole. Eve ry individual has his or her own preference and perspective on what it means to be beautiful, but for advertisements beauty is obtaining perfection. One ofRead MoreMedia and Its Effects on Society1437 Words   |  6 PagesMedia and its Effects on Society Media plays a crucial role in our life nowadays. It serves as a bridge that connects people to the world, leading to a global exchange of information and knowledge. Media also offers platform for people to voice their thoughts on political and social issues, providing room for different perspectives. Unquestionably, media affects our life in nearly every ways. With a turn of a magazine page, a tune on a radio, or a flip of a TV channel, media somewhat plays a partRead MoreThe Little Mermaid : A Sociological Idea Essay947 Words   |  4 Pagesgender norms over time. Women, for centuries, are few as the homemakers and often viewed as intelligent. Despite living in the twentieth century with greater equality, one does not need to go far to see how society and media influence our perception of gender. Advertisements in various media persuade its audience to buying their products. However, the means of attracting and persuading the audience can have underlying messages. Even in entertain ment for young girls these underlying messages are prevalentRead MoreMedia Consumption Of Non Western Countries1414 Words   |  6 PagesMedia Consumption in Non-Western Countries The usage of media in Non-Western countries has been spreading as technology and social media have become the focus for most teenagers and young adults. Contrary to the assumption that Western countries are the only nations that have a population obsessed with media, statistics have shown that other developing countries are experiencing a significant increase in advanced technology usage such as using smartphones more frequently along with internet usageRead MoreBeauty Between Beauty And Beauty1140 Words   |  5 PagesBeauty has become a major topic in our society for quite some time. This has led it to become regarded as important and an ongoing issue. Beauty is depicted based on how it is perceived by a certain class, race, and gender. Eventually changing the definition of how beauty is viewed. Beauty however, has become more important to women as majority research focuses on gender difference and the experience of physical attractiveness (Poran 2002). Since the early centuries , there have been numerous attempts