Aspects of beauty and its perceptions are one of the least understood topics in society today. The misunderstanding has resulted in different cultures putting splendor standards that lead to discrimination among society members (Skivko, 2016). Therefore, instead of socially accepting beauty standards, people should first beware of its consequences on gender, especially for women. Society has created expectations about beauty standards through celebrities and media, where women are expected to walk, dress, talk pretty, have perfect skin, watch their weight, and follow the latest fashion trends.
Summary
Beauty generally refers to the mixture of aesthetic qualities such as form, shape, and color that pleases eyesight. Good looks are divided into two broad branches: human beauty and that of the environment (Capaldi et al., 2017). The standards of beauty the society set for women are high to the extent that they cannot be sustained in old age. Letting the standards be accepted publicly has promoted discrimination toward women (Delplanque et al., 2019). People should beware of the harm caused by upholding unrealistic standards and try to salvage the situation.
Societal View on Beauty
Today, society emphasizes the importance of beauty at the expense of a woman’s health and morals, such as respect. An excellent example of how society perceives women is in the marketing and advertisement industries, where firms tend to use beautiful women as marketers to attract new customers and increase sales. Hence, many companies believe that a woman’s physical glamour helps them acquire new clients without a struggle (Delplanque et al., 2019). However, it is essential to note that physical beauty usually fades away with time as people continue to age. Lately, people tend to embark on the other types of beauty, often referred to as the soul’s beauty, which entails personality, sense of humor, intelligence, and character.
Environmental beauty such as architecture works encompassing unique buildings, bridges, and physical features such as mountains and water bodies are fundamental as they bring joy to sight. According to Skivko (2016), young people visit places rich in physical features to break class monotony. Adults often observe beautiful sites while depressed or when they need some refreshment. They are also used as sources of learning facilities for persons of all ages.
People need beauty, but it depends on which type of beauty is in question. For instance, children may only find beauty in toys while adults tend to view beauty in terms of their dressing and looks. Capaldi et al. (2017) postulate that women especially tend to look for perfection in their bodies and everything they do daily. Some have gone to the extent of undergoing surgery to modify their faces and other parts of their bodies (Delplanque et al., 2019). People need beauty in their lives contributed to their environment, e.g., a beautiful compound with a good house and a beautiful garden in the backyard.
Cultural Influence on Beauty
The view of people on attractiveness is highly influenced by culture. For instance, American culture perceives youthfulness as beauty; Europeans perceive flawless skin as ideal beauty, while Africans refer to the filled-out noticeable figure as prettiness (Capaldi et al., 2017). Many cultures have fueled the obsession with women being physically attractive, which has led to the introduction of beauty products, some of which are harmful to the body. Various traditions in the world hold physical allure in high regard, hence constructing quantitative measures of magnificence around it.
Media Effects on Beauty
There are particular types of good looks that the media have long forgotten and no longer classify as prettiness, including architecture and music. The press currently ranks architecture as more of a science than art, while music, on the other hand, is long forgotten when they talk about those categories (Delplanque et al., 2019). Our concepts about beauty can be globalized through the media’s help as most youth in this new generation use social media networks, and the information can travel faster.
There are various controversies about beauty in nature compared to that in human form. People have the beauty that fades away with time, while nature has an endless beauty that perpetually grows, for example, the sky, the moon, and the rivers (Capaldi et al., 2017). Men are interested in the beauty of other things than that of their own, while women always tend to be self-centered when it comes to beauty (Delplanque et al., 2019). Currently, places such as schools and interview rooms consider personal appearance to determine people’s impression and suitability.
Rebuttal
There is a positive side to society’s standards, and it has enabled some women to thrive and become successful. For example, a country that produces many models enables women to develop their careers in beauty. It has led to many other opportunities, such as selling cosmetics and fashion design. The beauty of nature and that in the human being are correlated and dependable to each other. Therefore, it is wrong to conclude that one has more glamour than the other. Cultural perception of prettiness has been interchanging between different communities across the world. The changes have been fueled mainly by the media and by the increased interaction of people worldwide.
In conclusion, this essay establishes that the physical beauty of human beings fades away with time. The beauty of nature and human beings are correlated and dependable on each other. Society has set unrealistic standards for women in terms of inexplicit beauty and should be overlooked and new ones put in place. Culture has largely influenced people’s perception of beauty interchanged due to interactions between different cultures through media and travel.
References
Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H., Ishii, R., Chistopolskaya, K. A., Vowinckel, J., Nikolaev, E. L., & Semikin, G. I. (2017). Engaging with natural beauty may be related to well-being because it connects people to nature: Evidence from three cultures. Ecopsychology, 9(4), 199-211.
Delplanque, J., De Loof, E., Janssens, C., & Verguts, T. (2019). The sound of beauty: How complexity determines aesthetic preference. Acta Psychologica, 192, 146-152.
Skivko, M. (2016). Touring the fashion: Branding the city. Journal of Consumer Culture, 16(2), 432-446.