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Circulation of Beliefs about Beauty in Contemporary North American Society
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Circulation of Beliefs about Beauty in Contemporary North American Society
The phrase that beauty is in the eye of the beholder no longer holds. Today, in North America more than elsewhere in the world, society dictates beauty. The North American notion of beauty is governed by cultural and social influences and ideals of aesthetics established by fashion requirements of the present age (Zaborkis 1). Women, and occasionally men, frequently go to great extents and a immense suffering to reach that unattainable standard of beauty. It does not help that the North American culture and attitude of perfection has soaked into the definition of beauty (Argo and Dahl 976). The standardization of beauty across the North American culture to match a singular path of perfect height, hair, light eyes, youthfulness, glowing skin, high heels, certain clothing, and any other subcultural dictates have circulated to create impossible demands on women of all ages leading to social issues, isolation, and non-conformity problems.
People have strived to look their finest since the dawn of humanity. Nonetheless, society has a significant role in determining what is attractive. In North America, for example, maintaining a youthful appearance has traditionally been seen as a significant aspect of attractiveness, particularly among women of all ages who want naturally flawless skin and other standards that require enhancements as one ages. The majority of people in North America value fairness, especially persons of color who live in areas where it is valued (Brown 74). Women with a larger body, long, bouncy hair, and a healthy shine to their complexion are viewed as more beautiful in particular age groups. For example, the number of women who get cosmetic procedures to enhance their appearance and fulfill beauty standards such as having fuller lips, smaller bodies, and larger breasts has steadily increased over the previous several decades (Alotaibi 9). A thinner figure is viewed as a key aspect of being beautiful in most locations across the globe. Women’s aspirations in North America, on the other hand, have reached unprecedented heights, as have the demands placed on them to match those expectations. People have started to associate physical appearance with positive outcomes such as happiness and financial success as the globe has grown more linked. As a consequence, North American women began to want the cultural conceptions of what was attractive. Being tall, fair, and slim, as well as possessing light eyes and hair, were formerly considered the most attractive attributes.
The phrase “beautiful” is highly prized by both men and women. In today’s culture, what is considered beautiful and how people need to conduct themselves are both determined by materialism and commercialism. Both men and women fall victim to this trap, and once within, they are conditioned to want to conform to an idealized depiction of what constitutes a beautiful man or woman (Reid‐de Jong and Bruce 55). According to the findings of psychological research, all of these things occur as a direct consequence of the prejudices and constructions that are the product of the social norms that are prevalent in modern society (Elliott 1). When a person’s identity and their physical appearance are intertwined, the influence of cultural imperialism has a huge effect on how they evaluate beauty. This is especially true in Canada, where commercialism and consumerism both play a significant role in the economy (Veresiu and Parmentier 265). Women are attracted to what is considered beautiful by society, such as having a small waist, long legs, narrow hips, long, lustrous hair, a light complexion, and thin bodies. Societal standards of beauty are always shifting. Men are judged according to their muscularity, tone, and shape, as well as other masculine traits that define attractiveness in today’s society, such as whether or not they have hair on their chests. As a direct consequence of this, it is plain to see that the size of both men and women shown in the media has decreased throughout the course of time. Indeed, this is a perfect instance of the new beauty mania that has recently evolved in our society.
In contemporary North American culture, individuals’ high standards of beauty have given rise to problems in a variety of facets of life, including their physical and mental health. Yan and Bissell (197) highlight the development of “lifestyle conformity anxieties,” which include concerns about one’s health, disappointments, impossible goals, and a society that is always seeking to be flawless. Ideas regarding what constitutes beauty have played a role in contributing to this rise. Eating disorders are often brought on by one’s own preconceived ideas about how one’s body ought to look, for instance (Reid‐de Jong and Bruce 55). Researchers eventually determined that the desire to be thin, which arises from unhappiness with one’s looks, is what causes anorexia and bulimia. This was a significant discovery. Anorexia and bulimia are both caused by others who are against the thin-ideal view of beauty as well as others who find beauty in curves. Others who see beauty in curves. The idealized sense of beauty that exists in today’s culture is being criticized by these people. On the other hand, the criticism has gone too far, as shown by the fact that eating disorders and obesity have been brought up. According to studies, being overweight may cause a person to experience psychological discomfort, which in turn can have an effect on a person’s body image, which in turn can lower a person’s quality of life (Afful and Ricciardelli 454). When seen from a psychological point of view, obesity is considered to be one of the most embarrassing features of society. It would seem that people in North American culture have a natural bias towards those who are overweight. Having an interest in the aesthetic standards and conceptions that are widespread in North American culture has important ramifications for one’s health as well as the general enjoyment that may be derived from living one’s life.
The problem is more prevalent for women than it is for any other social or demographic segment in North America because of the expectations placed on them by culture, fellow women, the workplace, communities, social media, and other areas of life. This is different for other regions like China where macho men are the societal symbol of what a man should be (Elliott 1). Body image is a challenging subject since it is made up of a personal belief, emotions, feelings, moods, and actions (Brown 67). Women’s mental health may be influenced by how they see themselves and feel about their physique. Women who are self-conscious about their looks are more prone to have eating disorders, physical problems, mental health problems, and other conditions that make it difficult for them to work and earn a living. Reading women’s publications, being on social media, and following influencers and social leaders cause more than 70% of college-aged women feel horrible about their own beauty, according to poll data (Esmonde 77). Finally, it seems that this problem will intensify, affecting not just women but also men, the elderly, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, and a wide range of other groups.
In conclusion, the standardization of beauty across North American culture to match a single predefined path of perfection dictated by society has circulated, creating impossible demands on women of all ages, leading to social problems, isolation, and non-conformity issues. unfortunately, there seems to be no positive aspects related to the definition of beauty on a cultural and societal level. However, the consequences continue to pile up, especially for women who are constantly expected to fit into a predetermined “box” of what beauty entails. As the problem begins to extend to men and other social categories, it is important for individuals to begin stepping away from these expectations.
Works Cited
Afful, Adwoa A., and Rose Ricciardelli. “Shaping the online fat acceptance movement: Talking about body image and beauty standards.” Journal of Gender Studies 24.4 (2015): 453-472.
Alotaibi, Ahmed S. “Demographic and cultural differences in the acceptance and pursuit of cosmetic surgery: a systematic literature review.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open 9.3 (2021).
Argo, Jennifer J., and Darren W. Dahl. “Standards of beauty: The impact of mannequins in the retail context.” Journal of Consumer Research 44.5 (2018): 974-990.
Brown, Shaunasea. “Don’t touch my hair”: Problematizing representations of Black women in Canada.” Journal of Pan African Studies 12.8 (2018): 64-86.
Elliot, Josh. “China bans ‘sissy’ and ‘effeminate’ men under new macho media rules.” Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/8164763/china-ban-sissy-men-effeminate/
Esmonde, Katelyn. “‘There’s only so much data you can handle in your life’: Accommodating and resisting self-surveillance in women’s running and fitness tracking practices.” Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health 12.1 (2020): 76-90.
Reid‐de Jong, Victoria, and Anne Bruce. “Mastectomy tattoos: An emerging alternative for reclaiming self.” Nursing Forum. Vol. 55. No. 4. 2020.
Veresiu, Ela, and Marie-Agnès Parmentier. “Advanced style influencers: Confronting gendered ageism in fashion and beauty markets.” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research 6.2 (2021): 263-273.
Yan, Yan, and Kim Bissell. “The globalization of beauty: How is ideal beauty influenced by globally published fashion and beauty magazines?.” Journal of Intercultural Communication Research 43.3 (2014): 194-214.
Zaborskis, Mary. “Gender Studies: Foundations and Key Concepts.” JStor Daily (2018).
My Memory
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My Memory
My memory of the visit to Hollywood is semantic. The picture that involves the experience I quite remember very well is my visit to Hollywood with my sister. I remember how we planned our trip for almost six months, trying to ensure that we put in place every bit of it to ensure everything went as planned. We planned a trip to Hollywood, where we had one of the best experiences by visiting different parts of Hollywood. I recall that both of us were looking forward to visiting the Walk of Fame and seeing the ‘Hollywood Sign. I can recall that we were all aware that any visit to Hollywood required one to make specific visits and take certain pictures for their memory. It is no secret that many people believe one cannot experience a Hollywood visit without making the Walk of Fame, and we made it a priority during the visit. I remember that once we were there, we took several pictures of celebrity names embedded in the ‘Walk of Fame.’ I can relive the experience of seeing the Walk of Fame and how I felt close to the numerous celebrities. We took significant time on the Walk of Fame trying to sport the names of some of our celebrity idols, and it was the apex of our visit. I remember we visited a movie theatre and were amazed at how big it was. The movie studio visit allowed us to see a movie set, which was my first experience.
My recollection of the visit is significantly influenced by the media reports of Hollywood and the general perception that people have about it. However, I knew Hollywood was the bedrock of movie production and celebrity living in the world, and visiting ensured that I created a physical connection with the place. The fact that we came across some stars during our visit helped enhance my memory of what transpired during the tour.
My Sister’s Memory
My sister remembers the moment we decided that we were going to visit Hollywood. He recalls that at first, my mum was skeptical about the trip and was against such plans. She had refused to help us finance the journey and even forbade us from borrowing her car for the trip. After several days of persuading her, she finally allowed us to visit, a condition that my elder sister would take responsibility for the entire trip and ensure I was safe. She also recalls that during our journey to Hollywood, our vehicle broke down, and we had to call mum so that she could help us pay for the repairs. During our time in Hollywood, my sister remembers that we had our camera, and we took many pictures to help us preserve our experiences and be proof of our tour. Her narration also includes the unfortunate event when we lost one of our cameras after forgetting it in one of the restaurants we visited for lunch and getting a call from the owners to pick it up. She recounts how many people were present at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with many trying to capture the moment on their cameras.
Analyzing the Discrepancies
My sister remembers the incident before the trip, whereas I recall it, which is the biggest distinction between our memories. My sister seemed detailed in her memory as she could remember small details of our tour; my account of it was very shallow and less detailed. For instance, while I only seem to recall that we were permitted to visit Hollywood, she remembers convincing our mother to let us go. She recalls that our automobile broke down on the highway as we drove to our destination; however, I recognized that we had arrived in Hollywood. The difference between our accounts of the tour stems from a variety of factors, including the fact that I might have been less conscious of making the entire trip. My memory of the incident was distorted because I concentrated more on the trip than on the activities I had taken before it. I was looking forward to the memories I would make during my visit to Hollywood, and in the process, my mind did not capture what was happening around me before and as we drove (Bornstein & Pickard, 2020). The planning and preparation for the trip had less appeal for me than the experiences and sights of Hollywood did. I lost several details because they weren’t as a priority to me as my sister (Bornstein & Pickard, 909). For me, the trip’s focus was on Hollywood itself, and anything happening as we traveled was secondary hence did not warrant my attention. The fact that I am also not an enthusiast for long trips would have played a role in me forgetting some of the happenings of the day. Our route to Hollywood was an eight-hour drive, and we took turns driving that day. When I was not driving, I was either watching a movie on my laptop or listening to music, hence why I would not remember most things about the trip.
References
Bornstein, A. M., & Pickard, H. (2020). “Chasing the first high”: memory sampling in drug choice. Neuropsychopharmacology, 45(6), 907-915.
My long-term career goals
My long-term career goals
When I retire from my professional career, I would like to be remembered as somebody who made a positive contribution in the lives of people I interacted with and in organizations I worked for. I understand that this calls for hard work and sacrifice, and I am ready to put in the required effort. I plan to approach all my duties positively and with the aspiration to “make a difference”.
I have registered for a Master’s degree majoring in strategic management under business management. Upon completion, my immediate objective will be to find employment in an organization, I can gain practical experience. I want to be exposed to a wide range of business areas. During this stage of my career, I intend to create a strong foundation of knowledge and expertise. Though, I want to get specialized knowledge in management, I still want to remain flexible. Attaining my short-term goals will allow me to prepare for my long-term career goals.
My medium-term goal is to get a secure but a challenging job in a blue chip company. At this moment, I expect to understand more about the specifics of my career path I intend to pursue. Hopefully, the achievement of my short-term goal will equip me with remarkable combination of knowledge, competency and experience to forge ahead.
My long-term goal is to reach the peak of the corporate ladder. Certainly, it would be good to achieve this by climbing the ladder straight up. However, I know that I will need to climb ladder by ladder to reach at the top. Preferably, I would wish to retire from my careers as a Chief Executive Officer of a top tier company. I would be satisfied from knowing that I positively impacted those whom I worked with.
If indeed, I accomplish all my goals, I would be financial stable in my retirement and live a comfortable life. I will use my free time doing charity work.