The Uglier Side of Beauty

The Uglier Side of Beauty Nowadays, our attitude towards beauty is nowhere near beautiful. Rather, it is cruel and oppressive. In many cases, it has even become a disgusting obsession to correct any minor flaw in our bodies (as if imperfections are mistakes) and to scrutinize every detail in other people�s bodies. Women are more often subject to such examinations. Across the streets, inside business establishment, in malls and in schools, most of them inevitably join the informal competition of �Who is the fairest of them all?� And like the usual beauty pageants, a small number taker pride in knowing that they have received nods, stares, and smiles of approval from the audience. Others try to pick up their egos and compose themselves, �Sorry girls, better luck next time.� So days and weeks pass by but the contest goes on. Unfortunately, even young girls are pressured to become Miss Prim and Proper as their mothers see them as another chance to become the �beauty queens� they never were. What really is it with this obsession with aesthetics and beauty? Perhaps it will be easier to answer the question by taking the case of film heroines and villainesses. Good-looking actresses portray the local �bida�. Dressed in clothes that greatly flatter their bodies, they look even more appealing and convincing. The villainesses, however, are depicted as scary bruhas as if their ugly characters have corrupted their physical appearance. Yet would we not feel bad if we see a pretty figure committing crimes? The director solves this by twisting the flow of events and eventually transforms the pretty character into a victim of whatsoever cruel circumstance. Then we would feel better. This is the bitter fact that pervades our beauty-loving society. For us, the superficial appearance often becomes the basis of one�s personality. Those blessed physically are expected to be blessed emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. Another point to consider is the narrow standard of beauty we impose upon ourselves. Leaf through he pages of newspapers and notice how most of the ad space are occupied by advertisements of beauty products and services � from diet pills, anti-aging creams, and skin whiteners, to the wonders of bleaching, make-up tattooing and plastic surgery � name it, they have it! Undeniably, the promises of modern day fountains of youth and beauty are tempting. Just imaging how good it feels to be admired and noticed for your looks. Moreover, you can enjoy the advantages of being beautiful: you get the best seats instant fame, good contracts and many more. And if all else fail, you can charm your way to your goals (if you do not get what you want, you are at least given the chance to settle for something decent). Thus, consumers try one product after another. Some are effective while others are not. Those improvements they see, they flaunt. Slowly, they become living advertisements of cosmetics, surgery, fashion, and technology. What is their main aim? To look as Caucasian as possible - that is our definition of beauty. That is what they have to be. Let me make one thing clear here though. I am not denying the fact that people, particularly women (so I may have my own biases), have to make themselves look presentable. More than anything, it is our duty to take care of our bodies whether by proper diet or grooming. I am also acknowledging the fact that the need to be beatuiful is a universal aspiration. However, I find the value attached by today�s society to aesthetics and beauty excessive; and for me, anything excessive is destructive. The need to be beautiful is slowly becoming an addiction. More and more people look at themselves in the mirror and see not the unique individual they are, but a big �liability� of excessive fat, wart, and other imperfections. Thus we encounter extreme cases of anorexia and bulimia, of people who literally starve themselves to death because they equate beauty with being thin. There are also those whom we call �made to order beauties,� those surgical wonders (and surgical disasters like Michael Jackson) who have altered almost every part oft heir body to become perfect. Our obsessive attitude towards beauty has limited the space where we can utilize our potentials to the fullest. By making beauty the standard of everything � of our actions, of our intentions, of our very own existence and dignity �we unconsciously forget how to appreciate and love ourselves for what we are and for what we can offer. Sadly, the effects of not meeting such standards have led to certain psychological disorders (depression and suicidal tendencies) and worse, to senseless loss of lives. As long as we continue to estimate our worth by the statistics of our bodies, by the fairness of our skin, by the amount of attraction and distraction we create, there is really not much progress (in our struggle for self worth) to expect. Unless the boundary between caring for one�s body and sheer vanity is drawn, then it would be very hard to make people accept that the imperfections we are ashamed to show are those which make us even more special and real.