A famous journalist and filmmaker once said the media is responsible for perpetuating the idea of what is “normal” and that if you don’t see yourself on TV, in an ad at the bus shelter or on the pages of a magazine you flick through, it becomes clear that yours is not the kind of beauty being “celebrated”.
Being members of this current modern world, we are all aware that the media is given the position of an essential necessity. People stay alert at all times and tend to keep pace with the trends portrayed by it. In the positive aspect, it provides entertainment and information to the viewers and for the owners, it brings in constant profits. But negatively, it also affects the esteem of an individual.
To my way of thinking, media networks may be compared to invisible or virtual role models that dictate marred fashion and moral standards. The media tends to constantly reinforce the notion that what makes an individual worthwhile is based on the information they receive from television or other platforms. People absorb the daily message that their happiness and success in life depend predominantly on the standards set by the media.
We fail to realise that the concept of beauty is more or less psychological in nature, and many of the marketing agencies use these proven social psychology tools in diminishing the self-esteem of the individual by constantly exposing them to an ideal standard that they cannot meet, driving them to ‘compensate’ by purchasing beauty products to try and meet this ideal. While some may say that this is an excellent tactic for ensuring a constant flow of profits, at the same time these agencies create a psychological need by manipulating consumer perception of what it takes to be accepted, liked, and respected, which indirectly affects the mental state of the individual. After having done enough research, these marketing agencies decide to increase the ideals in cosmetic marketing advertisements with the intention of increasing self-consciousness and thereby taking it to a further extent.
This virtual role model has no control over the amount of information that flows into it and hence young people are often exposed to distorted standards of beauty. Social media networks control what is popular by sharing or reposting celebrities’ images. Having a post by a famous celebrity influences the individuals even subconsciously. Young people then make an effort to mimic their heroes, by eating less or more and copying improper and unhealthy lifestyles.
This evaluation of mine may be rebuked by putting forward the fact that major media platforms work within ethical norms and their efficient system ensures that such biased ideals are not made public. And to that, I would say, how far are we with this efficient implementation of ethical norms? I find it absolutely difficult to believe that teenagers out there are not at all influenced by what they see on the screen.
This being said, the fact that the changing world is making an effort to tear down the limits of what defines beauty cannot be left unacknowledged. It is indeed true that we have started vocalising our thoughts but collective efforts are needed to speed up this process to fabricate a world where all body structures are normalised and where no ideal beauty exists. We need to internalise the fact that the idea of beauty is always shifting. Today, it’s more inclusive than ever. Whom we deem beautiful is based on our own values and is a reflection of what we have been taught and what we grew up around.
Hence we can arrive at a conclusion that the media tends to portray incorrect viewpoints of beauty compelling the viewers to behave in a preset manner. While the media with the help of online promotions is very powerful, this power has to be kept in check to ensure that no biased opinions are
publicised.
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