While on Facebook I came across a link to a video. The video was of a girl who in high school had been voted the ugliest person in the world on Youtube. I shared the video on my Facebook because it was of a touching story about how this person (who has a rare condition that only two other people have) overcame what had happened to her on Youtube. Surprising to me, one of my friends commented on the link I shared saying that the person should "do the world a favor and shoot herself" like others had suggested on the Youtube video from her high school years. This made me stop and think about the concept of "beauty" and what it means in today's society. I decided to search the internet for some answers before telling you guys what I thought about it.
Article/Video Link: http://www.godvine.com/Girl-Voted-The-Ugliest-Woman-on-YouTube-Makes-a-Heartfelt-Video-1464.html
On urbandictionary.com, one of the definitions for beauty fit what I believe to be today's society's idea of beauty: Beauty is a corporate invention designed to promote the suffering and insecurity of the masses for the sake of profit. They say it's a state we're all supposed to achieve in order to ensure economic, financial, social and recreational success.
In today's society, beauty has become a image, not a concept of someone. Being beautiful, in today's society, means being a size 2 (if even that!), having the perfect features, being flawless, and every other outside concept that society has placed onto the world. But what did "beauty" use to be?
Girls from the past would probably faint at the sight of what is considered beautiful today. Today, being beautiful means being skinny, but at one time, "beauty" was having wide hips (men believed that women with wide hips could bear children easier). It is true that outside beauty has been important throughout the years, but it seems like it has become more of an extreme (even though women are no longer wearing hazardous makeup) than what it use to. This is because outside beauty has taken place of inner beauty. (see http://www.ukhairdressers.com/history%20of%20beauty.asp) for more information about the history of beauty.)
Today, when people talk about how beautiful someone is, they are most likely speaking about looks than personality. Today, it is better to be someone who has perfect hair and close to a size zero and have a b*tchy attitude than to be someone who's hair is always a mess and a size twelve but be the kindness person on Earth. What has happened to society? When did being a complete b*tch become hotter than being the sweetest person ever?
Beauty should not be about looks. It should be deeper than that. Beauty should be about the person's attitude and how she treats others. Beauty is the kindness that lies within someones heart, not the amount of makeup on her face.
PSS: Involving those who are looking at this blog due to the photo on facebook, please put "beauty" (<- just like that) in your comment on facebook before commenting.
