Topic > Determining Beauty - 670

Over the years, America has become a society that judges beauty based primarily on appearance. Throughout the day, men and women are bombarded with grotesque images of malnourished supermodels selling their bodies; claiming that they are somehow beautiful. What does it mean to be beautiful? Can self-esteem be measured by body weight, clothing size or lipstick shade? “Some time ago I came across an article in a beauty magazine in which a man said that there were no more ugly women in the world because makeup, braids, false eyelashes, among other beauty treatments, have leveled the field game and led to all women looking the same” (Gale 1). At the same time, uninformed judgments have led women to change their physical appearance to become more beautiful instead of embracing their true beauty. To measure beauty effectively we must remember that beauty cannot be determined by physical attributes, but is found in the personality and uniqueness of each individual. To determine what it means to possess beauty, one must keep in mind that the allure of the flesh will always be present. leave people wanting more. “Western women have become concerned with the concepts of beauty, image and appearance” (Shabaat 6). Society has led many individuals to believe that the primary characteristic of beauty is physical attractiveness, causing inaccurate interpretations of beauty to become globally accepted. “I concluded that beautiful and perfect women are on the increase and so are women who feel ugly inside” (Gale 1). To free yourself from any misleading exemplification of beauty you must always remember that the person in the mirror is not what defines self-esteem. Never...... middle of paper...... king of attractiveness while embracing personality and unique aspects of an individual. Any other appeal to beauty that demands anything more should be labeled fraudulent and considered nothing more than a way to demolish self-esteem. Works Cited Davidson, John, et al: “Engagement With Beauty: Appreciating Natural, Artistic, and Moral Beauty.” 303-329 AcademicOneFile. The Journal of Psychology, June 3, 2007. Web. September 8, 2011. Gale opposing views in context. “Beauty and Women [opinion]”. Galeopposing.com. AcademicOneFile: Africa News Service, 31 May 2011. Web. 8 September 2011.Jakes, TD: “True Beauty.” AcademicSearchPremier. Essence. October 2009. Web. 8 September 2011.Shabaat, Hizb of ut-Tahrir: the myth of Western beauty. Khilfah Publications. February 22, 2003. Print.Webster, Miriam: Webster Dictionary: AcademicOneFile. Network. 8 September. 2011.