The Eye of the Beholder
I just wanted to take the time and offer my support to all of the female specimens of our species. I'm not talking about the fact that you have to put up with childbirth, periods, cluttered purses, high heeled shoes, having to sit down every time you want to use the bathroom, and putting up with idiot males who have no idea you're even putting up with these things. I'm offering my support in the area of having to put up with beauty magazines. You know what I'm talking about. All of those magazines at the check-out stand that command you to put up with all of the aforementioned nightmares while looking spectacular. Now, I will concede that the message of 'beautiful' has been amped up for both sexes, but I believe that women, once again, have gotten the short end of the stick (insert penis joke here) as it were.
I tried to think of the male equivalent to beauty magazines and came up empty. Sure we have a few fitness magazines that tell us to look good, but at least they attempt to hide the true motives behind the thin veil of 'fitness' and getting healthier. So what are guys left with? Magazines like Playboy, Maxim, FHM, Stuff and the like where we look at what?...That's right, beautiful women! So the general consensus is that we like to look at beautiful women. Women look at 'em and men look at 'em. Now don't get me wrong, I like to ogle just as much as the next neanderthal, but it's the extreme emphasis that bothers me. I see young girls look at those magazines and I know that they, in some way, are basing their self image on what they see in those magazines. It just frightens me to think of an entire generation of girls who are growing up thinking they are inferior in some way. How about an article proclaiming the virtues of being unique and beautifully flawed? The real shame is that I have met many very attractive women who have such a low opinion of themselves that they don't think they are good enough for anybody. How about a magazine that touts the virtues of other areas of humanity? Just once I'd like to have 'Seventeen' magazine run an article on "How to get him to notice your brain" or "The right way to articulate your personality." Honestly, how many issues of Cosmo could possibly contain their "Largest sex survey ever!"?
My advice: go your own way. I've never needed anyone to tell me what looks good. And to be honest, my choices probably haven't been approved by everyone. But then again how many of our choices ARE approved by everyone? The secret is to not care. Now I'm not advocating being sloppy or slovenly, but simply finding your own idea of what's beautiful. Above all, I just hope that women realize that it is a self-imposed burden that they place on themselves. We men will think about you how you feel about yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I hear Cosmo has the "10 secrets to beautiful living" issue out. Race you there.
I tried to think of the male equivalent to beauty magazines and came up empty. Sure we have a few fitness magazines that tell us to look good, but at least they attempt to hide the true motives behind the thin veil of 'fitness' and getting healthier. So what are guys left with? Magazines like Playboy, Maxim, FHM, Stuff and the like where we look at what?...That's right, beautiful women! So the general consensus is that we like to look at beautiful women. Women look at 'em and men look at 'em. Now don't get me wrong, I like to ogle just as much as the next neanderthal, but it's the extreme emphasis that bothers me. I see young girls look at those magazines and I know that they, in some way, are basing their self image on what they see in those magazines. It just frightens me to think of an entire generation of girls who are growing up thinking they are inferior in some way. How about an article proclaiming the virtues of being unique and beautifully flawed? The real shame is that I have met many very attractive women who have such a low opinion of themselves that they don't think they are good enough for anybody. How about a magazine that touts the virtues of other areas of humanity? Just once I'd like to have 'Seventeen' magazine run an article on "How to get him to notice your brain" or "The right way to articulate your personality." Honestly, how many issues of Cosmo could possibly contain their "Largest sex survey ever!"?
My advice: go your own way. I've never needed anyone to tell me what looks good. And to be honest, my choices probably haven't been approved by everyone. But then again how many of our choices ARE approved by everyone? The secret is to not care. Now I'm not advocating being sloppy or slovenly, but simply finding your own idea of what's beautiful. Above all, I just hope that women realize that it is a self-imposed burden that they place on themselves. We men will think about you how you feel about yourself. Now if you'll excuse me, I hear Cosmo has the "10 secrets to beautiful living" issue out. Race you there.
posted by Jason at 9:49 AM
5 Comments:
oooaauuch- contraversial comment!
But I agree. No one needs the extra pressure these magazines dish out. It mysteriously dissapears into chip-paper the next day, anyways. And then they church out more, more, more....Good advice, yes.. :0) . But not all the pressure stuff.
Abit sad to hear you pragmatically describing yourself as the next neanderthal but, I suppose you had to make a strong point of it to convince.. ;-)
churn our more*
Amazingly, when I wrote my earlier post, I typed 'churn out more', and the machine seems to have registered something totally different.
True!
:-)
I learned to stop reading this magaizines a while ago. Probably once the girls came into our lives. There is so much more to life, than what these magazines try to teach. I dare you try to find one cosmo magazine in my stash. :) I will always smile when I walk through the checkout stand to see "our biggest sex survey EVER!!" on the cover of cosmo! neanderthal you are though. :)
the thing is that, it's self confidence you and you alone male or female have to realize that you are a good catch and not that your cocky but just confident that you have something to give. something special that no one else can. I've learned this from my friends to them I am forever greatful!
Great post! Especially the ideas on articles of how to get him to notice your personality and brain. I always tell people try and put as much of what they see in the mags out of their minds and then look in the mirror. If you're still unhappy, you need to change so you can feel good about yourself within yourself. People need to decide and go by what they feel is beautiful, not what some wannabe in the journalism world thinks. How many times do you see celebs being trashed because they gained a few pounds then trashed again when they lose those same few. Prime example of how some people allow themselves to become media puppets being jerked either one way or the other constantly. Some of us aren't even celebs and we do it to ourselves! Go figure.
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