Sexual attraction is essential to human life and has been studied extensively for its influence on behavior, emotions, and social interactions. Attractive people are often considered more intelligent, successful, and sociable than their less attractive counterparts, but this assumption may be flawed since most studies have failed to control for other factors such as wealth or intelligence.
It remains true that physical appearance affects mate selection and thus shapes society's hierarchy. In addition, the cultural beauty standards change from time to time, influencing how individuals view themselves and others, leading to feelings of inferiority or superiority. This paper will explore how the media perpetuates unrealistic beauty ideals and explores ways to overcome them.
The media sets unattainable beauty standards, creating a divide between those who meet them and those who don't. Advertisements, television shows, movies, magazines, and social media depict thin bodies with large breasts, narrow hips, long legs, clear skin, and symmetrical faces. These images represent an idealized version of beauty that few people can achieve naturally, leaving many feeling inadequate. Women are especially affected by these messages because they receive them at young ages when their self-esteem is fragile. Men also experience pressure to maintain muscular physiques, which can lead to body image issues, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Social hierarchies based on physical attributes create unfair advantages for those deemed 'beautiful' while excluding others based on appearance.
Sexual beauty ideals shape relational and social hierarchies through the media's influence on self-perception. Individuals feel pressured to conform to these norms despite their genetic makeup, causing anxiety, stress, and mental health issues. By challenging this narrative, we can promote diversity, acceptance, and individuality without relying on external factors like attractiveness. Let us embrace our unique qualities and focus on inner values rather than superficial appearances.
How do sexual beauty ideals shape relational and social hierarchies?
The concept of sexual beauty ideals refers to the set of physical attributes that are considered desirable for attractiveness in different contexts. These can vary across cultures, subcultures, genders, ages, etc. , but they generally include features such as facial symmetry, body proportion, coloration, height, muscle mass, etc.