Speaker A
To mark 20 years of real beauty, Dove, a beauty company, launched the Code, a short film campaign highlighting what AI has come to understand beauty as. Let's just say the results were not encouraging. Flawless skin, facelifts, bots, lip fillers, a perfect jawline, bleached skin, hair extensions, blowouts, freckles, and dimples—the list of unrealistic qualities defining beauty is endless. What are we doing about it? More importantly, what are the negative impacts of superficial beauty standards on our psychology and society at large? All the beauty standards portrayed by culture, media, and AI are unachievable. For instance, you might have one desired trait but lack another. This can lead you to constantly compare yourself to friends or random strangers on the internet. A report reveals that toxic beauty advice on social media causes low self-esteem, with 90% of girls admitting to following at least one account that makes them feel less beautiful. These unrealistic beauty standards perpetuate an inferiority complex, which can lead to more serious psychological issues, eating disorders. A new study discovered that women who feel bad about their bodies are more likely to develop unhealthy eating habits. Beauty standards often promote the idea that you can achieve the perfect look with the right diet, but this isn't always true. While it's good to eat healthily, be careful so you don't get manipulated into the beauty maze. If you find these videos helpful, hit the like button, share, and comment your thoughts below. Depression and mental health issues: imagine every day you're reminded of something you cannot be despite how hard you try. Imagine trying your best to hit a mark, and just when you think you have, the mark gets extended a little further. How do you feel? Dejected, right? Well, this is what happens after a prolonged period of chasing beauty standards. No wonder 2020 research from the National Library of Medicine suggests a link between body image and depression. The study found out women with body image dissatisfaction were more likely to experience depression, and that's not the height of it. Deadly cosmetic treatments: not everyone can handle the pressure from social media and the beauty industry pushing unrealistic standards. This pressure may cause one to explore cosmetic surgeries to fix what they see as flaws, but these surgeries can be risky. In fact, some people come to regret them later if they're lucky enough to survive without medical complications. Keeping up with unrealistic beauty standards can not only figuratively ruin your life and the great relationships in it but can literally end it. The beauty industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that preys on our need for external validation and societal approval of beauty. But what happens when you rip that power off their hands and keep it to yourself? Your definition of beauty is for you to decide. We encourage you to see these superficial standards beneath you from this moment on. You define your worth, not mega corporations, not social media, and definitely not AI. Celebrate your internal and external traits that give you confidence and strength to live a life full of thrill, joy, and contentment. Do you have more questions on confidence and self-worth? This video has all the answers you need.
