The Beauty Generation: Why Consumerism Will Ruin Us All

Beauty standards: they are plastered everywhere. The idealistic view of how people should be is constantly shoved down our throats by all means of media, online and offline. Magazines are ridiculously air-brushed, public figures are never seen in public without professional hair and makeup done, social media is an on-going competition, and the fashion industry's perception of body image is hideously distorted. Women must have disproportionate bodies that are physically impossible to obtain, and men must have six packs and walk around looking as if they had just been dipped in a tub of butter at all times. Thus, allowing pretty much everyone on the planet to A) Hate themselves or B) Question why they cannot achieve these ridiculous standards, so how do people wanting to make money capitalize on this? By using their products to target these people and their insecurities.

It makes perfect sense: Need to get laid? Buy this magical shampoo that will send women flocking to your door. Need to lose a few extra pounds? Buy this pill that will give you an entirely different body without actually having to exercise or eat healthy. Not only are we given these false standards, but we are given false expectations as well that ultimately disappoint us so we hate ourselves more and buy more products. Consume. Consume. Consume. Money makes the world go round. What better way to make some money than to make everyone feel inferior and feel they absolutely need to buy something?

If everyone was content with the way they looked and loved themselves, millions of brands would be doomed, and god forbid if society was not corrupt. How would social media sites survive if people did not feel the need to show their faces in a culture that is so obsessed with physical beauty? The new era of the "selfie" generation is essentially a narcissistic competition of who looks best and an overwhelming pressure to prove ourselves, but as we scroll through our news feeds like mindless zombies, some of us may stop to ask ourselves: Do we really care? We are captivated by the unattainable, and we idolize that which we are not. Why? Because we are trained to. There are rivers running dry and children going hungry, yet we are more concerned with how many likes our post will receive and which filter to choose. Let's all turn a blind eye and focus on a mindless lifestyle because it is easier, or at least we think.

In the age of social media, we are constantly being beaten down. We strive for perfection because we are taught to, and fail to realize that we will always be set up for failure and unhappiness. Perfection is a desired ideal that does not exist because there will always be someone with nicer hair, no matter how expensive our conditioner is. There will always be someone with whiter teeth no matter how many whitening products we buy. There will always be someone with more success, more money, and more fame. As for beauty, it is subjective after all, is it not?

We need to open our eyes to the world around us and take our eyes off of our screens. Until we learn to be content with ourselves and strive to be the best we can be without comparison to others, we will forever linger in this cycle of agony with no fulfillment. We will forever consume and we will forever neglect that which is important. So next time we feel obligated to post a selfie, let us ask ourselves: Am I really benefiting society? Or am I just another sheep following the masses?