Debate: In today's world, image is everything.

Essay by FirakitsuneHigh School, 12th gradeB, August 2009

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From the red ochre rouge on the Egyptian woman to the golden arches of mc Donald’s, we are surrounded by symbols and pictures that inform the choices we make. Or rather, the choices we should make. The powers invested in commercialism and a culture gravitating towards “the attractive and the glamorous,” a glittering image is everything, be it in political matters or media issues.

Let us start with commercialism and advertisement. Have you ever been interested in a product such as a deodorant which does not have a flashy commercial, a type that is either humorous or musical. Or what about when you are surfing the net. Do you go for websites which are not interactive and tend to appear “boring?” Did not image play a vital role here?Moving on. We live in a very political era with almost every news channel showing programs with politicians as guests. Even though we make fun of these politicians and how they look, do we not want to be led by someone who has charm and charisma.

In fact now even they are trying to work hard on their image, trying to look like celebrities. Well who is to say that celebrities do not work on their image. In fact poor Tom Cruise has to work on that bright smile of his more than anyone else. What with the paparazzi being a little too eager to exploit them, celebrities have to work extremely hard on maintaining their image. And also improving it. How many of you were fans of curly haired N’ sync member Justin Timberlake? And what about now, when he decided to come out of that pop phase and become all sleek and swab?Of course you might be thinking that all these points are beyond us common people. How would image be everything for us? …We have movies like High School Musical which show cliques, and films like Means Girls which portray the idea of popular cliques, the one we desire to be to a part of, the one we change our image to be part of. These films are based upon reality, unfortunately on us. Not just students, even teachers have a good or bad image on trivial matters such as a haircut.

You might say that image is not important in all matters. There are things, such as health and faith, where image does not matter. But is that true really? Are we not impressed when we find out some one works out? And in consideration of faith do not forget all the hypocrisy in this world is mainly because we care about what this world thinks of us.

If one continues to see themselves reflected in the mirror of society it will come out distorted and deformed because societies are constantly in transition and values keep on changing. What one needs is self reflection and certainty that the decision one makes are for them only.