Society and Beauty

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorCollege, Undergraduate February 2008

download word file, 3 pages 5.0 1 reviews

Turn on the TV or pick up a popular magazine and I am sure you will find the pages filled with beautiful women with glowing complexions and flawless features. But how many of those photos depict real beauty? I have seen the truth myself in this class and the truth is that most of the images we see are not real at all, but are in fact a fabrication of what society thinks is beautiful. So, what does society tell us is beautiful? Tall, thin, large breasts, round butts, all while maintaining a very petite waist. Those are just a few of the descriptions that come to mind. All of this pressure from society as a whole can lead to devastating self concept and esteem issues for women and men across the United States and all over the world, many times manifesting into unhealthy eating habits, crash dieting and eating disorders.

The most well known eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. The word Anorexia means loss of appetite, and is a horrible eating disorder in which the victim develops a fixation with dieting and thinness that leads to the destruction of his or her body. Anorexics are plagued with a distorted body image. They constantly think they are too fat, no matter what their weight may be, and they are always striving to become thinner. Anorexics have an exaggerated fear of gaining weight and they are always very critical of their body.

Bulimia Nervosa, another equally damaging eating disorder is characterized by binge eating and purging. For bulimics, the issue of being in control is crucial. Most bulimics are near normal weight, making it easier to conceal their secret. When compared to Anorexia, Bulimia is usually easier to treat because most of the time the person is aware of...