With the introduction of fashion forward Gok Wan’s latest television show ‘Gok’s Teens: the naked truth’ taking over many of the adverts on my television, I was encouraged, not only to investigate this show myself (at least the first episode of) but also to think about many of the issues he brought up. One main thing which Gok discussed was the dysmorphic view teens of today seem to take towards our bodies. With the constant display of seemingly perfect bodies, skin and features surrounding us in the media, as well as the constant façade of beauty on social networking sites, it seems that for the modern day teenager there is no way of escaping. Yes, I am the first to hold up my hands and complain when people blame the media for every single eating disorder victim, but at the same time, I can’t help but agree slightly. While the press tend to point the finger at catwalk models, magazine edits and pro-anorexia blogs, I’ve found that for me these aren’t the only catalysts to my desire for so called perfection.
Social networking sites were introduced to the Internet as a way of networking with people from school, work and college, as well as a useful way of interacting with friends from the past. However it seems that, from an inside perspective and being a teen myself, I can also see the dark side. Not only is there the fear of cyber bullying in the form of status’ and wall posts, comments and messages, but there is also the need to compare your own pictures with other peoples. Technology in the modern age allows us the capability to modify and edit our own pictures to a degree of surreal ‘perfection’ in a way that, while may be aesthetically pleasing, can also be damaging to self-esteem.
I find myself looking at pictures of girls who live near to me, and comparing my own features to theirs, why does my hair not look like theirs? Why do I not have as pretty a face as theirs? Why do 70 people ‘like’ their picture and only 5 ‘like’ mine? And above all, why do I not look as skinny as them?
It does sound stupid really, that such a trivial thing that is supposed to be a way of building relationships and communicating can have such a negative impact on my life. However the realisation of how I feel with regards to such things shows me that surely I’m not the only one. And looking at how much make-up, how obviously edited and how hard these girls who I call my ‘friends’ try to look good enough just for ‘likes’ is only one indication of how much society depends on appearance.
Yes, the media and constant bravado surrounding size zero models and editing on double page spreads in celebrity magazines certainly don’t help the rapidly plummeting self-esteem of both teenage girls and boys, but I think that’s social networking sites should also take some of the blame. That normal, everyday teenagers can also have an impact on each others lives.
xox
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