The last thing I want to do is sound like an old woman, but I can’t be the only one wondering: why is the generation nowadays obsessed with their looks? Why do kids, as young as elementary school-age, feel the need to have their confidence and self-esteem be in competition with their friends and celebrities on social media?
It's one thing to be cautious of your health, and another to spend hundreds of dollars on gym memberships, makeup, and so on. I look through Instagram and see nothing but 15-year-olds that are so concerned with their looks that they sexualize themselves with their endless pictures of bicep and booty shots. What happened to when boys and girls got their exercise through outdoor activities like basketball or just walking? Now, everyone spends all their money on memberships and protein powders instead of just simply eating better and hanging out at the park with their friends (my own brother is a victim to this).
Sephora is laughing at the insecurities of young girls and boys who buy their products to "fix" what is essentially their natural face. There is nothing wrong with liking makeup. I do. But when you're so concerned and hyper-aware of your natural face that you believe that an $80 anti-aging serum is a "must," then you need to reevaluate your priorities.
An article by Expertrain, enforces the idea that “In order to be completely healthy, we need physical, mental and spiritual health. Yet comparing ourselves to others means we're not embracing natural diversity and the fact that we're all unique; constantly striving to be something you're not is setting yourself up to be unhappy.
We believe "health is an experience, not an appearance," and constantly browsing photographs of supermodels and celebrities online, or even flicking through your skinny friend's (heavily edited) Instagram photos can damage your self-esteem and body image. The only view of yourself you need is the one you get when you look in the mirror.”
Statistics reveal that girls as young as seven have been hospitalized because they diet in order to fit the standards of beauty they see on social media. Rather than enjoying childhood and growing up, children all throughout their elementary and high school years, are more concerned with the image of themselves on social media, rather than the physical world around them.
Experts believe that the more we use social media, the greater our lack of confidence may become. You may spend increasing amounts of time focusing on your hair, your skin or your facial features, seeing flaws where none exists.
Is it a crime to care about your looks? Of course not, but it does say a lot when most boys and girls of this age can't even see past the commercialism that plagues their media and atmosphere. Why is it such an issue to simply grow naturally into your skin and figure out what works best along the way? You're young. Just live, and stop caring about how many posts on Instagram your fitness-for-life photo will receive.
