It’s a well-known fact that the U.S population has a much higher obesity rate compared to many other countries, which gives a vague idea of what the ‘ideal’ body type is for most individuals. What people, especially teens, fail to understand about themselves is that even with weight taken out of the equation, they’ll most likely never be able to reach the body type they desire. Standards for what an ‘attractive’ person looks like have negatively affected the population by making people gain unrealistic expectations for themselves and other people based on the look of their body, so what should the modest expectation be?
It’s never been easier for a person to see hundreds of beautiful faces as they’re browsing different websites, each of which sets unrealistic standards for what an individual should look like. Finley Nap, a junior at Horizon, commented, “I honestly think the internet is causing people to believe that they have to be the best version of themselves and it’s not okay to slack off or have days where you take care of yourself.” When one is constantly exposed to models who have desirable features (i.e, being tall, fitter bodies, luxurious hair, etc.), it’s very easy for a person to reflect on themselves and develop unhealthy expectations for what they should look like.
When talking about appearances, one must wonder about what a society would look like if everyone looked ‘perfect’ and was stunningly beautiful. Srijan Gurung, a freshman at Horizon, shared his opinion about the topic by stating, “If everyone was perfect, then inflation would go up from people buying products to keep their looks, and standards for beauty would go up, meaning that even if there were beautiful people they’d still be seen as ugly.” This goes to show that imperfection is what makes people human, and without it, people, would have to give up their identity to match the standard of perfection.
The exact emotions that one may feel from seeing someone else who’s better looking than them can vary depending on the type of person one may ask. Jameson Smith-Forres, a freshman at Horizon, gave his opinion with the line, “I don’t really care about it too much, but I can see how it would be difficult for someone to see something like that and have it on their mind.” With the fact that there are so many people out there that look different, it’s important to remember that for the negative traits one has, there are an equal number of positives that they may not have recognized. Each person is built differently with their own strengths and weaknesses, and the weaknesses somebody has shouldn’t be overlooked, the strengths they have as well.
A lot of people have different methods for changing their appearance, but when it comes to physicality, many people give up because it’s too difficult to change the way they look. Alex Gilmore, a Physical Educator, said, “It takes a person a long time to understand what they want for themselves, but also what they know they’re capable of doing y’know? For me, I had to learn I couldn’t be a 7-foot-tall giant guy who could easily play basketball, but that didn’t stop me from having fun playing the game.” It’s often that people want to change their bodies to become superior in an aspect of life they engage with. It is important to understand, however, that the human body has its limitations, and shouldn’t be forced into becoming something it isn’t.
A miracle happens every time someone is born, and it’s important to understand that everyone should feel lucky to be alive, including the very person reading this text. There were more than hundreds of millions of people who could’ve been born, and yet somehow, all the people alive today made it. Even if one were to see themselves as the ugliest person in the world, there is no denying that their body is a gift, and it should be treated with much respect, like all bodies should.
