We live in the age of the image. Social networks, advertising, cinema, television. Each platform bombards us with images of “perfect” bodies, retouched, unreachable.
And in the midst of this barrage of unreality, young people, in the midst of constructing their identity. Face suffocating social pressure that is destroying their self-esteem and distorting their perception of their own body image.
The dictatorship of beauty, that tyranny imposed by unattainable standards. It is especially preying on youth. 12-year-old girls worried about their faces. Teenagers obsessed with marking abs, young people who resort to extreme diets or cosmetic surgery to fit into a prefabricated mold.
The search for acceptance and approval becomes a frantic race towards an impossible ideal. Leaving in its wake a trail of frustration, anxiety and, in extreme cases, eating disorders and depression. Social networks, paradoxically designed to connect. It has become a breeding ground for comparison and insecurity.
Instagram, with its filters and retouches, creates a parallel reality where perfection is the norm. Influencers, turned into role models. Promote luxurious lifestyles and sculpted bodies. Generating a sense of inferiority in those who cannot reach those standards. The “like” becomes a measure of self-worth, and the lack of virtual approval can trigger feelings of rejection and isolation.
TikTok, on the other hand, with its viral challenges and short videos. Encourages superficiality and obsession with physical appearance. Young people are exposed to constant comparison with other users. Feeling the pressure to fit into the trends of the moment. Virality becomes the ultimate goal. And authenticity is sacrificed for the sake of mass approval.
Social pressure and unrealistic beauty standards have a devastating impact on young people’s mental health. Low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia are just some of the consequences of this silent epidemic.
The constant comparison with others and the feeling of not fitting into the imposed beauty standards generate a deep insecurity. Many young people feel ashamed of their body. Their appearance, their image and lose confidence in themselves. The obsession with thinness and the pressure to reach a certain weight can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
These life-threatening diseases are becoming more common among young people. Breaking the tyranny of beauty is a complex challenge that requires a profound cultural change.
It is necessary to educate about the importance of self-acceptance. Body diversity and critical thinking. It is essential to promote self-esteem from childhood. Encouraging the development of skills and talents that go beyond physical appearance.
By: Indira Vania López Samé
Translated by Aliani Rojas Fernández
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