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The Desired Look: Nothing But Bones

by Rebecca Patton

It seems like every little girl dreams of becoming a model. They want to be thin and pretty
like the models they see on television and in magazines. Often the desire becomes an obsession
and young girls see “thinness” as being a needed characteristic. For most girls, the teenage years
are spent trying to acquire this look. Females are trying diets and are exercising like it is a
competition to see who can lose the most weight the quickest. The obsession of many young girls
over their appearance or weight has led to a growing number of people who have developed an
eating disorder to try to deal with their lack of self-esteem or other related problems.

Eating disorders are a serious health problem. Personal Counseling & Resources says that
eating disorders “are characterized by a focus on body shape, weight, fat, food, and perfectionism and
by feelings of powerlessness and low self-esteem.” Three of the most common eating disorders are
anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating or compulsive eating disorder. According to
Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, a person with anorexia “refuses to maintain normal
body weight for age and height” and “weighs 85 percent or less than what is what is expected for age
and height.” A person diagnosed with bulimia has several ways of getting rid of the calories such as
binge eating, vomiting, laxative misuse, exercising, or fasting. The person might have a normal weight
for their age and height unless anorexia is present. The signs of a compulsive eater include eating
meals frequently, rapidly, and secretly. This person might also snack and nibble all day long. The
compulsive eater tends to have a history of diet failures and may be depressed or obese (Anred.com).

There are many reasons that can contribute to the cause of eating disorders. One of the main
reasons seems to be the obsession over every little pound a person is wearing. Sometimes low self-
esteem or depression from any number of causes can usher in the eating disorder. Other times
compulsive exercising can help shed the pounds but leave the enthused unhealthy looking.

There are other possible causes to this widely known health problem. The media bestows a
great deal of beauty and thinness on television and magazines that are viewed by many people daily.
Everyone has the desire to look like the actors and actresses do but, in reality, it just will not happen
for most of us. Abuse, whether it be physical, emotional, or sexual, can also contribute to the
development of an eating disorder (Something-Fishy.com). Such abuse to victims can leave them with
a lack of trust and low self-esteem. An unfavorable relationship a person has with others is also a
contributing factor to disordered eating habits. The world is so competitive that any mention from
parents, siblings, peers, significant others, or co-workers about a person’s weight or appearance can
lead to the onset of an eating disorder.

There really is no single reason that a person acquires an eating disorder. Many factors are
considered when making a diagnosis for a person with this problem. Causes like the ones mentioned
above play such an important role in eating disorders. Is it really so important that in order to look like
the super models people are willing to give up food and starve themselves to death for a little
satisfaction on the outside? The look of a person on the inside is what really matters
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Global Warming Effects on Humans

Everybody these days seems to think they know all about global warming effects on humans.
If you ask anyone on the street, they will likely say that emissions from vehicles and factories cause a
greenhouse effect, which results in a warming of the earth’s atmosphere. Hence the term global
warming.

What most people may not realize is that it doesn’t take much of a rise in temperature to
cause catastrophic changes in the environment. Scientists have estimated that the total amount of
sea ice has decreased by an alarming 30% since 1979. And the rate of melting sea ice is accelerating
every year.

When the sea ice melts, it causes a rise in sea level. This translates into an enormous amount
of water, with no place to go except inland. Many low-lying countries and cities could literally end up
under water with a significant rise in sea level.

Global warming effects on humans include increased numbers of natural disasters such as
extreme weather events. Hurricanes, typhoons, tornados, tsunamis and others fall under this
category.

Some of the effects felt directly by the human body as a result of global warming include:

Heatwaves – these cause illnesses that are heat related, such as heat exhaustion, sun stroke, and
death. People who are most susceptible to heat related illness and death are elderly people, the very
young and people who are diabetic. Extreme Weather Events – hurricanes, floods and tornados
increase with global warming. They indicate an upset in the balance of the earth’s systems. With these
weather disasters, humans experience emotional and physical trauma, injuries, illnesses and fatality.
Some of these happen on very large scales, wreaking havoc for many people in one location, or even
several locations. Poor Air Quality – this is caused by air becoming stagnant at higher temperatures,
and also by poor air circulation. Levels of smog are increased, and smog brings with it increased
asthma attacks and lung irritations for all those who breathe it. Illness and death are common results
of poor air quality, especially in large cosmopolitan areas where the amounts of emissions is also very
high. Plant Problems – the rise in temperatures combined with higher carbon dioxide levels allows
some very obnoxious plants to grow quicker, produce more pollen and spread more vigorously. These
plants include ragweed, stinging nettles, poison ivy and others. The pollen is a very aggravating
allergen to many people, causing terrible allergic reactions. The weeds also inhibit plant growth of
other desirable plants that could be for human consumption. Psychological effects – these are a little
more difficult to measure and quantify. When there are long lasting heat waves and little relief from
the heat, people lose their drive and motivation. They become lethargic and lose hope that it will ever
change. It makes quite an emotional toll. Also, when there are extreme weather events, poor air
quality or allergy problems from the plants, all these cause an emotional drain. People can only put
up with oppositional conditions for so long before they just give up.
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Can Watching Reality Shows Be Harmful?

If a person turns their TV on in almost any country, most likely the channels will be filled with
different kinds of reality shows. This is no surprise, because this kind of TV program has become
amazingly popular in recent decades. Such shows are entertaining and addicting to watch, as they
focus not on fictional characters, but on real people put in different contexts and situations. However,
regardless of the entertaining function, a question may arise: is there something else about watching
reality shows than just having fun?

When evaluating reality shows, several factors should be taken in consideration. The “reality”
which is usually shown on TV is not the same objective reality that we live in. Every reality show has a
core idea to which the behavior of its contestants is subdued; though the participants are not obliged
to act one way or another, they still follow the script, and their behavior is then evaluated (by
audiences, other show participants, moderators, and so on). “All TV shows, not just reality shows, help
construct scenarios that demonstrate how some behaviors will be rewarded or punished. The concern
is that frequent viewers of these shows will learn these behaviors, see them as desirable and then
model them in the actual real world,” says Dr. Brad Gorham, chair of the Communications Department
at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University (USA Today).

If we try to figure out what is so entertaining about reality shows, we can reach the conclusion
that it is the humiliation and mocking of the contestants that makes people amused. Indeed, if we
analyze such a popular show as American Idol, we will easily notice that many episodes of this program
are dedicated to making fun of the contestants, whose performing abilities were lower compared to
other participants (which does not necessarily mean that they are deprived of talent, or are worse in
any other way). This can create an audience (which mostly consists of teenagers) that rate and assess
people based on their qualities such as appearance or skills; this model forms a solid basis for
discriminating behavior and a lack of tolerance (eHow).

Yet another negative effect of reality shows is a distorted depiction of relationships between
genders. Many reality shows address sexual themes, or depict relationships based on scandals and
fights. Relationships on TV contrast real life ones: they tend to be less stable and harmonious, they are
sexualized, and usually aimed at bringing more popularity to those engaged in them. Since it is difficult
to control the access of under-aged audiences to TV programs, children and teenagers are exposed to
the risks of developing wrong perceptions of relationships based on what they see on TV, which is
unacceptable (RFA.edu).

Even though reality shows have become extremely popular, it does not mean that they are
beneficial for their audiences. Rather often, these shows display role models which are based on semi-
artificial circumstances and environments. However, these models are still seen as desirable by
viewers. In addition, humiliation, which makes the basis of the entertainment component in the
majority of reality shows, teaches audiences to rate people based on their physical or psychological
qualities, which can create a solid basis for discriminating behavior. In addition, considering sexualized
and simplified depictions of gender relationships in reality shows, one can claim that these TV
programs can cause perverted perceptions of relationships between different genders in the minds of
teenagers, who usually make up the target audience of the majority of reality shows.
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Why are Beauty Contests Harmful?

Competition can be fairly called one of the main motivators, as well as one of the main
organizing principles for individuals. It affects many spheres of life: employment, work performance,
global marketing, education, creativity and arts, even entertainment. A bright example of the latter is
beauty contests; despite their purely entertaining nature they can be harmful or even dangerous in
terms of setting inappropriate beauty standards, encouraging to evaluate people by their appearance,
and affecting public opinion negatively.

The most obvious detrimental effect of beauty pageants is enforcing an inappropriate body
perception for men and women. Unlike the majority of so-called “average” women, the beauty of such
contests’ participants is cherished and rehearsed; this is the case when natural beauty is heavily
supported by the efforts of visagistes and dressers. Though pageants represent the absolute minority
of the society, their appearances set high, unrealistic standards for how women of all ages should look
like (Miss America). Young girls who try to live up to these standards, mature women complexing about
their bodies, men who demand their wives/girlfriends to look like beauty pageants—all of them are
affected by the illusions propagated by beauty contests.

Another perception issue arises from the very nature of beauty contests—the objectification
of women. Despite proclaimed gender equality, physical attractiveness (including sexual) remains one
of the major requirements for women today (FAR). No matter how progressive and tolerant people
strive to be, they still make their first impression about other people by their appearance, and this is
natural. However, the idea of beauty contests implies evaluating women solely on their physical shape,
ignoring all other aspects of individuality. Interviewing, meant to show a contestants personality is a
fraud; as one of the former pageants wrote, none of the judges wanted to hear about deep problems,
asking about the most challenging childhood experiences (Generation Progress). This turns a woman
into a media object, or even a product, which can be assessed and then either approved or rejected;
due to the popularity of beauty contests, such attitude is being widely propagated.

Health problems among the younger generation is yet another negative effect caused by
beauty contests. Skinny models performing in such shows have undergone years of exercises and
diets—they have developed special lifestyles to maintain their perfect shape; on the other hand,
adolescent girls striving to look “better” exhaust themselves with hunger, considering it to be the main
method to becoming slim (FAR). Such an attitude often leads to anorexia and other related
psychological problems; because of the continuous influence of media-created images of the “perfect
shape,” the number of young women with anorexia remains high.

The idea of beauty contests implies competing in physical attractiveness. Ignoring the
absurdity of this idea, a number of detrimental effects caused by such contests still needs to be
emphasized. Beauty contests set unrealistic standards of beauty, which lower women’s self-esteem
and increase the demands of men for their wives or girlfriends. Beauty contests objectify women,
turning them into a product which can be assessed based solely on its appearance. In addition, beauty
pageants influence the minds of adolescents, often resulting in anorexia and other psychological
disorders.
Competition can be fairly called one of the main motivators, as well as one of the main organizing
principles for individuals. It affects many spheres of life: employment, work performance, global
marketing, education, creativity and arts, even entertainment. A bright example of the latter is beauty
contests; despite their purely entertaining nature they can be harmful or even dangerous in terms of
setting inappropriate beauty standards, encouraging to evaluate people by their appearance, and
affecting public opinion negatively.

The most obvious detrimental effect of beauty pageants is enforcing an inappropriate body perception
for men and women. Unlike the majority of so-called “average” women, the beauty of such contests’
participants is cherished and rehearsed; this is the case when natural beauty is heavily supported by
the efforts of visagistes and dressers. Though pageants represent the absolute minority of the society,
their appearances set high, unrealistic standards for how women of all ages should look like (Miss
America). Young girls who try to live up to these standards, mature women complexing about their
bodies, men who demand their wives/girlfriends to look like beauty pageants—all of them are affected
by the illusions propagated by beauty contests.

Another perception issue arises from the very nature of beauty contests—the objectification of
women. Despite proclaimed gender equality, physical attractiveness (including sexual) remains one of
the major requirements for women today (FAR). No matter how progressive and tolerant people strive
to be, they still make their first impression about other people by their appearance, and this is natural.
However, the idea of beauty contests implies evaluating women solely on their physical shape, ignoring
all other aspects of individuality. Interviewing, meant to show a contestants personality is a fraud; as
one of the former pageants wrote, none of the judges wanted to hear about deep problems, asking
about the most challenging childhood experiences (Generation Progress). This turns a woman into a
media object, or even a product, which can be assessed and then either approved or rejected; due to
the popularity of beauty contests, such attitude is being widely propagated.

Health problems among the younger generation is yet another negative effect caused by beauty
contests. Skinny models performing in such shows have undergone years of exercises and diets—they
have developed special lifestyles to maintain their perfect shape; on the other hand, adolescent girls
striving to look “better” exhaust themselves with hunger, considering it to be the main method to
becoming slim (FAR). Such an attitude often leads to anorexia and other related psychological
problems; because of the continuous influence of media-created images of the “perfect shape,” the
number of young women with anorexia remains high.

The idea of beauty contests implies competing in physical attractiveness. Ignoring the absurdity of this
idea, a number of detrimental effects caused by such contests still needs to be emphasized. Beauty
contests set unrealistic standards of beauty, which lower women’s self-esteem and increase the
demands of men for their wives or girlfriends. Beauty contests objectify women, turning them into a
product which can be assessed based solely on its appearance. In addition, beauty pageants influence
the minds of adolescents, often resulting in anorexia and other psychological disorders.