Because beauty is an ideal, an absolute, such as truth and goodness, the pursuit of it does not require justification. An ideal, by definition, can be met only by a minority of those who strive for it. If too many women are able to meet the beauty standards of a particular time and place, then those standards must change in order to maintain their extraordinary nature. The value of beauty standards depends on their being special and unusual and is one of the reasons why the ideal changes over time. When images of beauty change, female bodies are expected to change, too. Different aspects of the female body and varying images of each body part are modified to meet the constantly fluctuating ideal. The ideal is always that which is most difficult to achieve and most unnatural in a given time period. Because these ideals are nearly impossible to achieve, failure and disappointment are inevitable.
From the essay “Beauty is the Beast: The Psychological Effects of the Pursuit of the Perfect Body” – by Elaine Saltzberg (now Daniels) and Joan C. Chrisler
You can find the essay at this link: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_cult/courses/beauty/beast.doc (Word Doc)
the essay link isnt working- is there any where else to view it???
Hi Bridget,
Thank you for pointing that out. I have corrected the mistake and the link should work now.
cheers,
Elena
According to Ambrose
Bierce, women are always conscious about their beauty that they spent much
economy on beauty industry, assumed by various analysis in 1970-1992.It is
difficult to define beauty as it is the result of judgments of others. Beauty
is an ideal (Freedom 1986), as ideal changes by time so it is impossible for
women to achieve it. Chinese developed various practices, which ended in 20th
century, to change natural state of body. Similarly in Europe, Queen Catherine
of France introduced waist binding technique in 16th century but the
fashion changed in 17th century. In 19th century, women
faced many diseases, including miscarriages, due to tightly laced clothing. In
20th century, women tried a lot to look youthful. Value of beauty
depends on how much spent on it, physically, temporally, economically and
psychologically. Physically women spent a lot and waste time but bear pains and
even die of toxic cosmetics. Psychologically women remain unhappy due to their
fat bodies even after so much diet that caused anorexia nervosa and bulimia in
majority of women in 1970’s. Another practice, for losing weight, by women is
exercise, which is spreading widely. Beauty ideals are socially created that
lead to class and racial distinction. Inability of meeting beauty standards
contribute to the depression among women. Attractive people get more
opportunities and unattractive people are rejected. Society treats men and
women differently in the beauty standards and women face much rejection than
men. Women should try to understand the reality of beauty.