by Yealin Lee, photo editor
We want perfect bodies. A body without fat, a body that isn’t just bones, a body that is not too tall or short; a body with all the right proportions. America is a place for everyone but.. we’d prefer beautiful people. That’s why most of our money is spent on advertisements, modeling, and magazines to motivate the people. 50% of the commercials we watch are known to be aimed towards physical attraction and the advertisements we watch that includes anything about attractiveness is 5,000 annually. These magazines and television shows (or ads on TV) portray ‘decent’ women and men of all race, who have been wonderfully photoshopped to show you what a real body should look like in our continued future.
Now, some of these body types may be a very very VERY far stretch from what the perfect body should be, but not to worry; there have been many suggested ways to reach the goal. From a survey that was taken, 59% of girls are trying to lose weight, and over 18% of girls avoid eating for a day or more, in an attempt to shape their body. Another 11.3% of the girls that were surveyed use diet pills starting at the age of 14. As the survey shows, many females are trying these different tactics to achieve the beautiful bodies that are sold on magazines, by eating less and taking diet pills.
Another excellent method that some women use to keep themselves at a healthy weight and size is by practicing ‘binge eating’ and ‘bulimia’. Are you feeling a bit hungry? Not a problem, you can eat all you want, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, White Castle, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s etc. You can basically eat anything, literally anything and not gain a single pound! How? Binge eating helps the process of Bulimia. By eating until you’re so full that you actually puke yourselves! It’s as easy and as simple as that. Why exercise when you can save time and take laxatives instead? 8.4% of the girls that were surveyed (I have mentioned this before) follow such examples of eating styles, and make it a habit, persevering to reach their goal.
It is not only the female gender that has found these techniques to mold their body. The American Academy of Pediatrics provides a 2012 research on what some of these boys also do to achieve a handsome figure. 34% of teen boys use powders or shakes that are said to contain muscle enhancing and 6% of teens use steroids in order to get that into a good shape. Thanks to these generous buyers the dieting industry is known to make over $55.4 billion in revenue each year. The money made will be used to find even better chemicals and medicine to help our fellow people.
It is very common to hear some people say they see others being ‘bullied’ by their community and ‘criticized’ because of their size and weight. But you have it all wrong! Our society is trying to help. To encourage and give constructive criticism and give a little nudge towards what people like you should really want. You do not have to work alone to get to these results. There are always good people who are willing to help you for your own good. Doctors and friends who will tell you what is best for you. As the statistics of 2014 shows, 15.6 million people have had plastic surgery in the past year alone. This means 15.6 million people trust these doctors and took the good advice of the public and their communities to find the perfect look.
Having the perfected body and look is not just for others to see and feel motivated to do better themselves but, really for you! As the saying goes looking good makes you feel good too. And it is true indeed! When asked why teens would want a perfect body they responded saying that it made them feel better about themselves and that it would make their self-esteem go up. As you can see having a beautiful body isn’t just because we love the perfection. It is truly to help our communities to grow into a kind and loving family-like atmosphere. It is to help you to become someone you can finally be proud of!
Of course on occasion there are some people who proclaim to be ‘oh so happy and content’ with how their body is and what they were ‘born with’. For these poor souls we need to help them realize the situation they’re in. Just as Ariel wanted two legs after seeing her prince, we must help them see their own Prince Eric to help them see what it is they really want. They aren’t really content with what they have! These people are just miserable and so they try to cover it by saying they’re okay with the way things are. They say that it’s ok to eat what they want and gain a few ‘harmless pounds’. HARMLESS? Harmless they say! Just as every penny counts towards a dollar, every pound gained is another step to your disgrace! These people make a laughingstock of themselves by creating ‘plus-size’ clothes when the carefully slim-designed won’t fit. Fashion has taken a plunge into the mockering, pointing hands of the people when they decided to release the humiliatingly ‘bigger’ versions of the normal designs just for the sake of money.
To spread this awareness, a day should be given to support and celebrate the workings toward gorgeous bodies. It would be a day to remind everyone what a real body should look like, and how having a beautiful body will boost self-esteem. We shouldn’t be concerning ourselves about teaching the children how to be abstinent or something as silly as health education. We should be teaching important things about how to achieve and maintain a perfect body, and how easy it is to get to this goal. With all the education and celebration, we can reach the vision of the United States being the first to be filled with the perfect human race. Just don’t forget! Even if you think you have reached your goal, look at the photos on the magazines and in television, then back at the mirror. Always keep the possibility of doubt and do not forget, citizens of the United States, every pound gained is a step to your disgrace and shame!
