The Idea of “Perfection”

Written by: Swimming Angel

Today, the year of 2005, the word perfection pertains for a female to be young, thin, blue eyes, blonde hair, tall, etc. For males, perfection is to be tall, great at every sport (especially football and basketball), and have great abs. Only a select few of both genders has this type of “perfection” across the globe. However, the race to become perfect is steadily increasing through plastic surgery, eating disorders, and extreme dieting. This idea is especially common among teenagers experiencing great peer pressure. Is this idea of “perfection” really what the younger generation should be experiencing?

Perhaps the greatest influence among the younger generation is from the life of the rich, which Americans have dubbed celebrities. The world of the rich and famous is now a competition to have the greatest body, clothes, shoes, etc., no matter what the expense. This includes diet pills, eating disorders, excessive physical training, and plastic surgery. This competition is being continuously spread across the world and brings a negative influence on health. Not only is health a terrible factor towards the want of “perfection,” self-esteem is lowered at maybe one of the most crucial points of life, which some may say is high school or middle school.

Teenagers also experience peer pressure that makes many people express very little individuality. To reach the top of the social status, he or she must dress a certain way to become popular or “preps.” Otherwise, rejection is often highly given to those that are unique. Not only are teenagers judged upon their appearance, but also what types of music they listen to, how they speak, how they act, and what sports they participate in.

Is this actually what the present and future generations must live like in order to be accepted into the aristocratic society? What is the point in being popular during school days when you are older? When you grow up, colleges, occupations, and people are not interested if you were popular for just three to seven years while you are in school; they are interested in you. Children should just focus on themselves instead of striving to become something they are not. Do people actually want to go through such agony, just to become “perfect?” How does it sound to become slender by starving yourself for days? Isn’t it better to just find friends that accept you for who you are?