magazine
TM by Jada Jackson, with assistant Nicole
DO PRETTY PEOPLE ROCK? THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BEAUTY
magazine
The pressure of being“ pretty” seems to increase from generation to generation. From way back in the 1920s, with Clara Bow who was the original“ it Girl”, Society seemed to be obsessed with looking and feeling externally beautiful. American society seems to send a message, especially to girls and women, that being pretty is what makes you matter. One of America’ s most notorious symbol of beauty was 1950 ' s actress Marilyn Monroe. Her blonde hair and white silhouette, that showed off her curves, made her one of the most famous beauty icons to this day. But Marilyn Monroe was also known for her troubled childhood, that lead to her suffering and eventually lead to her death by an overdose.
Her mother suffered from severe paranoid schizophrenia, and spent most of her life in institutions, which caused her to neglect her daughter( biography. com). Marilyn was raised in 12 different foster homes and worried that her mother’ s illness was hereditary( dailymail. co. uk). She suffered from loneliness, sexual abuse, and neglect as a child. Recent studies that have focused on Marilyn ' s psychological state, suggest that she suffered from borderline personality disorder( dailymail. co. uk). She was known for her sex appeal with men, in which she looked for love( dailymail. co. uk). But she was also known to lash out at those close to her, and she also battled substance abuse( dailymail. co. uk). Her struggles with mental illness, substance abuse, loneliness, and unhappiness eventually lead to her death by an overdose of barbiturates, at the young age of 36( history. com). Her death was ruled as a probable suicide( history. com). Why was the world so interested in Marilyn Monroe’ s sex appeal and beauty, but ignored the emotional battle she has with herself?
What is it about someone’ s looks that makes us automatically attracted to them? This is not just true about people, but also about our choice for objects. In our materialistic society, we are attracted to everything that we consider pretty. With the old saying“ diamonds are a girls best friend,” we choose something based on what it looks like, and emphasize more than the object’ s use and effectiveness. Why are we so attracted to beauty? Beauty can be negative and positive. Feeling beautiful can help
boost self-esteem and quality of life, but it can also create a personal judgment about who is beautiful and who isn ' t. Beautiful women are thought to be likable, financially successful, and happy. But what we don’ t realize is that beauty is only a small part of who a person is.
Success should be something that is obtained from hard work and the skills that someone has. Studies show that attractive people are usually hired sooner, get promotions faster, and are paid more than non attractive people( businessinsider. com). What this tells the young people who are entering the work force, is that if you are not considered " pretty," you have little chance to be successful, no matter how hard you try, or how qualified you are. Change starts with you, the next time you are looking for an object or see a person that you consider to be " pretty," look for these qualities:
1. Personality and in the case of an object, this would be the quality of the object. 2. Skills and in the case of an object, this would be it ' seffectiveness. 3. Morality and in the case of an object, this would be it ' s use.
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Photos Courtesy of Jada Jackson, www. jadajackson. com
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jada Jackson, LMHC, NCC, M. S.- TV host, author, coach, motivational speaker, licensed mental health counselor, communicator, and life coach. She is known for her transparent, practical style of speaking, teaching and coaching. Her passion is to guide others into meaningful and purposeful living.
Nicole is a psychology student at the University of Central Florida. She has always had a passion for psychology and helping people overcome the challenges in their loves. She especially has a passion for working with children and families. She plans on continuing on to receive her PhD in clinical psychology specializing in children and their development.
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