Jean Kilbourne comments that the impossible, ideal image presented by advertiser

Question

Jean Kilbourne comments that the impossible, ideal image presented by advertisers "wouldn't matter so much if it didn't connect with the core belief of American culture that such transformation is possible; that we can look like this if we just try hard enough, buy the right products. If we're not beautiful, or thin, or rich, or successful, it's because we're just not trying hard enough."Explore this statement further. in what ways is transformation a central principle of American society? What is the connection between advertising's impossible image of ideal beauty and the American belief in transformation? In what ways does this belief affect the way you view your own body and/or people who are overweight?

Explanation / Answer

Media, especially TV and movies have brought a new meaning to self-image by attributing 75% of it to the physical good looking and the rest of the 25% again how they are behaving in the society, forget about how they behave at home. For women, it’s about size zero. All these media frenzy has taken the toll of people today that they have become more obsessed with the way they look and not the way they behave or live their life.

Ideal self-image has different definitions and it depends on who you talk to. One of the most important definitions of ideal self is the reaction one get when one looks at oneself. Assertive people go beyond the physical appearance in defining the self-image by looking at it in a holistic manner because human beings are not just flesh and bones but they are rational beings. Most of the great leaders and scientists in the world were not good looking people.

This has caused more serious problems such as low self-esteem, more stress, more eating disorders both Anorexia Nervosa and Anorexia bulimia, excessive exercise, use of steroids etc. This has also caused more relationship problems because people get dissatisfied if their partner’s shape and size changes. Men have also taken smoking and alcohol which were projected as manliness once in the media which has caused heavy addiction among the youngsters.

Ordinary people are not models who spend most of their time maintaining their physical structure but ordinary people have more problems in their lives which they have to look after. In terms of ordinary people, especially overweight people need to help themselves by going on some diet program and taking up some regular exercise because at the end of the day it’s all about living healthily. So, ideal-image in my point of view, comprises the overall development of a human being such as physical, mental and social well-being.

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