The sociological imagination is what changes our perspective of the world from our neighbor's. Our sociological imagination is influenced by every detail of our lives, including who we know, what we've done, and where we live. Take makeup for example: makeup is a simple, yet popular, way to enhance one's beauty. But why do we need it? The history of makeup can be traced back to the ancient Egyptains, but why is modern culture infatuated with covering up their appearance? The cosmetics once only worn by prostitutes now is on the face of every high school student, and even middle school students. This is so because our culture is obsessed with perfection, which to Americans, includes clear skin, young, bright looking eyes, and rouged cheeks. At an increasingly earlier age, young girls are feeling pressure from their peers, media, and cosmetic companies to alter their appearance so they are "acceptable". Little girls see their mothers applying makeup, and they want to be just like them. Our sociological imagination, being formed from birth, tells us that since our mothers, and every other beautiful woman, wears makeup, then I should too. So why is America captivated with hiding itself behind potentially harmful chemicals? This is because society is driven by appearance, and in order to get ahead, you need to have both beauty and brains.
I agree with this blog. It is crazy how driven by beauty America is. The lengths women, even young girls, will go to to look 'beautiful' are astounding. Today, girls start wearing makeup around age eleven, sometimes younger. Once young girls enter middle school, the pressure to be 'pretty and popular' begins to settle in. Makeup has increased teenage girls' self-confidence for years; giving them a sense of beauty that is, in the end, as removable as makeup. But, if it does increase confidence and even happiness, is it really that bad?
ReplyDelete-Hayley nolan
I myself put makeup on almost everyday, but when I think about it, there is really no legitimate reason why, except because I think it looks good. Its just part of our culture as a whole. A lot, I'd even say the majority of girls in our culture wear some form of makeup every day. Everything around us is telling us to look pretty and have perfect skin complexion and makeup is a way to attempt to obtain this perfection that we are looking for.
ReplyDeleteAnne Jele 5th hour