Being locked inside of our houses for months has had everyone on their phones and social media, and there are a lot more people posting and consuming. Along with this increase of media consumption comes a few issues.

One of the biggest issues nowadays is the pressure that is put upon people to act, dress, or look a certain way. Media has a great deal of power over people. It influences the beliefs, behaviors, and thoughts of people in a way that they we begin idolize these “influencers” that fit the description of “pretty” or “hot”. One of the most harmful industries is the modeling industry. Each person that is chosen to model portrays a certain body type that is idolized among society these days. Of course, not all modeling businesses are bad, but most of them give the modeling industry a bad reputation. I hear a lot of my friends saying “oh I wish I looked like them, they’re pretty” or “I’ll never be as good looking as them, I’m ugly”. The truth is, everyone is beautiful. Everyone deserves to be celebrated for how they look. It’s the idea that gets put in our heads that someone must look a certain way in order to be pretty. The idea that someone needs to wear certain clothing brands to look good. Yes, there are trends that influence clothing style, makeup style, etc. but this is more than that. There is constant comparison between the presented body types and our own body types. Everyone is different, that’s how it’s supposed to be. What would be the fun in getting to know someone else if they were exactly like you? Yet industries continue to praise only those who fit their standards.

Back in middle school I read a book called “Uglies”. I don’t remember the entirety of it, but the main idea was that everyone was considered ugly until, at the age of 16, they would get surgery to change themselves drastically and become “pretty”. This surgery that they receive would change them to meet the society’s standard of “pretty”. Now, obviously our society may not be as extreme as that, but it still contains relatively the same idea. We buy the things that famous people buy. We wear the clothes that famous people wear. We follow diets and workout routines of movie stars and models in hope that we’ll look like they do. In the book the main character. Tally, rebels against this dystopian society. I think that it would be only helpful if we brushed social norms away. I know that’s like asking for world peace, but it’s seriously an issue that we should work together to fix.

The number one thing I wish to change about the world is how we treat each other. The norms put into place by society greatly affects how we treat others. Please, treat others with kindness. I’d like to end this with a message. I know it may not mean much coming from a random person on the internet, but I want you to know that you are beautiful, you are unique, and that I love you. Don’t let social norms discourage you in any way.