Public Sphere:Sociology/Standards of Beauty

            I suddenly remembered when I came to the Matteo Hall out of coincidence.I was surprised by what I saw because it so happened that the photo exhibit portrayed what we were also discussing in our sociology class. So,what was it that I saw which attracted my fancy and at the same time we discussed in class? It was a photo exhibit portraying the standards of beauty in the Philippine society which was influenced by Western ideas. In my Sociology and Anthropology(SA) class, we discussed how media depicted beauty nowadays.This really caught my attention because it was a venue for me to gain more knowledge and integrate what I learned from SA and the photo exhibit. It is crucial to take into consideration how showbiz and the Western Culture influenced the Philippine context of beauty since this was what the media used to mold our perceptions.

           We are normally engaged by how showbiz can truly manipulate our perceptions of beauty.In the Philippines,we get attracted to celebrities who fit our own standard definition of beauty and in one of the compositions posted in the photo exhibit,I saw the names of Piolo Pascual, Bea Alonzo, Anne Curtis and a whole lot more.In the showbiz industry,one needed good looks,charm,grace,talent in acting: singing,acting and dancing, and a good personality.Well,at least,the names mentioned above have most of the attributes needed to be a successful and popular celebrity.People normally watch movies,teleseryes,shows and films noticing these good-looking and beautiful actors and actresses.These celebrities needed to be presentable in front of the camera so it can be featurable and viewable to the audience.Most of them  are usually fair, tall,muscular/curvaceous,stylish,and foreign looking blessed with a magnificent face.

           As a star,they have to make sure that they stay good-looking and beautiful which they do by exercising regularly and following strict diets.They really need to so they can still be appealing to the audience and most of them have the ideal look which helps in attracting more viewers.Truly,showbiz is a main influencer of most people's sense of beauty as the audience would want to look like the actors and actresses they see on TV.They even want to be famous like them so they'll get paid by movie producers but also by advertisers.

          Another big influencer to the Philippine's standards of beauty came from the Western Culture.It has a number of influences in the world today and they include fields like sports,cuisines,social interactions and beauty,the biggest of them all.The West consists of interesting and diverse places like Africa,Europe and America.Their standards by the way include a fair skin,slim figure,nice hair, an attractive face and fashionable clothing.America contributes the most to our perception of beauty.It is like a tropical fruit shake because it has "all the flavors in one cup".This means they have everything from the mags,movies,music,news and in short everything.America's perception of beauty on the other hand was also influenced by Europe and Africa

        Europe is prominently known to be the home of many beautiful people; where good-looking and hot actors and models come from.It is also one of the most fashionable places in the world.French and Italian people have great taste for fashion and that's why they have Milan and Paris Fashion Week.Europeans have defined noses and chins,good-looking faces and a good sense of fashion, and also have an accent when they talk (which some find sexy and hot).

       Africans have a say too in influencing the Philippine's standards of beauty.They compose of what they wear,long neck;reason why they wear several rings around their neck,dark skin color,wearing accessories like earrings and bracelet;the more you have,the more beautiful you are,and having traits like strength and independence.Diversity is something that makes the Western Culture unique after all,they say that there is "unity in diversity".

      More important,every person,country and culture each have a unique set of traits that define beauty which the media portrays,features,advertises and presents to the people.I also learned that "Beauty is not real.Beauty only exists in perception".What would also support that statement is "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,not depending on the trending".The trend may have its standards but it is still you who can define your own look,style,taste and your perception of beauty.Over time,our own perceptions(not the beholder) of good looks and beauty will get more refined as we get to expose ourselves to different standards.Beauty is really subjective and is a "socially constructed reality"(phrase which I learned from SA). =D Therefore,what we can also do is to appreciate ourselves according to how we look,carry ourselves,dress and relate with others as there are more important things than beauty itself and besides,beauty comes from within too not only outside! =D