ModernT.V Series and how they influence our ideas of beauty

In our modern world, so much of our daily lives is made up of media-and, a large part of it is television programmmes. So prevalent on our screens, these programmes reflect cultural attitudes and,  more often than not, idealise beauty and favour good looks and social stautus over more traditionally favoured aspirations such as intelligence. Whereas beauty has always been considered a favourable attribute, there was a time, not so long ago, when intelligence, wisdom and wit was equally, or ,more so, important. In ancient Greek legends, the Gods were both philsosophers and superheroes, adored and admired and, in Victorian times, beauty was a time consuming pasttime-by no means a way of life.Nowadays, however, the tables are very much turned. Most children spend more time indoors than outside and are more likely to be watching television or playing computer games than reading books or studying.

But why is this?

Surely intelligence should get you further in life than beauty? Surely people who are smart get betetr careers and live nicer lives than those who are 'beautiful'?

Unfortunately, in our modern world where so much of our lives are influenced by the media, a lot of the time this isn't the case. Film star, celebrities, models-we see much more of them than we do of famous writers, scientists or doctors. Careers which take intelligence and dedication, years at university and extra training, have been thrust into the darkness whilst other careers, which take less intelligence and skill, are the ones which we are exposed and supposed to aspire to.

This is because our society has put such a high value on beauty. Everyone wants to be beautiful becuase the media tells them they should be and the media makes money because we pay money to buy products that make us pretty. It has become a vicious cycle-teh media tells us we need to be beautiful and pretty and skinny because we believe that it is necessary. It seems so much easier, in our fast-past lives, to aspire to be beautiful than to be intelligent. People can make themselves beautiful-with make-up or plastic surgery-but they can, too, make themselves smart, even though it seems like so much more effort.

 

It is such shame that our society today puts more value on what you can see on the outside than what's waiting to be revealed on the inside.