Idea of progress: how progress of technology and science influences the image of beauty in our society?

Idea of progress:

I will speak about the notion idea of progress. First of all I would like to give a definition of this term. The idea of progress can be defined as an improvement or a change in something. It’s a kind of technical, scientific or social advance which contributes to making the world a better place. Nowadays, the idea of beauty is really present in our culture and that’s why we will see how progress of technology and science influences the image of beauty in our society?

With progress of medicine, science and technologies, people are now able to look like anyone they want, to change their physical appearance or modify their image on pictures with software like Photoshop or in a definitive way with the surgery.

We had seen the case of Justin, a 36 years old man who has already had 190 cosmetics procedure in order to be the Human Ken doll. According to him, Ken is the ideal of beauty. Some of his procedures were very dangerous for example he wanted to remove the frontal vein even if he could become blind. The danger was not a problem for him because his only goal was to look like his idol. From our childhood, toys as Ken and Barbie give us a precise and unique idea of the beauty. And that’s the fact that there is a type of conformism in the idea of beauty who encourages people to use plastic surgery.

It’s this idea of beauty which is transported by Medias like magazines or commercials. It creates others the same phenomenon many cultures. For example in South Korea a lot of women have already used plastic surgery in particular accepted into university or for a job because in their culture « the prettier person will get the job ».  

For them, be a beautiful woman is a mix between Belle (from Disney movie) and a Chinese actress Fan Bing Bing. With these examples we have seen that progress of sciences, more precisely in plastic surgery and the Medias pressure have a big influence on people.  

The main issue is that there is only one right way to look or to be. Surgery can leads us to a society with 2 types of people: wealthy people who can use surgery and the others who can’t.

Media and magazines use some software as Photoshop to modify the image of famous people to delete all that could be seen as physical defect. Furthermore, when the software is used to clear up the color of the skin of famous people as Beyonce, it raises more problems. If even stars have to modified their image how can we feel comfortable with ourselves without having to modify our appearance. These technological evolutions always transform people in order to be more beautiful with always thin bodies, skins flawless as if it was the objective of a life.

But if science and technologies can allow people to finally find their true identity, it’s a good shape of progress too.

One of the perfect examples is Caitlyn Jenner more known as Bruce Jenner an American television personality and an old sportsman. As a trans woman, Jenner has used cosmetic surgery, and completed her sex reassignment surgery in January 2017. In this kind of example, media or famous people have a good influence on our society because they give a good message, the one of emancipation.

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