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Television. A curse or a form of entertainment? The same question applies to magazines, radio broadcasts, and any other media outlet that connects us to the "outside" world.
Beauty is what all these have in common. How many times a day does someone give you a true and genuine compliment solely based on your looks? Not very often in my case. But I'm not an ugly girl. I have enough sense to know that growing up reading things like Cosmopolitan, and Seventeen magazine taught me that to be successful in life, you should be beautiful. And this just isn't so. Yes, it's a nice bonus. I'm a firm believer in, "Look better, and you will feel better." The only problem with that is not many can afford to get hair, nails, waxing, clothes and accessories shopping paid for in one lifetime.

The media has a job to do. Television is constantly shoving people that are so called beautiful like Paris Hilton down our reluctant throats. It's almost as if the media is telling us to eat a huge cheeseburger from this particular restaurant, and you will have flowing hair and flawless skin too! I disagree.
There are more overweight, unpopular and not so lovely faces being seen in the media now. Although I do have a slight problem with the popularity of Ugly Betty on T.V. This girl wears big glasses, non-label clothing, and wears braces. I don't see what's so "ugly" about that. I don't think I even own anything thats technically a label on my closet. Well, other than Levi, or Fashion Bug.
So many children, (especially little girls) are growing up thinking that beauty is what's important in life. I personally believe that the little things are more important. Going for a walk with your child. Now THAT'S beauty.
My little girl is only eight years old, and already she has asked me if she looked fat in a pair of shorts! I asked her why she would think that when she has a slim build. She told me she saw people saying it on T.V. I supposed that's my fault for not altering what she watches well enough. But most parents know that it is hard to protect a child from every little commercial, magazine and show they see. It really is heartbreaking to know that our children are dying from diseases like cutting and bulimia due to comparing themselves with something that was seen on "America's Next Top Model" or read in an article about How to Avoid Becoming a statistic in Obese America. Sad.
I will end this little rant by also mentioning the fact that Christina Aguilera was so right when she sang, "We are beautiful, no matter what they say."

Learn more about this author, Tricia Moore.
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