by Laura Howard

Created on: February 28, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

The idea that image has a huge effect in society is very prominent. Image is everywhere. On the street, on TV, even in the workplace. However, that is not necessarily a good thing. People are bombarded with idealist and unrealistic images of physical appearance on a daily basis, sometimes to the extent that we forget what is important. The person beneath the image. This piece aims to examine, in a general sense, the trends of image and how they affect today's society. It also aims to address the pros and cons of image.

Image in today's society is hard to ignore, especially in the western world. The High streets of every town and city are plastered with shops selling the latest fashions, made to seem desirable by the media that advertises them. It is the norm in today's world to wear fashionable clothes, fashionable jewelery and even fashionable perfume. If people choose not to follow trends then they are made to seem uncool, or boring. People are divided on image, regarding whether it is important.

The arguments for image seem to be obvious. People walking down the street wearing the latest fashions may be viewed as popular, cool, and perhaps confident. People make judgments on a person, based on image before they even know them. A person who is very conscious of their image may feel more confident or attractive wearing designer labels, having a fashionable haircut and hanging out at the 'cool' places. They may feel accepted in certain social circles if they have a distinct image.

Some people argue that society is too pre occupied with how people look, and not who people are. They believe that a person should be judged upon their ability, intelligence and personality, not by what they are wearing. People who obsess over body image may develop health issues may develop health issues such as Anorexia or Bulimia. They may develop a distorted body image of themselves. Other people may believe that people who do not follow trends are not worthy of their friendship, or my make them look uncool. Another argument is that image is just too trivial to obsess over. There are much more important things in the world to worry about.

Whether image in today's society is worth thinking about or not doesn't actually matter, because it's here to stay. It has integrated deeply into our society, and the society of many other countries. It affects our social status, our wallets, and the way people think of us. Unrealistic ideals of how people should look have caused distorted body images, and health problems such as Anorexia. Western society believes that looking a certain way is just as important, if not more important than who a person is inside.

Learn more about this author, Laura Howard.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.