I'm too fat.I'm too skinny.
I'm not smart enough.
My hair is too curly.
My hair is too straight.
My nose is too big.
I'm not talented.
I'm not talented.
I need bigger muscles.
I'm not good enough.
These are only a few of the statements we as teenagers make, if not about ourselves, than about others. We are in a constant battle with ourselves to look better, and act better based on a societal norm. We force ourselves and each other to look like people on television and billboards, when in reality, they themselves do not even look like that. Everyday, we get up, do our hair, makeup, spray on expensive cologne or perfume, and get into our designer clothes. Why?
Because if we did not, than we would be looked upon differently. We would not be respected, nor would we be liked. However, if we all took the time to really think about this, we would all come to the same realization. We are making each other do this; we are the cause for each other’s suffering.
We all have imperfections and therefore, we all try to hide them. However, we do this in negative ways; we take it out on others. If we think we are too fat, we make fun of someone fatter. If our nose is big, we make fun of someone whose nose is even bigger. We make ourselves feel better by making others feel worse. But what does this really do?
It leads us into anorexia, bulimia, and plastic surgery.
So why pay attention to others imperfections? When everyone has so many beautiful things about them. And more importantly, why should we be so hard on ourselves about being too skinny, fat, with no muscles and a big nose? Why should we care about other people’s opinions? Because they won’t like us? Because they will not respect us?
If someone does not respect you because you do not fit into their picture perfect image, then they do not deserve to be respected by you; they do not deserve to be your friends.
Be friends with people who will love you for you, not for what you look like.
God created all of us, and he makes no mistakes. We are all beautiful.
Be the cure to anorexia, not the cause:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlUjS7ZTts4&feature=related
-Veronica Ozog
Be the cure to anorexia, not the cause:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlUjS7ZTts4&feature=related
-Veronica Ozog
All the statements that were mentioned are completely true. All teenagers do see themselves as either to fat, skinny, or with bigger imperfections. Thinking about it now, I wonder how many teenagers male and female look down on themselves and want to change at least one thing on their bodies or at least about themselves. Why do we choose as teenagers choose to hide behind all the superficial aspects such as makeup and plastic surgery. I never thought about it until now that I read a statement that was in the blog, saying “we are the cause for each other’s suffering.” Which is true, we are the cause for each other’s suffering; we choose to look and poke at others imperfections when someone is constantly doing it to us. But one thing that I disagree on is the respect portion. Even if someone doesn’t respect you due to your lack of good looks you should not disrespect them. Because disrespecting or not giving everyone respect is not always the right thing to do. I feel like that would cause more problems in a situation and create more stress upon teenagers. Lastly what I agree most on is that God does make us all beautiful and with no mistakes & I could not have said that any better.
ReplyDelete-Katie Cardoza
I completely agree with you, and Katie’s response. As a teenager, I’m constantly hearing both my peers and friends complaining about their bodies. In their eyes there’s always something wrong with them. They constantly strive to fix themselves to abide by what the society calls “the norm”. Personally, I think people even go over board with what they consider fixing themselves. Girls apply too much make up. Girls and guys change their hair color every month of the year. Girls and guys spray so much cologne and perfume that it’s almost difficult to breathe fresh air around them. It’s not natural and it’s not right. Teenagers should not be pressured into thinking they have to do all of these things to change their outside appearance. They are beautiful without make up. They are beautiful with their natural hair color. And they are beautiful smelling only of their natural scent and maybe even the shampoo they used in the shower that morning. Every person should take the time to complement others, instead of pointing out their flaws. You never know how it can change someone’s day entirely. Every person is beautiful in their own way, because that is how God created us to be.
ReplyDelete-Amanda Cilli
Katie, I am glad that you agree with the statements I have written. I hope more teenagers read this blog and come to the realization that they are all truly beautiful, no matter how God created them. I hope that, like you, they realize that “we are the cause for each other’s suffering”. We are the reason why teenagers become so obsessed with their looks and why they become anorexic, bulimic and resolve to plastic surgery.
ReplyDeleteAlso, now that you mentioned that you do not agree with the respect portion of my blog, I would like to clarify it better. When I stated that if someone does not respect you, they do not deserve to be respected back, I did not mean that we should disrespect them. You are right, that would not be the right thing to do, and it would add on more stress and tension. What I meant by this statement was that when someone disrespects you because of your looks than they do not deserve to have your respect. However, even though they do not deserve it, you should still respect them because after all, they are still children of God.
Amanda, I completely agree with your response and I am glad you agree with me. You are absolutely right, all of my friends always complain about something to do with their looks. They never seem to talk positively about themselves and their image, instead they too put themselves down. Also, you are right when you say girls put on too much makeup, sometimes they put on so much that they look like completely different people. Which makes no sense, because like you said, every person is beautiful in his or her own way. When they apply all this makeup, all they do is take away from their natural beauty.
-Veronica Ozog