Free example essay on Appearance is everything:
An individual is greatly influenced by the way he/she looks in the public arena. In this modern and even post-modern era, we now try to focus on one word: “individuality”. Individuality is very important as with this we are able to show to the world what we really what to be and this can make us happy and content on the basis that we have achieved something personal and meaningful.
To create an image one usually has to change his/her personal appearance. This can be done in many different ways, for example, dressing up differently, or using cosmetic surgery to enhance and reduce the effects of ageing and diminishing beauty.
Michael Jackson, one of the world’s most popular singers, recently was given a private interview on his life and his ideas about becoming an individual. He has used the powers of cosmetic surgery to help him be a different person. He said that he hated what he looked like before, and wanted to change it. This lead to a big controversy to the idea on why one would spend so much money to change his face, and in Michael’s case change his image differently to the way he hoped it would be.
Another major controversy about image “presentation” is homosexuality. There is still some feeling of misunderstanding between homosexuals and those who were considered to be the “norm”. Homosexuals at times try to present their image of homosexuality through different ways, usually through dress in drag. For example “The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert” sparked much controversy about gay men. And they were only trying to promote their image and how they’re not afraid to show it because it shows their individuality.
Some other ways of changing ones image is piercing and tattooing. Today, there are lots of young adults that have pierced their tongues, bellybuttons etc. they are showing an image that they want to be different from others and that they want to be recognized as an individual rather than a member of the conforming society. Tattooing has also become popular as they now can be done for a rather small price compared to cosmetic surgery, and that it is a better way of showing their individuality as something meaningful and personal can be tattooed.
This theory in to being a more individual is great as it no longer has us locked in like the rest of the conformer. The problem is those that lie with the obscene ideas that have been used. The practical changes all occur skin deep, and this does not fully change our image as our inner ideas may still be considered.