Society has increasingly placed a high value on image, which has had a profound effect on people, from how to dress, talk, behave, things they idolize, or deem important. Image is a physical likeness, representation, or appearance of a person, or thing, photographed, painted, or otherwise made visible. Image is one of the oldest form of nonverbal communication used to appeal to others; people often judge your integrity, accountability, or professionalism based on appearance. Having the right image can go a long way, by providing opportunities, highlight qualities, and even present life changing experiences. Image is how someone, a group, or corporation, present themselves to the world, it tells a little about who they are. Therefore, image gives an insight to spectators, who form opinions solely on appearances, which is very important as first impressions last.
For many people, school is one of the first times in life that someone has to challenge their image. How a student looks, whether it’s the clothes on their back or the color of their hair can make a big difference. It can cause a student to be singled out and bullied, help them to make friends, or just blend in with everyone else. Sometimes appearances can be as easy to change as an outfit, other times it’s something they have no control over. How students see themselves in school can give them the confidence to try their best or paralyze them with doubts and fears. Getting poor grades can make them feel like they aren’t smart enough to do well, causing them to shut down before they even really try. Experiences based on image can affect a person, not just only in school, but well into adulthood and through...
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..., but the power lies with the people. How people perceive a person in this realm can be the difference between success or failure .
Image is extremely important in society, where as much emphasis has been placed on the physical appearance as it is the easiest way to form an opinion about something or someone. Judgments and opinions are often placed on people based on how they look, act, dress, behave, or simply how someone presents themselves. Popular arenas where image has and continues to be influential, are in the schools, politics, and the media as well as many others. Putting forward a good image can be quite challenging for those people who are dominant public figures. Nevertheless, maintaining a good image for many people have been worthwhile as it provides them with opportunities, create relationships, business ventures etc.
Currently television networks and stations require a set appearance and weight standards for news reporters, newscasters, weather forecaster. Our society looks at the news and weather to see not only the news and weather but the persons. They believe that physical attractiveness and pleasing body image have long been known to have marketplace advantages. Therefore many organizations set appearance standards for their employees, because they think that will project a particular image and as well as a favorable working environment. (Harvey & Allard , 2012, p. 231)
People tend to views an image based on how society say it should be they tend to interpret the image on those assumption, but never their own assumptions. Susan Bordo and John Berger writes’ an argumentative essay in relation to how viewing images have an effect on the way we interpret images. Moreover, these arguments come into union to show what society plants into our minds acts itself out when viewing pictures. Both Susan Bordo and John Berger shows that based on assumptions this is what causes us to perceive an image in a certain way. Learning assumption plays into our everyday lives and both authors bring them into reality.
Students encounter many complications during their school career. Some students are smart, but just don’t apply themselves, or have similar hardships that are going on in their lives. These can be fixed if one can find motivation and confidence. In the story “Zero,” Paul Logan coasts through high school and college. Logan doesn’t know the tools to succeed in school, which causes his grades to fall. In the story “The Jacket,” Gary Soto explains how the way one dresses can influences how they feel about themself. Which in this case he gets an ugly jacket; which causes him to be depressed and his grades to fall. Albeit Logan and Soto went through similar hardships, they both succeed with motivation and confidence.
It’s impossible to decipher how other people view your image. It’s a hypothesis, an educated guess. Projected images can sometimes be misunderstood, viewed as negative, self-serving transparencies. In my experience a large segment of the population attempts to portray a false image of someone they are not, but someone they would like to emulate. Without a solid relationship with someone, it can be difficult to decide if their image is real or delusional. I have been conscious of self image since my youth. My life has provided me with many challenges and opportunities that have resulted in the evolution of my image that has transitioned from a rebellious teenager to a 55-year-old displaced worker going back to college.
“People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder,” according to Salma Hayek. Society should have a positive outlook on body image, rather than face a disorder that can change one’s whole life. Negative body image can result from the media, with photoshop and editing, celebrity fad diets, and society’s look at the perfect image. Negative body image can lead to dangerous eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia. It can also take a risk to unhealthy habits, such as smoking, alcohol, and drugs. It is important to stress the effects of body image, because the world still struggles with this today. Society should not be affected by media, disorders, and pressure by making unhealthy choices and having a negative outlook on body image.
Body image has become one of the most important things in society and also one of the hottest topics for social media. My questions for body image focused on how society affects the way people look at themselves and others. Jaclyn was the first interviewee to answer and she believed that social media takes a large role on how body image effects society. She believe that body image has a large effect on the power people have over each other, her example was based on the process of getting hired for a job. Body image plays a role in the hiring system because it is instinctual for someone who is better looking who is also skilled to get hired more than someone who does not fit the ideal body image, she used Aeropostale for example. The more we focus on body image the more the perfect body seems to change. I asked if there was a different image for men and women, Jacklyn stated that the perfect male body image is someone who is attractive and fit while the ideal woman has the Victoria 's Secret model body. The media supports these ideas by defining who is perfect in showing only that body image, advertising with it. As time passes we see that commercials try and push that everyone has an ideal body, but then other company will only show attractive women as an incentive for men to use their product. Xavier has the same view on how society influences perfect body ideal. He believes that because there 's a certain body image people must uphold that more people in society are becoming insecure and uncomfortable with themselves, feeling as if they cannot be accepted by society. The simple society pushing body image is all through the media, Xavier comments that social media has a lot to do with the way people look at their bodies. He notices that women are supposed to be curvy with big boobs or butts while men have to be fit with a six pack or bulging muscles, both of these are examples of the perfect
Impression management is a social phenomenon that occurs in our daily life both consciously and unconsciously. “It is the act of presenting a favorable public image of oneself so that others will form positive judgments.” (Newman 184) Our first impressions of a person are always based on physical appearance and we compare them to the norms of our society. We can all admit to the initial meeting of a person and first noticing their age, gender, race, or other ascribed characteristics. Our cultural norms are ideas such that fat is “ugly” which are very different across societies and time. Also, impression management is an idea of how individuals interact in different social situations. “Sociologists refer to dramaturgy as the study of social interactions as theater, in which people (“actors”) project images (“play roles”) in front of others (“the audience”).” (Newman 169) This is our human need for acceptance and way of managing the impressions we give others and perform what we think people want to see. Our social life is governed by this concept but it only works with effective front-stage and back-stage separation. Our front-stage is the visible part of ourselves that we allow others to see unlike our hidden back-stage self.
This essay elaborates on the importance of physical appearance of an individual as a criterion for personal development and success in a career.
In the 21st century, photography and videography have become the most popular art forms. Art and imagery have always held the human mind’s interest. Often it allows unreal things to become real and real things to be remembered. With technology today, most people are able to take a picture or a video at any time they would like. Social media such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat serve as platforms for these images to be shared. Not only do everyday people use these platforms, but celebrities do as well. Often for celebrities social media becomes a way to brand and advertise not only theirselves, but their best selfs. This can be problematic because the ideal images of celebrities that are published are often ones that
In our society, appearance and its importance might not look like a problem because of how much it is present in our lives and how it has been presented to us but it is important because we face problems like bullying at every level from child to adult and lower self-esteem that are highly correlated to suicide. The problems that we face today related to appearances are important so this topic deserve attention. Because it affects children, parents, models, teenagers and everybody, we s...
A growing issue for modern schools that is almost impossible to avoid nowadays is the question of students’ appearance. Whereas children and teens would most likely enjoy dressing the way they want, teachers and education authorities lean toward students wearing standardized uniforms over free dress. As with any argument, there are many opponents and proponents of a mandatory enabling of school uniforms, both with reasonable arguments in favor of their claims. However, it is in my opinion that students should not be forced to wear uniforms, as it can negatively affect their personalities.
Power is defined in the course study notes as the “ability of individuals or groups to get what they want despite the opposition”. Power is derived from a variety of sources including knowledge, experience and environmental uncertainties (Denhardt et al, 2001). It is also important to recognize that power is specific to each situation. Individuals or groups that may be entirely powerful in one situation may find themselves with little or no power in another. The county Registrar of Voters, who is my boss, is a perfect example. In running the local elections office, she can exercise the ultimate power. However, in a situation where she attempted to get the county selected for a desirable, statewide pilot project, she was powerless, completely at the mercy of the Secretary of State. Power is difficult to measure and even to recognize, yet it plays a major role in explaining authority. In organizations, power is most likely exercised in situations where “the stakes are high, resources are limited, and goals and processes are unclear” (Denhardt et al, 2001). The absence of power in organizations forces us to rely on soley hierarchical authority.
Despite a portion of students proclaiming their abhorrence of uniforms as they limit their freedom of speech and restrict their display of individuality, there are accessories that allow them to voice their own unique quirks. Even if the ensemble of the student body remains identical, embellishments such as jewelry or idiosyncratic personality traits exist to discern individuals from the collective. In fact, 54% of students assert that they still have their identity when they wear a uniform (Wharton). The way one dresses does not dictate one’s character and mindset, just like how an inviting cover does not guarantee a riveting book. By incorporating modest details into their everyday wear, students are able to establish their peculiar aspects. Moreover, with an everyday wardrobe imposed, students can focus on their education rather than engross themselves in new fashion statements. After all, the purpose of school is not for students to have a place to fixate themselves on modern styles, but rather to strengthen students to prepare themselves for their futures. With “[42% of students reporting that they] worry less about how others look [with the imposition of uniforms]” (Wharton), uniforms have made a point of decreasing the quantity of judgmental remarks over trivial matters, such as appearances, and leaving more capacity for students to
I wish I cared more about my grades in high school rather than what I looked like. School is supposed to be about grades and learning, but for high schoolers it 's almost never about that. Girls are more worried about having trendy clothes and looking cute. I was in high school just last year, I can remember a high school girl 's mind. I know that the majority of girls who I went to high school with were trying to make their body look "hot" for boy 's attention. If every girl in school was wearing the same clothing, a girl wouldn 't need to worry about what to wear, if her clothes are cute, or if boys think she looks attractive. A girl may also feel at ease that boy 's cannot judge who has the nicest body or clothes. Manditory uniforms should force students to focus more on their academics. John Hoge, Stuart J. Foster, Pat Nickell, and Sherry L. Field 's article called "Mandatory School Uniforms: A Debate For Students" had recorded eighty-two percent of parents and faculty believed that uniforms helped to remind students that they were going to school to learn. What 's more important in the long run, looking pretty or good
The teenage years are a time when adolescents try out various personas, often trying out different styles of fashion. Adversaries argue that uniforms suppress an individual’s freedom of expression. However, the clothes that people wear, or can afford to wear, often classify the group by which they are acknowledged. As a result, many teens are outcast due to the fact that they cannot afford the latest trends in clothing. This rejection can lead to a number of problems for the outcast teen: depression, inability to focus on schoolwork, or just a general feeling of inferiority. School uniforms put everyone on the same level. According to Karin Polacheck (1995), “Uniforms help to create balanced diversity by alleviating racial and cultural tensions and encouraging values of tolerance and civility.” School Uniforms permit students to relate with one another without experiencing the socioeconomic barrier that non-uniform schools generate. More importantly, students are not criticized on how much they spent on clothes or how fashionable they look, but rather for their talents and their