During the last century, society has gone through many marketing hypes; as the media – newspapers, radio and television – developed, businesspeople saw the opportunity to spread a message globally and influence people. And today, we once again see a new marketing notion making its way into our daily lives – affecting us on all levels. Ads boasting weight loss products, promoting diets, and offering to improve your appearance have become ubiquitous. So, are people being influenced into paying too much attention to their looks and diets? I think so, and this may have a detrimental effect to our lives and those of the people around us.
First of all, people are made to believe that appearance is more important than character; consequently they are more likely to neglect their work, studies, or relationships in lieu of keeping fit. For example, teachers in the US report that many of their female students are flunking their classes, as they are too concentrated in competing with each other for the most fashionable look. Moreover, the hysteria over appearance may influence our relationships, as devoting too much time to superficial matters may deter others from keeping contact.
Second, much of the dieting and fashion hype might actually be false advertising, and may even be unhealthy. Most commercials use cinema tricks to mimic the effects of their products, misleading people as to the effectiveness of diets or pills. Humans with low self-esteem are willing to try anything to boost their confidence, and fall for the exaggerated claims of ads. Moreover, some products may not be government-approved and can actually have a detrimental effect to one’s health and well being.
Finally, it is bad to worry too much about trivial things, such as your appearance or being “stylish”. People should learn to relax and live in harmony with what they have on hand. For example, they should focus on a hobby or a sideline activity, to keep worries off their minds. Moreover, taking up a sport is an effective way to battle a poor physical condition and to relax.
To sum up, although dieting and looking after your appearance have been raised into a cult in our society, they might affect us in negative ways, like diverting us from important goals in life, influencing our physical health, and causing us to worry too much. By replacing such an obsession with a hobby or a sport, one can lead a healthy and positive life.
