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This is something I've been thinking and wondering about for a long while now, and I feel I've finally gotten to a point where I can express the thoughts in my head.
We've all seen images of beautiful people. Actually, they're people that society at large and the media claim are beautiful, for one reason or another (I've found that what people REALLY consider to be attractive isn't the same as the fantasy the media tries to shove into everyone's heads). The countless advertisements and reminders that sex sells, and we mere mortals should all strive to be as physically attractive as possible.
I won't deny that beauty is important. Good looks mean power and privilege and prestige. Good-looking people make more money, have more opportunities, and generally have better lives than those who are more aesthetically-challenged. Others are more likely to listen to them, and they get out of trouble more. Heck, good-looking people are just pleasant to see. I'm not a lesbian, but I think women like Aishwarya Rai, Anchal (from 'America's Next Top Model'), and Nerissa Irving are gorgeous. I could look at them all day. I'd love to look like them (though, if I could look like a combination of all three, that would be awesome).
But I want to know something. Why does it seem as if everyone HAS to be beautiful? There's a line from a song that goes something like, "Everyone is beautiful, in their own way", and other such sayings. Basically stating that every person, especially female, is a goddess. We all know that's not true, so why do so many people feel the need to say it?
I think it's strange that it's okay to admit not everyone is tall, thin, strong, smart, talented, rich, or even liked (or any other quality that is valued in the world), but it seems almost taboo to admit not everyone looks good. Why? It's true! Not everyone is attractive, either inside OR outside. It's obvious for people to know what they look like based on how others respond to them. Even BABIES will freak out if they see ugly people.
No, I'm not the least bit beautiful. No one outside of relatives has ever told me I look even remotely nice (and compliments on appearance from relatives don't count, because as far as I'm concerned, no one wants to admit they have ugly relatives). I've been told my voice is annoying. I'm the exact opposite of anything that is considered attractive. No, I'm not putting myself down, I'm just being honest about my looks. I remember very clearly how I used to cry myself to sleep at night because of how I look. At one point it got so bad I attempted suicide (one of my low points in life). It made me think.
Why do I HAVE to be beautiful? Why does ANYONE? I know others may disagree with me, but most people in general are not that attractive to me (not beautiful, but not ugly), and I think the concept of 'natural beauty' is one of the biggest lies and crock of sh*t I've ever heard; look at all the crap people do to themselves just to 'improve' their appearance or make themselves presentable! Shaving, plucking, tucking, fragrances, make up, creams and lotions, clothing, hair styles, body modification, the list goes on and on. If there was REAL natural beauty, people would just get up and go outside, but that's not the case. Without the extra energy invested in hiding the real appearance, a big portion of the population would probably look like a bunch of trolls.
The madness starts at birth, too. True, no one wants to have an ugly child, but be honest, all babies and little kids are NOT cute, and more than likely they will NOT grow to be beautiful/good-looking adults (for some strange reason, this seems to be especially true with a LOT of child stars and child celebrities - they grow up and it's like "WHOA!! WTF happened to you?!"). Yet, people force themselves to lie, buying into the strange idea that everyone HAS to be beautiful. It's almost painful to watch someone force a compliment about soeone's kid that doesn't come naturally to them; they know someone's kid isn't remotely cute, but they'll STILL manage to say something like, "Your child is so precious" or just "Awwww...." and only "Awww....." (that's when you know it was forced, because when babies and little kids are really cute, people don't hesitate to say so).
So that's what I want to know. Does everyone HAVE to be beautiful? Why can't society accept that at the most only 10% of the whole human population is truly and genuinely beautiful, 80% is just "meh", and the other 10% is just hurt no matter what they do? It doesn't make people any better or worse, and it certainly would remove a lot of unnecessary stress from daily life for most people.