Beauty can be described in many ways to various people and
countries and is guided by cultural influences. As the population
steadily gets older, our culture becomes more fixated on looking
young and beautiful. Society, the media, and advertising have greatly
influenced how many Americans view themselves. The obsession
with looking forever young can be attributed to the technological
revolution. Growing old is reinventing itself in this new era of plastic
surgeries, mini facelifts, botox, fillers, chemical peels, and liposuction.
The digital era of taking selfies on Instagram and keeping up with the
latest trends on tik tok has managed to keep baby boomers young
with the help of filters and photoshop. Americans have long been
obsessed with aging gracefully. The older generations are more
focused on leading a healthier lifestyle, proper nutrition, thus
resulting in an increase in life expectancy. Currently, the life
expectancy in the United States is 79.05 a 0.08% increase from
2020. As people live longer they are more consumed with looking
young, aging is one factor that many Americans can control, and
there is a giant industry that will help them achieve their beauty goal.
I feel the fear of no longer being attractive, useful, and relevant can
contribute to this way of thinking.
"Beauty is the apparent new indicator of social worth. This contrasts
with cultures where age is revered and elders are deferred to with
respect" (Honigman, R., & Castle, D. J., 2006) has changed how the
older generation handles technology. More and more people are
connected and the older generation is no exception. Staying
connected in social media has allowed many baby boomers to
numerous benefits, however "this constant access to information
leaves the impression that a tidbit of knowledge, or a sound bite, is
enough to be relevant. It suggests that a quick ten-minute read or
video is equivalent to wisdom gained from years of hard-earned
experience" (Archer, 2013). This type of mindset is also evolving as
technology becomes more integrated into our lives, and as our
options and choices become greater to control.
Reference:
Archer,D. (2013) Forever Young: Americas Obsession With Never
Growing Old
Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reading-
