Image taken from www.mediabistro.com
The other day I was soaking in the tub and flipping through a copy of Good Housekeeping. I love magazines. I enjoy reading all kinds from Better Homes and Gardens to Fitness magazines, to Cooking Light, to Parenting magazines. Anyway, as I was reading through this magazine I noticed how many pages I had been reading that were telling me I needed to get this or that product to solve this or that physical issue. I didn't know that in order to be a good housekeeper I couldn't have bags under my eyes, stretch marks of any kind anywhere, or spider veins.
We read that we should wear sunscreen always so that we don't get skin cancer, or worse wrinkles and sun marks. But you had better have a tan. Especially during these summer months. If you bought and used all the products that were in those 16 pages of beauty tips you would spend probably a good half of your day just applying stuff. Who has that kind of time? Oh, and those 16 pages didn't include the ads which are on every other page.
Now don't get me wrong. I love magazines. I love reading them. But as I sat there and realized what I was reading I noticed that I was mentally saying, "Oh, that's true, I do have such and such, I had better get that product or do something about it fast." Why?
I think we as a society are sick. I think we have some serious issues. Even my Parents magazine devotes a large portion of its publication to beauty musts. What does this say about us? Why are we so obsessed?
My husband and I don't have TV. Whenever I do have the chance to watch I'm shocked by the ads. You all know real people don't look like that right? Or do we? I don't know if we actually know.
I don't have any answers here. In fact I have no idea where this post is heading. These have just been a few of the thoughts that I have been rolling around in my mind for the last few days. Our society is ill. These magazines wouldn't put that in there if we weren't eating it up. What is wrong with us and how do we separate ourselves from all of it?
If you figure it out, let me know.
1 comment:
I think I've figured it out...MONEY. That is all these magazines,tv ads, etc. care about. We are consumers to them and that is all....and the more we see things advertised in a perfect airbrushed package the more we consume. We as a society are sick because we will do and say anything for a buck. "You can buy anything in this world with money"...sound familiar?
It is something I always try to remember...and not that it's all bad. I want to support a company that provides an idea that makes my life better and I appreciate it...but where are the limits? That is my personal question.
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