So the big picture of the looking-glass self is that we create a self-image and behave based upon what other people think of us, but how do we know how people will react? How people are going to judge you is based on many things: age, gender, where you live, where you grew up, who your friends are, religion, culture, personal values, etc. Like I mentioned in the "Fake Bake" entry, people used to view tanned skin as a bad thing, because it meant you carried a low socioeconomic status. A simple example I think most people can relate to is their personal style vs. their parents' styles. Specifically, ripped jeans.
This was definitely a trend followed by the younger generation. Most adults don't like this look because they think it looks bad, or not well put together. When I've worn ripped jeans, adults always say, "Did you pay money for those? That's how my jeans look after 10 years." But ripped jeans are a style of my generation and since the views of my classmates matter more to me than the views of my parents and their friends, I choose to wear ripped jeans.
Another example is "big butts." When I was maybe 11 or 12 years old, my older sister (at the time, around 24) was getting ready to go out. She put a pair of jeans on, looked in the mirror, then turned to me and said, "Does my butt look big?" I told her no and she kept asking if I was sure, because she didn't want her butt to look big. Now, a lot of females (my generation, especially) take it as a compliment if they have a big butt! People are getting butt implants, jeans are made to give the appearance of a big butt, and rappers such as Lil Wayne rap about "fat asses." Because women now get the impression that men like big butts, they embrace it and might behave or dress in ways to draw attention to their behinds. These are just a few examples of how your age, culture and personal beliefs affect how others look at you therefore affecting how you look at yourself.
-Mallory
I definitely have to agree that people dress and think certain ways according to how people similar to their age dress and think. I think mallory made a great point about the "big butt" situation happening now. I hear tons of girls saying they wish they had a bigger butt, and tons of guys complimenting girls backsides. When before, women did not want their butts to be noticed or spoke of as big. But, our generation has changed from how it used to be, and people embrace their curves. For example, in some countries, bigger bodies on women are thought of as more attractive. But in the United States, borderline anorexia is what is seen in the media. It is crazy how much people change their opinions of themselves and others according to what their friends think
ReplyDeleteIt is so true that people dress to fit their age or the social trends of the time. Guys especially today have the mindset that they like a woman for big boobs or a nice ass. It's honestly sad that that is what it's come to. It shouldn't matter what people look like. It's all about who they are on the inside.
ReplyDelete