Oh, I wish I lived in the land of cotton...oh, wait. I do.

Friday, July 18, 2008

I Fear For The Future

While on our way out of the mall where we saw the movie, I saw this ad, and I actually had to go back to take a picture of it. The picture was taken with the phone on my camera, so it wasn't a great pic, but I think you can see the relevant bits here.


Can you read the copy? Here, let me post a close(r) up:


And then contemplate the age of the model.

I hate this. As the mom of a daughter, I hate this and fear for her self-image. How obsessesed are we as a culture with youth, that we would encourage such a thing? I realize there are only economics underlying the ad- Botox can capture customers for life if it can get women in their twenties hooked on its product. But the fact that it will exploit the culture that is consumed with never aging, the fact that the culture is so consumed, the fact that there is such a market opening, worries me about my daughter.

How can I convey to her that she is beautiful on the inside as well as the outside? How can I present to her the idea that makeup is okay but plastic surgery usually isn't? The dichotomy between needing and wanting to look one's best, and valuing one's own personality and character without regard for the physical is one that I struggle with myself, though I think I'm pretty grounded. How can I give Caetlin the same grounding? How can I fight the overwhelming flow of images that are going to tell her she needs to be thin to the point of emaciation, have perfect hair and white teeth and a perpetual tan, and remain 20 for her entire life? Also, have big boobs, and no pubic hair beyond a small short strip, and know the Makeup Tips That Will Make Him Yours!

It just feels like advertising comes at me more and more quickly, in greater volume than ever, and it's all designed to make me feel bad about myself, so that I can go buy something to make myself feel better. I presume that advertising will only continue to grow and invade everyone's space, as we become more and more media saturated. How can I guide my girl, when as she grows I fear I will have less and less influence?

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