you are not physically attractive if you don't fit the standard formula 

Ello, ello. This part of the post was typed out over two sittings because I wanted to type this out as coherently as possible. Currently, it's 11+ PM and my brain is sort of non-existent after all the mental torture it's been subjected to in the past week. Throughout the examination week, some of these topics kept bugging me. They compelled me to inspect things I'd never really cared about before.

Today, I'm going to talk about something sensitive. It is easy to come off as obtuse and idealistic when discussing this topic that is held very close to many people (including myself).

I shall begin with something that I can personally relate to. Skin tone.

Cultural, social stereotypes and many other well-established causes lead many of us to believe that a fairer skin tone is more physically attractive and desirable in other ways. It is very appealing to just brush this off with a "I don't know how this began." I do. The reasons discomforts and guilt me way too much for me to discuss this currently. So, mark my words, I'll save this discussion for another day.

By now, I am accustomed to receiving remarks about my dark skin tone. They've gotten significantly less negative over the years, thank goodness. In primary school, I received snarky and mean comments on my brown skin. I've never had a healthy self-esteem, so, well. I did wish I was fairer. I thought, I'd be prettier if I were fairer!

In hindsight, that remark is symptomatic of a bigger issue. It's not just one of the many innocuous, silly, superficial thoughts that little kids have. No. It represents the narrow definition of beauty that we often impose on ourselves and others. It is unnecessary and unhealthy.

Until this point, I haven't mentioned other types of physical features we are obsessed with.

Body shape, size.

I was inspired by this post. So! Here! I don't completely agree with the post, but it is a good read. Click me!

Hahaha, it propelled me to begin thinking about this whole issue. This whole debate over body image isn't ignored by me, but it never truly.... captured much of my attention? 

It's wrong and noxious on so many levels to preordain what's physically appealing and what's not. Firstly, some people who don't fit the mould would feel /bad/ about themselves simply because they are told that they ARE NOT attractive. Secondly, nothing warrants this silly little box we have decided to place ourselves in. In fact, it just makes many people less happy, no? If we opened our minds to other types of physical beauty standards, there would be greater tolerance, acceptance and happiness in general. 

I know. It all sounds overly idealistic. But we can refrain from entrenching this problem if we consciously remind ourselves to be more open-minded. The way we think can be moulded by habits. 

It isn't a problem we should or can ignore. Whenever possible, let's encourage tolerance. 

I, too, have preferences for certain physical looks. And yes, they often fit the "conventional standard mould". Most of us aren't exempted from this. So it isn't that we can't have preferences. Of course we would. It's instinctual. But let's do our best to be more accepting. 

PS I don't feel bad about my skin colour anymore! I've received compliments about its "healthy" shade (lmao) and how "freckles won't ever form on it". The latter is nearly 1/6 of the  reason why I no longer wish for a fairer skin tone. Mostly, though, I realised that it really doesn't matter. 

Looks do somewhat matter. But they don't, in the long run. Those who love/ care about you because you're physically attractive do not genuinely love you. 

Okay, on a side-note, I don't think my skin looks ugly too. I realised my previous paragraph is quite misleading. 

Next. This part made me feel disgusted. The essence of this is disturbing. 

Oh yeah, back to that link, let me clarify that I don't think diets are necessarily bad. When done in moderation, they're good! When you're healthy, you're happier. (I know this sort of well becuase of all the health stuffs I've been plagued with recently!) It's the best when you're doing it for yourself or just a reason other than to impress people who don't actually matter. Etc "so he'll notice me" "so I can turn heads too". 

As always the point of this post is to share my thoughts on something I think is IMPORTANT. And hopefully get youuuuu to think about it if you haven't! Or see it from another POV? Lastly I also just want to suggest a solution to the problem, (nearly) as always in my posts. 

Now let me move onto something that also concerns superficiality! 

Yknow when we want to look pretty to other people? When we want to be seen as physically attractive by others? 

It's. It's not something most of us would be able to resist. Afterall we are wired to be superficial. Still, it's good to remind ourselves occasionally that the very core of this whole desire is gross superficiality. We are gross though. I mean, we're humans, so. 

We can't really help it. We just have to stop ourselves from being too obsessed with it. It's not worth losing your mind over your appearance, not when it doesn't make you any more or less smart/ worthy/ kind/ etc etc a person.

Looks matter. They do. But all the hype over it fades away quite quickly with age.

It's time to look into the mirror and think that you're beautiful. An inflated ego is seriously the best bet sometimes. It makes you feel so much less worse about yourself. Easier said than done. However, should you ever feel confused about how to obtain an inflated ego, pls just refer to the great Me. Should I post the lyrics to "Why am I so cool?" Nah it's too cool for the Internet. Ahahahaha. I don't know. All reason and coherency have flown out of the window. It's nearing 1 am and I am so going to regret blogging at this hour AGAIN. I just really want to finish this post becuase it has been plaguing my mind! 

I wanted this post to be logical. The way I write depends heavily on my mood and I just feel very blunt right now!!!! So that was easy. I finally ended this post :-(. 

Remember! Refrain from perpetuating these stereotypes! 

God I wanted to end this with flourish but I'm just a rambling, exhausted mess here. Goodnight. 

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