Beauty is defined as a characteristic present in something or someone that gives pleasure to the mind. It is subjective to each person, but everyone is influenced at all times by the things they see, hear, and feel. Even though people appreciate beauty, things or individuals we don't like can be treated harshly. Everyone suffers in some way to be perfect, but women are usually under the most pressure. Men are expected to be the breadwinners of the family; they are thought to be intelligent, strong, and courageous, and women should simply "become someone's wife" (Cisneros) and look good. Over the centuries and even now, women have been seen as objects rather than human beings as strong as men. Today, women feel the impact of commercial beauty and fashion industries that shape and rely on “the cult-like cult of what physical attributes the public sees as beautiful” (Dawson). The perception of beauty, distorted in contemporary society through widespread forms of media, pushes some individuals to take extreme measures to achieve an unrealistic self-image. However, people lose their identity by focusing too much on the outside, rather than letting their inner beauty shine through. The media plays a significant role in influencing public perceptions of beauty. What children and adolescents see on television is what they watch; what they hear is what they say; and what they see is what they want. Ironically, “reality” television programs do not portray life realistically. Most reality shows like Jersey Shore and The Bachelor are overly exaggerated to entertain the audience. The Bachelor host Chris Harrison admits, “I'll be the first person to tell you that we edit the show. We try to throw people... middle of paper... information about their body type while men had more precise information (Carey). Beauty should be represented by normal, healthy people instead of unhealthy, unattainable people. body images. This will make unhealthy people strive to become healthier and allow normal people to feel good and confident about their appearance. Overall, a positive body image will be applied, “a clear and true perception of one's own shape” (NEDA). People will feel more confident in their bodies and will not want to be someone they are not. Women would be less pressured to fit a norm or achieve an ideal body image, and we would all be able to focus on things that are more important in life. Society should value inner beauty, personality, more than external appearance. Character should be what determines beauty or attractiveness. People with a kind heart and a good spirit are truly beautiful.