Meaghan Ramsey TED Talk and QUOTE SANDWICH

“Why Thinking You’re Ugly is Bad for You”

1. How has the linked nature of social media influenced many young people’s concept of body image?

 

People don’t have any privacy anymore. People are never alone. Many people constantly plaster images of themselves on social media. Many teens view these people and lose confidence in their own appearance.

 

2. How is the online is culture influencing what many youths think about themselves?

 

Many youths lose confidence in their appearance. They see pictures of the “ideal” body type and strive to become like that. They may also lose confidence in their lifestyle, meaning they might try to change the way they live to be more like people who are popular online.

 

3. What problem arises from an image-obsessed culture?

 

People become less confident in their own appearances. This leads to them making decisions that they wouldn’t otherwise. They are more likely to become depressed, abuse drugs, or have early sexual intercourse.

 

4. Why are many students not engaging in classroom discussion?

 

Many students who don’t have confidence in their appearance avoid speaking up or contributing to the discussion so they don’t draw attention to how they look.

 

5. Why do you think that low body confidence can lower test results?

 

I believe people who have lower confidence in their appearance have lower confidence in themselves all around, so they hesitate to write what they think, even if it’s true.

 

6. Why can body confidence affect the economy?

 

Children withdraw/ avoid programs and activities that are necessary to develop core abilities.

Children may use rash or self-harming methods to find an escape from their insecurity so they might try to use drugs. They might try products that are meant to improve their appearance.

People may avoid job interviews because of their appearance.

 

7. What are the six core themes to address when working with body image:

 

-family, friends, and relationships

-Teasing and bullying

-Talking about your appearance.

-Media and celebrity culture

-Competing and comparing looks

-Respecting and looking for yourself

 

8. What actions can people take in their everyday life to help body image?

 

Compliment people. Work together with people around you. Help people. Try not to judge people. Don’t promote posts that could cause body image issues in other people. Try to promote a healthier lifestyle.

 

9. Were you surprised by the amount of airbrushing and editing that occurs in publications? Why

or why not?

 

No, I was aware of this prior to watching the video. It makes sense that every company would want its models to look perfect, but the fact is that they can’t all be that way. So, they always alter their images to make them look better.

 

10. What effect does the constant bombardment of these manipulated images have on people in the public?

 

It gives people unrealistic expectations and goals. It hurts people’s self-esteem. It causes them to strive to become something they could never be.

 

 

 

QUOTES:

 

Deborah day is a clinician working in the mental health field(with decades of experience), so she definitely knows what she is talking about.

“Lighten up on yourself. No one is perfect. Gently accept your humanness. ” – Deborah Day

This quote reflects on everyone’s obsession with being perfect. While it is not bad to try to be better, it is worse to hate yourself for being imperfect. That is the message this quote is trying to get across. This relates to the TED talk since many people have body issues due to their imperfections.

 

Cheri K. Erdman is an author who, in a book for overweight women with body issues, said this quote.

“Even the models we see in magazines wish they could look like their own images”-Cheri K. Erdman

 

This reflects on airbrushed pictures in magazines and on the internet that are spread around. The images are heavily altered from the source material and display an impossible standard. This quote relates to people developing body image problems due to the illogical standard they set for themselves after viewing such images.

 

Simone de Beauvoir was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist.

“To lose confidence in one’s body is to lose confidence in oneself.”

― Simone de Beauvoir

 

This quote preaches the same message that the TED talk we watched in class preaches. The talker in the video addresses how people with body image problems are more likely to do worse academically and to avoid/withdraw from programs even if they might enjoy them.