Uglies Tally Youngblood, By Scott Westerfeld

“It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness.” Leo Tolstoy, The Kreutzer Sonata. In Scott Westerfelds novel Uglies Tally Youngblood wants to have a legally required surgery that will make her pretty. In the process she gets caught up in a rebellion against society and comes to appreciate a world where not everyone is pretty. However in an ironic twist she has to turn herself in to the authorities to be turned pretty. If one glances at a magazine or turns on the TV, you got a good idea of what media’s definition of an attractive woman looks like: she’s tall, has long, flowing hair, is surgically and digitally enhanced, blemish-free, and very thin. In fact, academic research tells it like we see it: studies show the women we see in media these days are much thinner than the real world, and very often thin enough to be considered anorexic by world health standards. In a world where a constant flow of media images far exceeds the number of people we could ever see face to face, this abnormally thin and digitally enhanced ideal has become the norm. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld highlights the controversial topic of
Dove is a pioneer in this field of pairing ads and empowerment. Their Campaign for Real Beauty, which launched in 2004, ditched models in favor of real women—with a range of happy, confident women with very real body types. CoverGirl, has created pro-female ad campaigns. Some of them are even initiating dialogue about the status quo. From things as commercialized as fine art to popular culture, beauty practically always takes first place. Needless to say, countless people owe their professional and financial success to their charmingly good looks. It’s a well-known fact that being attractive gets you through the door in most social settings. Society should start making more image conscious campaigns promoting self love and demonstrating that beauty isn’t