THE EVOLUTION OF THE PERFECT BODY

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THE EVOLUTION OF

​THE PERFECT BODY

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I just love this infographic about beauty ideal over the centuries, "The Evolution Of The Perfect Body", and love what katoni.dk has to say about the modern beauty ideal and how it affects us all. 
This post is written and created by Frederik Drost at katoni.dk, and here is a link to a similar post on their page. Check it out: https://www.katoni.dk/blog/diverse/the-evolution-of-the-perfect-body/

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“The grass is always greener on the other side” is a great expression, but it doesn’t mean that everyone is better than you. It is a reminder of our human need for wanting what we don’t have, or can’t get.
This behavior is the source of many great things, and motivates us to build, create, and discover, but it can also be the root of more obscure scenarios like war, jealousy, and hate.

In today’s world, where we are bombarded with images of perfection like sleek women in bikinis and ripped underwear models, it is hard not to desire such physical flawlessness. But what is physical perfection, and how did we come to decide on those standards?

It seems that although our subconscious is still playing a vital role in defining beauty, concepts like idolization, mainstream media, and advertising are largely to blame for our negative self-perception. And though we consciously refuse to live up to the impossible standards that advertisement and Hollywood are defining, our subconscious can still absorb this information and influence our body image.

Actually, only 2% of women today are satisfied with their body, and more and more men are experiencing the same pressure as well. So how do we change the way we see ourselves? Well, studies show that just knowing that 98% of the people in the bus are unsatisfied with their bodies can help you feel better about yourself. But that is far from enough.
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I think the best way is to bring perspective on the concept of beauty and physical perfection. Showing the young generation how much advertisement, Hollywood and other factors have influenced our view of perfection is key to growing up with a healthy body image. Actually, body ideals have changed so much and so quickly that it seems ridiculous to worry about not looking like the bikini model on the billboard next to your work, because next year it could be you up there! 

So here is a summary of Western body ideals, and how they have changed through recent times. Hopefully, this will show you how our common view of beauty is highly prone to change, and how much external factors influence us.

And remember: Comparison is the thief of joy!

(Text and infographic by: Frederik Drost, at www.katoni.dk)

go to katoni.dk to see the original post

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