From: krw@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (keith.r.smith)
Subject: Re: Supermodels contribute to spiraling low self esteem?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:12:10 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.211239.70629@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> jth4@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (JON T. HUTCHINSON) writes:
>In article <1dsbfhINN8hi@bigboote.WPI.EDU>, cor@bigwpi.WPI.EDU (Cory Shimer) wri
>tes:
>>
>>Hmm.
>>
>>More than likely.
>>
>>If someone makes you feel relatively unattractive by what they say
>>or do, and then you happen to see some poster of some supermodel...
>>
>>The problem with low self esteem is that it self propagates.
>>
>>The less attractive you feel, the less attractive you probably become
>>(from a personality standpoint, and perhaps from a physical standpoint
>>if it causes you to neglect your appearance), which makes it more likely
>>that people will do or say things that mkae you feel less attractive.
>>
>>The problem is that society contribumtes to this.
>>
>>Even if you are feeling good about yourself, some asshole
>>can come along and start the downward spiral of self esteem.
>>
>>For this reason I have a small problem with the person who posted
>>that people should just express how they feel at any given moment and not
>>worry about hurting other people.
>>
>>It's not the supermodels themselves that can contribute to this, but
>>the way society lifts them up as a comparison standard.
>>
>>Think twice before being an asshole, you might just be affecting
>>someones life.
>>
>>---
>>

>I think supermodels are goals most women should stride for.
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I beg to differ.  I believe instead, that a woman (since we are talking
about women here, though the following could apply to human beings in
general), if she were to choose to model herself after somebody appearance-
wise, should look to somebody who already has the same basic attributes
as she, but optimized.  If the currently popular models tend to be long
and slim (attributes that are pretty much "set" by one's choice of parents)
and a given woman tends to be long and slim, then in that case a "supermodel"
represents an achieveable body image model to that woman.  If a given woman
tends to be short and curvy (attributes that are also pretty much "set" by
one's choice of parents), for example, then trying to emulate the look of
one of today's "supermodels" will be the "kiss of death" for her.  She would
be setting herself up for a fall.  If she were to find a woman who also
tended to be short and curvy, but having a shaplier figure and possibly better
grooming overall, then that, for her, would represent an achievable body-
image-model/goal for her.

It is all about being true to yourself and the type of body that _you_
were born with.

Keith
It just so happens that this type (short and curvy) is just not represented
in the ranks of today's "supermodels".
>-- 
>________________________________________________________________________
>
>Jon T. Hutchinson, Network Coordinator
>Office of Telecommunications
>office 215-758-5099
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From: mikep@hpmwtd.sr.hp.com (Mike Powell)
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 03:52:43 GMT
Subject: Re: Chippendales et al
Organization: HP Santa Rosa Site (SRSD MWTD)