American culture promotes youth as the standard for beauty. The young models, male as well as female, portrayed in the media have youthful faces and slim, youthfully proportioned bodies. As a result, many people suffer declining self esteem when they develop the wrinkles and sags that are characteristic of aging.
As the baby boomers enter middle age there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of money spent on anti-aging research as well as on cosmetic techniques to preserve the youthful appearance people so crave. Actors in the movie industry lead the trend toward face-lifts and human growth hormone injections, perpetuating the myth that beauty and youth are synonymous.
There is an alternative view. American culture needs to start focusing on health as a measure of beauty. To some extent, of course, health and the youthful look are synonymous. Sickness ages a person very quickly and the vibrant healthy person always looks younger than one would expect, considering his or her chronological age. But wouldn't it be wonderful if our magazines started presenting older models who are the picture of health, rather than only younger models who are the picture of our stereotypes?
The faces of older people are fascinating. They reflect the wisdom of a lifetime of experiences in each line and furrow. Without these visible signs of maturity the structure of society would be very different. It would be hard to tell those who had accumulated the virtues of experience from those who are novices at life. However, aging does not have to mean poor health and physical debility.
It is possible to have a world where people focus on beauty from the inside out rather than from the outside in. Working from the inside means living in a way that exercise, healthy eating and stress reduction become part of the daily routine. Even for those on a budget, there are many ways to exercise that cost no money and eating well at home is often more economical than eating poorly at restaurants.
Whether one is 19 or 90, feeling good is an inside job. No amount of cosmetic surgery or makeup can create the natural beauty of a body that feels good, moves gracefully and shines with good health. If these things became a priority, America would be a nation of faces full of lively color and vibrant energy, regardless of age. What could be more beautiful than that?
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