To display my throughts on this immense topic, I've started to break it down into smaller conversations, creating these visuals of something I'd like to discuss further.
Something that really shocked me in an article I stumbled across was the language used in these definitions. Words have such an immense power and with definitions in particular the language you use is almost a label for so much more than just that word. It's a label for everything that can be described as that phraise, therefore when using such critical and harsh words such as 'ugly' and 'stunning' it has a huge impact on not only what's associated directly to a 'glow up' but also the people or things the word gets applied to.
In my eyes before and after posts are always a display of critical analysis of the way something or someone looks. Whether this judgment is intended in a positive or negative way, there will always be a judgement and this is what has the effect over others.
In my opinion there will always be a negative connotation that goes with a post such as the ones above. By posting any comparison visual with the label 'before' next to a so called 'improvement', you are saying I wasn't happy with this, this was not worthy, this means less than that, this looks worse, this is better than that and therefore judging that before state in cruel and degrading manor. What makes this so harsh is because your 'before' post will be someone elses 'after' and what they see as an achievement and something they are happy with and perhaps even proud of, you are saying isn't acceptable. In most cases people will post their transformations with little or no concept of the negativity they are displaying towards so many others, and actually the damage and upset these photos can cause is immense. When you look at social media in this judgmental way, it is clear to see how the internet can create these downward spirals of negativity and can be the cause to so many forms of depression, anxiety, and probably most commonly - insecurities. Before and After posts are incouraging comparisons and judgements, where as instead of displaying these transformations in this critical manor we should simply be displaying a celebration of the truth. What we share can almost always be seen in different lights and from a different set of eyes, images can say something completely separate, but why don't we use this and the captions to speak the truth about how we feel and how we intend for our images to be seen, meaning there's less criticism and more celebration on the vast platforms available to us.
Since recieving so much attention from not only social media but the press too, Adele has spoken out about her transormation, stating it's not about the weight loss and more about a healthy body and mind and lifestyle, however still described her methods as a 'diet'. Changing the way you choose to live, eat and think doesn't have to be because you of the physical results. Often it's for the health benefits and actually the mental impact can be life changing when you simply adjust a couple of things but because you visably look different, others assume it was for the physical transformation.
These were just a few of the many, never ending topics of discussion I wish to investigate, as I feel it's really important to have these discussions and actually look at what we are doing to ourselves and others that we really don't need to do.
St.
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