FMP Fridays thoughts 13th March

Friday's thoughts   13th March

The invention of the ideal has killed the unique.

The invention of the ideal has been around for centuries. The most famous is Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. The drawing shows the ideal proportions of man combined with geometry (square and circle). Even before Leonardo da Vinci, the idea of the ideal has existed. Although the ideal may change throughout history, it is always there, not just in how we look, but how we act, and what we do.

Today the ideal is very much in the forefront with young teens striving to look perfect. They try fit in with the idea of what they should look like and what is deemed attractive. This image of perfection is not only unachievable, but dangerous, with children developing eating disorders which they then carry with them for the rest of their lives. Also the ideal can effect their personality with young teens feeling like they have to act a certain way to fit in, like listening to the right music, play certain sports, wear the right clothes, eat the right food, talk a certain way, and have the right friends. All this is affecting them forming their personality and stopping them from finding out who they really are. When did being yourself not be good enough?

The pressures of being the ideal person start at home. No doubt there is a little pressure to be the best you can be from your family. Your parents want you to do well at school and get a good job. This in some cases can be extreme and puts a lot of stress on a child growing up. This in turn can change the personality of the child making them a perfectionist.

At school you can get pressured to fit in. Another time where a person can change their looks and personality. Finding the right people that accept you can be a life saver for this part of your life, but even they can make you want to strive for the ideal. Comparing yourself to others can have a damaging effect.

Finally the media, bombards us with images of what is 'perfect'. This can be seen in magazines, fashion, films, and tv, making it hard to escape the idea of what we 'should be'. They keep telling us we'd be a lot happier and more attractive if we were this ideal person.

In short, the ideal is an invention and isn't achievable. It makes people change who they are to fit in. This in turn stops them from being themselves, while it restricts and changes their personality.