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Beauty is a Commercialized Dream
How socialization shapes our self-worth and why it’s impossible to keep up
I used to feel beautiful without trying.
As a kid, I didn’t think about makeup, angles, or lighting. But somewhere along the way, that changed. The older I got, the more I felt like I had to earn beauty — like it was something I had to maintain or risk losing.
Middle school was the turning point. My friends, influenced by social media and teen movies, started talking about weight, skincare, and the “right” way to look.
At first, I just went along with it. But when I got online, the pressure multiplied.
Instagram, YouTube, and movies all showed me a version of beauty I could never quite achieve. No matter how much I adjusted, there was always something new to fix.
This is socialization in action. Sociologists define socialization as the process by which we learn societal norms and expectations. The media doesn’t just tell us what beauty is — it teaches us to constantly measure ourselves against an unattainable ideal.
Beauty standards are also deeply gendered. While men also face pressure around appearance, studies show that women are judged far more harshly for aging, weight, and personal grooming choices.
The rise of social media has…
