Am I a midriff?

Image result for belle delphineAfter watching Frontline, Making Cents out of Teens: The Merchants of cool, I had to wonder - Am I a midriff?
A midriff is a generic teen girl, whose life centered around shopping and looking pretty. They constantly seemed like they were selling something to somebody; so many parts of themselves had been developed to appease others. They act older than they are, and their behavior is centered around sexuality, narcissism, and complete lack of brains. Shallowness is not only being standardized - but celebrated.
In all honesty, I do not think I am a complete midriff, but I do question how much of myself has been influenced by this archetype. I greatly value surface appearances - what people wear, how they look, how they speak. Do I overly value this? I cannot deny that looks play a very large part, if not the greatest part, in "society's"perception of the individual. If I woke up one day, and decided to 'go against the grain,' or 'stick to to the man,' and refuse to give any thought to how I looked, I think I would suffer socially, as would anyone. But the simple truth of the matter is that I have no idea how not to care about outward appearances. At the end of the day, I like makeup, I like clothes. I don't wear it directly for other people, I wear makeup and certain clothes for myself. I do not feel pressured to like these things. I just do. But is it because I have been conditioned to like these things, have I simply internalized the idea that I need to look my best?
I do not know. At the end of the day, I am sure there is some 'midriff' in me, as I think there is in many girls. Overall, I am happy with the things that I like, and with the values, I have, regardless of conditioning that may or may not have occurred.

Comments

  1. After watching that video and the Missrepresentation episode I was disgusted by the fact that advertising shames most young women and dehumanize them. It made me sick. The fact that the Midrift is so impactful on young girls is heartbreaking because it’s just an ad trying to make you feel less so you go out and buy there product or watch there TV show.

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