Obsession with Beauty

by: Lia

I know there are a lot of places in the world that emphasize beauty. It doesn’t seem like any of them are as obsessed with it as we are, unless the country as been influenced by the U.S. and now looks at beauty under the same lens.

Oh, to be back in the day when curvy and solid women were revered. I think that women with some meat on their bones are absolutely gorgeous; heck, I’d like a bit more myself.
I wish the rest of society, especially the media, saw it that way.

It’s sad to see so many models and actors starve themselves to death just to meet society's belief on what is beautiful. Take Lindsey Lohan for example: she was absolutely beautiful. I thought she was a terrific size; she had curves, and she looked great. Then she started to see the pressures of being skinny, and now she looks horrible. It’s really sad.

So many impressionable young girls have eating disorders because of the media. “1 out of every 100 young women between 10-20 years old is starving herself, sometimes to death.” Girls try to be something they will never be. Most of us weren’t made to look like the models that are projected on the T.V. screen, billboards, and magazine ads.

Dove's got it figured out; real women are beautiful and should be celebrated.

We need to appreciate who we are, celebrate our uniqueness, and embrace what we see as flaws. I’m talking to myself here too. It’s easy to get caught up in what we think we lack and compare ourselves to others. It’s about time we stop and start loving ourselves. The media needs to start getting with it too!

WOW!!

by: Robert

I was able to see and understand the third piece better than the others for one simple reason, I didn't have to read and then try to watch the performance. I am thankful and appreciate the opportunity to come here tonight. I found myself lost in the 2nd half, enjoying every bit of it. I watched in fascination, completely engrossed in the musical style. My impression of Trouble in Tahiti is the story of life in America.

We become so enveloped in our work and take for granted what is safest to us, our home and families. Rushed out the door, trying to make a living or pursue our dreams, we forget to thank our spouses and connect with our children. Take a moment and let them know how much we appreciate them, what they do for us, and find a common interest again. Unfortunately, we live in a society that is not warm to that idea anymore, it's disheartening.

I truly enjoyed sitting here, watching my first opera. Seeing is believing and there is something magical about witnessing a terrific performance. I can only judge this by my experiences in theatre, to state it simply- I was not disappointed. I can say that I hope find a way to come back and see another. I enjoyed this!!

Thank you!!!

Gender

by: Lia

No matter how far we have come, gender inequality is still alive and well. The pay gap between men and women has become smaller, but men still receive more money than women when working the same type of job with the same credentials, according to Gender Differences in Pay.

Linda Babcock, a Carnegie Mellon University professor of economics conducted a study resulting in the realization that men are twice as likely as women to negotiate a higher pay raise. This might explain why men still receive more money than women.

Why is it that women do not ask for more money? Perhaps it is because of how women have been, and continue to be, treated in society. Women are taught to be silent and demur, while men are to be outspoken and aggressive.

So we should teach our women to be more outspoken and to go after what they believe they deserve and the problem should be solved, right? Wrong. There are those in society who still believe women should be more “womanly,” meaning quiet and subdued. If women were to possess more of the typical “manly” traits of aggressions, potential employers might be turned off.

All of society, not just women, needs to realize how women have been oppressed and rethink what women and men’s rolls are. Women should be allowed to speak up and receive the pay they deserve, without being looked down upon or penalized for doing so.