It's harmful (as opposed to just a bad idea) to wrap up your self-esteem in your looks. Agree or disagree? Why?
by 
Jodie44
ANSWERS: 14
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it is better to wrap yourself in it than to have it envelop other peoples lives.
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It's very harmful. If your self-esteem is based on how you look, the first time someone says you look bad, your self-esteem goes right out the window. Besides, looks are fleeting, at best. No one can look good all the time, and we need to believe we are worthwhile, even when we look like hell.
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Yes, I believe it is, Looks can change in an instant, then what are you left with. I'm not saying that you shouldn't present yourself in the best "light", but placing your self worth on external looks, or materials means you miss whats really important, who you are!!! not what you are
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Looks fade away, a good attitude lasts forever. I know people who pride themselves on their looks-and nothing else. I can't wait to see them in fifty years.
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Good looks can be purchased if you have enough money..you can nip/tuck/liposuction/go under the knife/Botox ..all you want as often as you wish (providing your plastic surgeon is unethical and doesn't say no to you). Surgery puts the body through trauma and sometimes unexpected consequences are the result (the rapper's mom who died after plastic surgery for instance). So you gamble that nothing will happen to you. It can be dangerous, life-threatening and when all is said and done you look ridiculous if you think you're going to convince anyone that you are young when you are really not. So..bad for your health, bad for your self-esteem (you know people will be talking about you and it won't be flattering), expensive, and in the end you will look old anyway..so what was gained by it? A few extra years kidding yourself, 'cause no one else was fooled.
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I feel it is harmful to wrap your self-esteem in your looks. You should feel great about yourself no matter how you look. As I read in a earlier answer, looks fade away and die, self-esteem should not. Don't let looks rule your life for it will only cause emotional harm. Feel good about yourself in the inside and the great looks will show on the outside. Self-Esteem is a must over looks, along with self-confidence. :-)
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I've known people over the years (and still do) who almost constantly worry about looks. I have simple tastes. but, as long as I'm nice and neat, shower every day, I don't worry about too much else in regards to my looks. I did recently lose a lot of weight, but mostly for my health. I've never been a cover girl, and never had much self-esteem. I don't even know what it's like to be so hung up on looks. I think the media (magazines/TV/movies, etc.) has played a huge role in making young minds think that everything is about looks. people go on crash (often dangerous) diets, spend money getting plastic surgery that makes them look like freaks, become anorexic, etc. all because they believe they must look a certain way for people to like them, to get a good job, to get ahead, to land them a spouse. I find it really sad.
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The following video is called "Time-Lapse Beauty" and shows how easily we pick up and buy into the wrong message about beauty. The photo shows the model before and after, or rather, after and before. Same idea. Be sure to click on the photo for a bigger version.
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Yes, I think it's really harmful. When I was younger I was considered beautiful by my friends, family and others. I was not vain but I did depend on my looks. I didn't realise how much they helped me until I started getting a bit older and I couldn't rely on my looks any longer. I actually had to consciously "develop" more of a personality. It was a very hard lesson but one I have now overcome. Looks mean nothing, it's what's inside that counts. By the way, my husband of 2 years is 20 years younger than me and he loves me for me, obviously not how I look. Aren't I lucky? He's such a honey!!
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Agree. If you should ever be involved in an accident that harmed those looks your entire self-esteem would be destroyed. Less traumatically, as we age we all lose some physical beauty. If you wrap up your self-esteem in only your looks, you'll lose a small portion of your self-esteem with each passing year. I plan to be a funny old lady, someday, with great self-esteem...even if I'm smiling with no teeth!
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Agreed. Any time something as critical as self valuation is based upon something transient - and face it, it's all transient, then there is bound to be a downward spiral when the house of cards caves, as it inevitably does.
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Agree. Western society has become such a cosmetically conscious culture that people are obsessed with unattainable beauty standards. From anorexically thin models to people so airbrushed that they look like Vargas or Tom of Finland drawings...nobody can match those ideals...And even if you did look like that one day...beauty has also become involved deeply with youth. Youth never lasts. Internal beauty always does. Keep your self-esteem in a safer place:)
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it's important to accept every part of yourself. It really is important. But is a person what they look like? Not any more or less than a person is how they feel, where they come from, what they think, sexual orientation, religion, education.... Anyway, I digress. My point is that when you wrap yourself up in any construct as a measure of self-esteem, it's harmful. Categories and such pinholed labels do not tell us who we are. They may sound neat and orderly, but I do not know how helpful they really are. Honestly, I think it is a bad idea to put too much stock in any idea. I think we need to place more focus on our actual actions and wrap our self esteem into the things that truly have an impact on the world around us. How good looking does it feel when you feel that good about yourself?
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Self esteem is unrelated to looks. I know many "unattractive folks who have high, even inflated self -esteem. I know many attractive people who are very weak and insecure in life.
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