By Stella Pollock, TIWP Student

In today’s society, the word insecurity often comes up in conversation. Insecurity can have a different meaning to each individual as well as what these insecurities are. They can vary from appearance aspects to personality traits, but regardless of the shape they take, insecurities have the power to shape their beholder. 

When investigating the source of this self-consciousness, mediums such as social media, magazines, and Barbie are blamed. It can’t be denied that exposure to such extreme beauty and lifestyle standards is unhealthy for young people, especially since they evidently follow the individual as they grow up. However, these sources cannot solely be pegged as the origins of insecurities. Since the topic of being insecure is so prevalent in everyday life, listeners are subconsciously reflecting on these projected standards and how they compare to them. Every day, users come across new Instagram posts featuring friends or celebrities, but the sharing and popularization of this content give the image credibility and grounds for comparison. Once someone realizes that multiple people agree with these projected standards, their lack of physical congruency to the idealized norm becomes more apparent. This can lead to the individual being acutely aware of how they come across to others. 

Unfortunately, insecurities have spread past the “Instagram generation” because of the common discussion. People of all age groups are now internally identifying their so-called flaws and vocalizing them to others. This cycle continues, and as others hear about what their friends and family are insecure about, they become more conscious of how these flaws may appear in their own bodies or personalities. Although this self-doubt can be traced back to the unnatural shape of Barbie’s figure, the airbrushed portrayal of skin in makeup ads, or the meticulously scripted personality of everyone’s favorite TV star, the global popularization of these standards is ultimately more to blame. In order to veer away from the rising trend of body and personality dysmorphia, the world should spend more time sharing and discussing positive content that will leave consumers feeling uplifted and empowered as opposed to perpetually self-critical.