Are Appearances Everything?
Dear Journal,
Are appearances really everything? Does what we look like really determine who we are? I mean, think about it, a girl who is overweight can have a heart of gold. Of course, most people won't give the girl a chance to express her personality because they are so hung-up on outward appearances. But haven't we always been told that the personality of a person is what counts? Then why do we care what someone looks like? You know, if personality is really the most important thing why are someone's looks the very first thing we notice? We judge someone before we even know them based only on the way they look. I mean, I know I based my opinion of my roommate, Lottie, on the picture she sent me before we moved in. This turned out to be a really bad thing for me to do because she reminded me so much of the girls in school that I hated. You know, the ones that made fun of me for no reason except to make themselves look better in front of their friends. Anyway, it turns out she was nothing like I expected her to be. So why did I place my original opinion of her on the way she looked in a single picture she sent me in the mail. We base wanting to learn more about someone on the way they wear their clothes or cut their hair. And why, when we see a hot guy walk down the street with his buddies do we immediately think of hooking up with him when, in reality, we know nothing about him.
Then I started thinking about the potential prospects of the Shallow Hal phenomenon. You know, where a person who is beautiful on the inside would be beautiful on the outside. Vice versus, if a person had a bad personality it would show on the outside. It really is a kind of kharma thing. I mean, ask anyone what their perfect mate would be like and they will tell you immediately that the person must have a good personality. But, what if the person in question was slightly less than perfect? Perhaps the person had a bit of an awkward look: crooked teeth, strange clothes, or was chubby. Would you look at the person twice? Would you actually take the time to get to know someone as a potential partner in a relationship?
I suppose I would say that is the way I feel about my own life. I feel like some people don't give me a chance to let my personality shine because of the way I look. There are people that I have a crush on but I'm too scared to go for it for fear that they would either laugh at me or tell me that they have no interest in me whatsoever. I wouldn't say that I am completely tragic looking...I have AWESOME hair (It's streaked or should I say paneled dark red and really light blonde), I have a good complextion, and I wear clothes that suit me as a person. The problem is, I am overweight for my age. And some people have never let me forget it. My mom, though I love her dearly, has always told me, if only you could lose x-amount of weight you would be so happy. Well, she constantly tried to force diets on me, which was always a bit of happiness followed by the unwaivering flop of disappointment. I could never lose enough weight to suit her and I never quite felt accepted by her as a person. As a result, I have some low self esteem issues. My roommate has been trying to help me overcome certain problems with the way I look. I feel uncomfortable in my own body. The deal is, I don't want to diet. Living off of rice cakes and celery is NOT the way I want to go through life. But, I also don't think I eat that much either. You would assume that I eat way too many calories just by looking at me but that's not the case. I think my metabolism is just taking a permanent hybernation. I don't know if it will ever pick up but I'm not going to diet just to fit some mold of what is considered beautiful. As my roomie has tried again and again to tell me, "Everyone is beautiful in their own way." I still sometimes wish everything was simple. That appearances didn't matter to people, especially guys. I wish someone would give me a chance despite my looks.
Somebody To Love -Anne Hathaway (From Ella Enchanted)
Each morning I get up, I die a little
Can't barely stand on my feet
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord what you're doin' to me
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief
Lord somebody (somebody)
Somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
I'm okay, I'm alright (she's alright, she's alright)
Ain't gonna take no defeat.
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
One day I'm gonna be free
Lord, somebody (somebody)
Somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love
Everyday (Everyday)
I try, and I try, and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm going crazy
They say I've got a lot of water in my brain
Got no common sense, I've got nobody left to believe
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Are appearances really everything? Does what we look like really determine who we are? I mean, think about it, a girl who is overweight can have a heart of gold. Of course, most people won't give the girl a chance to express her personality because they are so hung-up on outward appearances. But haven't we always been told that the personality of a person is what counts? Then why do we care what someone looks like? You know, if personality is really the most important thing why are someone's looks the very first thing we notice? We judge someone before we even know them based only on the way they look. I mean, I know I based my opinion of my roommate, Lottie, on the picture she sent me before we moved in. This turned out to be a really bad thing for me to do because she reminded me so much of the girls in school that I hated. You know, the ones that made fun of me for no reason except to make themselves look better in front of their friends. Anyway, it turns out she was nothing like I expected her to be. So why did I place my original opinion of her on the way she looked in a single picture she sent me in the mail. We base wanting to learn more about someone on the way they wear their clothes or cut their hair. And why, when we see a hot guy walk down the street with his buddies do we immediately think of hooking up with him when, in reality, we know nothing about him.
Then I started thinking about the potential prospects of the Shallow Hal phenomenon. You know, where a person who is beautiful on the inside would be beautiful on the outside. Vice versus, if a person had a bad personality it would show on the outside. It really is a kind of kharma thing. I mean, ask anyone what their perfect mate would be like and they will tell you immediately that the person must have a good personality. But, what if the person in question was slightly less than perfect? Perhaps the person had a bit of an awkward look: crooked teeth, strange clothes, or was chubby. Would you look at the person twice? Would you actually take the time to get to know someone as a potential partner in a relationship?
I suppose I would say that is the way I feel about my own life. I feel like some people don't give me a chance to let my personality shine because of the way I look. There are people that I have a crush on but I'm too scared to go for it for fear that they would either laugh at me or tell me that they have no interest in me whatsoever. I wouldn't say that I am completely tragic looking...I have AWESOME hair (It's streaked or should I say paneled dark red and really light blonde), I have a good complextion, and I wear clothes that suit me as a person. The problem is, I am overweight for my age. And some people have never let me forget it. My mom, though I love her dearly, has always told me, if only you could lose x-amount of weight you would be so happy. Well, she constantly tried to force diets on me, which was always a bit of happiness followed by the unwaivering flop of disappointment. I could never lose enough weight to suit her and I never quite felt accepted by her as a person. As a result, I have some low self esteem issues. My roommate has been trying to help me overcome certain problems with the way I look. I feel uncomfortable in my own body. The deal is, I don't want to diet. Living off of rice cakes and celery is NOT the way I want to go through life. But, I also don't think I eat that much either. You would assume that I eat way too many calories just by looking at me but that's not the case. I think my metabolism is just taking a permanent hybernation. I don't know if it will ever pick up but I'm not going to diet just to fit some mold of what is considered beautiful. As my roomie has tried again and again to tell me, "Everyone is beautiful in their own way." I still sometimes wish everything was simple. That appearances didn't matter to people, especially guys. I wish someone would give me a chance despite my looks.
Somebody To Love -Anne Hathaway (From Ella Enchanted)
Each morning I get up, I die a little
Can't barely stand on my feet
Take a look in the mirror and cry
Lord what you're doin' to me
I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can't get no relief
Lord somebody (somebody)
Somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love
Got no feel, I got no rhythm
I just keep losing my beat
I'm okay, I'm alright (she's alright, she's alright)
Ain't gonna take no defeat.
I just gotta get out of this prison cell
One day I'm gonna be free
Lord, somebody (somebody)
Somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love
Everyday (Everyday)
I try, and I try, and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
They say I'm going crazy
They say I've got a lot of water in my brain
Got no common sense, I've got nobody left to believe
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah