For centuries our culture and society have regarded beauty as qualities in which we possess internally, or more commonly, externally. But, what we refuse to acknowledge and analyze is the derivation of why and how beauty is defined and who defines it. The ability to dig deep and uncover what it truly means to be beautiful is necessary when developing our own understanding of the concept in order to be able to embody the essence of beauty. How beauty is defined is merely because of what each individual was influenced by in their lives, which determines how our understanding of the concept came to be. By raising these questions, there cannot be one answer that is right or wrong, because there is not one definition. Overtime, society, media, culture, and modern influences have shaped our beliefs and understanding on the concept of beauty and how it is defined. 

In today’s society, social media plays a large role in influencing our beliefs and understanding. The media is incredibly accessible and easy to be drawn into this world of mass communication that has become a key component as to what makes up our culture. In an article from CNN, the topic of beauty is discussed by stating that it is defined by what people see in the media and in advertising due to the reaction around them to validate this claim. It shows how media, advertisements, and media influence were even prominent in the sense of depicting women as the representation of beauty. This has sparked many issues that drive our society into thinking about what they consider beautiful and why, why it is part of human nature and what role certain images and photographers and media play in our ideas about the boundaries of beauty (Oliver 1). It allows us to questions these things in hopes of digging deeper to discover what truly makes someone and something beautiful and why this is important to understand.

Particularly in America, the definition of beauty is changing by accepting more diversity in the media and the public eye and viewing all different races and ethnicities in a different way (Dawson). However, by coming more expecting of ethnicities and race, the media is still responsible for showcasing the physical aspect of beauty just more diverse in who they are portraying. With that being said, the idea of beauty is defined through media, which promotes the message that a woman is only desirable if she attains a thin, youthful appearance, which determines their value and social role, and how appearing older is simply undesirable. A study was done that examined the relationships between young, thin-ideal women presented by the media and elderly women, from a sample of undergraduate females under the age of thirty. It states how sociocultural values, in the United States in particular, emphasize the importance of appearance for women and how media is one of the strongest ways that values and ideals are communicated to society (Haboush 2). This study presents the unique question that whether or not the media influences the younger generation's attitudes towards the older generation based on their physical appearance. 

By supporting the idea that beauty is defined through media relations and societal influence, Cameron Russell discusses what it means to be beautiful in a TED talk to show how the media makes the audience feel, but how beauty should not conform to what we are influenced by. Russell is a successful model who states that being beautiful is simply a matter of chance and that “image is powerful, but also superficial” (TED 1:43). In relation to how Russell was defined as beautiful through publicity and how the media defined her, John Berger also discusses how publicity is the reason for what influences are beliefs and ideals about what is and is not beautiful, as well as anything else. “Publicity persuades us of such a transformation by showing us people who have apparently been transformed and are, as a result, enviable. The state of being envied is what constitutes glamour. And publicity is the process of manufacturing glamour” (Berger 131). He provides an accurate and plausible standpoint on how publicity, the media, is what drives and constitutes what we desire to be and the qualities we wish to possess. 

Although publicity has influenced our definition of beauty and our perception, Russell relates to the media's influence because she has been a representation of what we believe is beautiful. She provides a unique perspective and explanation about how she has been publicly acknowledged as being beautiful and that the modeling industry has defined what is seen as beautiful and that “she won a genetic lottery and is the recipient of a legacy” (TED 2:54). Russell describes the idea of being a “legacy” is that for centuries the idea and definition of beauty consists of all the physical traits that our culture views as attractive. This is a quality in which she possesses on the outside, so by being lucky enough to embody this level of physical beauty makes her a “legacy” (TED 3:20). She exemplifies the image we all consider as beautiful, but also refuses to accept that her looks are the only thing that matters and that this does not make her superior to others.

 She also refutes, as well as supports the idea that beauty comes from within, but also is primarily defined from a physical appearance standpoint whether we admit it or not. Russell explains how she gets free stuff in real life because of how she looked and not because who she is, which she believed was an unfortunate consequence of winning the previously mentioned “genetic lottery and legacy” because she was not viewed by her internal beauty it was primarily external (TED 7:02). The ability to provide a personal account from someone who lived the life of who we all look too as embodying all the qualities that have come to make up what is “beautiful”, it changes our perspective on that person and showcases how they do not believe that beauty is determined externally. It makes the everyday person feel as though they can also embody inner beauty as well and a strong moral compass, because that is would should be valued overall. 

In relation to the personal account provided by those who are the pillar of beauty standards and who exemplify this idea in the media, a video entry produced by the well-known fashion magazine, ELLE tackles the topic as well. The video includes three famous actresses that are portrayed in the media and discuss what they view as beautiful and how it does not have one set definition. By providing a personal account on how those specific people that we regard as being the image of beauty in the media, refuse to accept that beauty should be labeled and defined in this light. It is whatever YOU have come to realize and eternalize as beautiful (YouTube 0:25). It states that beauty is not something that anyone should put a label on or a specific answer to what it is, the concept of beauty is simply being who you are and not conforming to what you are surrounded by and influenced by. Since society is always changing and the concept and definition of what you see as beautiful, these famous stars present that what we are “told” is beautiful, is irrelevant. It discusses how there is no reason to conform to what society and culture have portrayed the beauty standard to be. The one constant is yourself and all the qualities that construct the person you are, and that is what beauty is (YouTube 1:27). Beauty does not have a materialistic or societal meaning. It is simply the concept and idea of embracing who you are as a person and by doing so, that is beautiful. In this video, these famous actresses discuss that beauty cannot be defined by anyone or anything else. It is who you are and what you are that presents this idea of beauty (YouTube 1:50). However, what society and the media portrays as beautiful and what we are told by our influences in life, shifts that meaning to something completely different and it becomes as simple as embracing what qualities you possess. 

Although media and social influences drive the definition of beauty, Riva Lehrer does not feed into this and views “all bodies as exquisite” (Lehrer 1). But instead, embraces her medical condition and believes that beauty is within and not on the outside. She discusses how her diagnosis of Spina Bifida made her never view herself as normal or fitting in because this is what society exemplified. She viewed herself as this monstrous creature that art, the media, and literature would portray their “beasts” to look like and what qualities they embodied (Lehrer 1). Relating this to modern and cultural influences, Disney movies such as, Beauty and the Beast, fed into this understanding that beauty was on the outside and exemplified by Belle. Since this was the case, the “Beast” frightened all those who encountered his physical appearance, which influenced the audience to understand that beauty was exhibited on the outside. However, as the story continues, the true beauty is uncovered from within as Belle, who portrays physical beauty, captivates the audience more with her kind, strong soul that refuses to judge the Beast by the physical aspects, but uncovers his inner beauty. This ends up being the reason why the curse of appearing “beastly” is broken, because the love between both of them comes from within (Fallon). 

However, as a child growing up with a medical condition that affects one's physical appearance, Lehrer had pretty low self esteem because of the impact other children and people have on you. The slightest malicious remark made towards one, can end up defining how you view yourself as well. Today, this woman has come to the realization that beauty can not be defined by physical appearance and she began painting others portraits by interpreting who they

were as a person, not by what they looked like (Lehrer 2). By being able to look past the physical beauty and defeat the stereotypes in which society has determined for us, she redefines the cultural definition of beauty by using art as an outlet and shedding a new and unique perspective on what we see and why painting one's personality is a visual representation of true beauty. Her goal was to expand our minds in a way where we view all bodies as extraordinary, which embodies all forms of what make up being human (Lehrer 3). When presenting an alternative perspective, it is important to realize that you are the only who can determine your beauty and everyone else’s opinions and thoughts are irrelevant. 

In comparison to the idea that the definition of beauty stems from society and cultural influences, how we define beauty is determined by what kind of circumstances we are surrounded by. Whether the definition of beauty is influenced by the media or through personal relationships, the concept of beauty is almost entirely directed by outside situational forces. For example, the way we see men treat women that we are surrounded by, and what our mothers, aunts, or family members exemplify for us, drives our understanding of whether beauty is defined by one's external or internal qualities (Bancks 2). By questioning who defines what is beautiful and how knowing the value of taking a holistic approach of oneself is the most important, feeds into the topic of interest due to engaging and developing a whole hearted person (Bancks 1). When defining beauty as qualities possessed within, we are also provided with a viewpoint that everyone’s understanding of beauty stems from the influences in their lives, what they grew up around, and what they were told. 

Although the media today is a major component of influencing the definition of beauty and how we are exposed to viewing it, John Berger discusses the topic of gaze in his book titled, Ways of Seeing. Berger is able to showcase how even the media from decades ago influenced our understanding and viewpoint of what is beautiful. The concept of gaze is described as how women express themselves based on how they believe men are viewing them (Berger). This argues that women believe that beauty is defined by how they are being viewed, which is solely appearance based. It relates back to the idea that media and society depict this image of what we consider beautiful and what qualities that possess. It presents the idea that beauty is defined by the one who is actually “gazing”, more commonly known as the audience (Berger). By supporting the concept that the media drives our perception of what is beautiful, it provides a strong connection to how this has always been the case and the media influence has been who and what defines beauty for all of us and how we have come to understand it. Berger describes how in the topic of gaze, the men are the ones who influence and define what we regard as beautiful. He states that “the expression of women responding with the calculated charm to the man whom she imagines looking at her… she is offering up her femininity as the surveyed” (Berger 55). Women conform themselves to a man's definition of beauty and present themselves in a light as though they are constantly being “gazed” upon. At its worst, beauty discriminates because it makes people feel as though they are not good enough and they put themselves into this category that automatically lowers their self worth (Newman 2). This supports the idea that beauty is defined through physical appearance and in this case, the men are the ones influencing this definition and our understanding. 

By showcasing people to be “enviable” is what defines the meaning and our understanding of what is beautiful. Thus, reiterating the fact that media and cultural influences is what develops the definition of beauty to the public eye. Even though the story of “Beauty and the Beast” supports the idea that beauty is defined by looking past the outside and focusing on the inner, it also feeds into the idea of Berger’s “gaze” and the idea of influence when defining beauty. Belle is constantly trying to seek approval from the Beast so that she can help him realize that the physical appearance is not what is important. In this particular storyline the idea of gaze is shifted from the female seeking the male gaze to the male seeking the female gaze. This is the case because the Beast (male) does not want Belle (female) to see his unappealing physical appearance because he wants to be viewed in a light that is “beautiful” (Fallon).

Although beauty does not have one specific and universal meaning, we are able to understand that it is a subconscious concept that has been defined for us through modern and past influences. Whether these influences derive from magazines, social media content, old and new art forms, tangible or not, it is understood that beauty is not and cannot be defined in one way, shape, or form. There is not a right or wrong way for one to understand and formulate the idea of beauty, it derives from personal experience and understanding that one has been surrounded by, whether this is actively known and understood or not. 
