Whether on TV, in magazines, or on social media, we constantly come across images of perfect looking people. But perfection isn't the only thing they all seem to have in common. Happiness. Lives full of sheer joy and excitement. The majority of these images are directed toward women and send the message that if only they were skinnier, had a smaller nose, or whiter teeth they wouldn't just be more beautiful, they'd be happier too. Beyonce recently addressed the issue of unattainable beauty standards for women, as well as the struggle for true happiness head on in her new song and music video Pretty Hurts.

The second Beyonce heard the song, written by singer and song writer Sia Furler, she loved it. When interviewed by Itunes Radio the popstar said excitedly, “I have to sing this song, I don't care how hard I have to fight for this song, this is my song!” (Peter Vincent). Beyonce didn't just feature the song on her new self-titled album, but also included a dark, graphic music video which further addresses the social issue of attempting to achieve happiness through perfection. The music video is set at a beauty pageant which was a decision by Beyonce herself. On choosing the setting Beyonce said, "I feel like sometimes the world is a big contest, we're all being judged. I wanted to capture how humiliating and insecure that makes you feel” (Peter Vincent) The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas who told MTV News, "We wanted to give it a darker edge and take it there and not give you the Disney version of that struggle. And Beyoncé was more than willing to go that far with it. And I applaud her for that....we definitely wanted to speak to as many women as we could and all the pain and struggle that we go through as women to maintain this impossible standard of beauty” (Jocelyn Vena) The Pretty Hurts music video depicts some of the extremes to which women go in order to achieve perfection, which they often believe will also bring them happiness. Diet pills, bulimia, and plastic surgery are some of the issues that appear in the video. Beyonce is a contestant in the video and is depicted popping diet pills and obsessing over exercise. She also portrays bulimic behavior.

By depicting the dangers of pursuing perfection, Beyonce sends a strong message which earned praise from the video's stylist B. Akerlund. She said, “That's what girls go through to look good, and it's really sad. I think it's really strong of someone like Beyonce to put that on the map and say this isn't OK and pretty does hurt and it's not easy to be perfect” (The Sydney Morning Herald). While many celebrities would avoid addressing such serious topics directly, Beyonce didn't shy away. Contrarily, she ended up taking the video further than planned, including a portion about plastic surgery. By openly depicting our nation's obsession with physical perfection, Beyonce was able to raise awareness about a problem effecting much of our population.

In today's society, perfection is portrayed as the ultimate beauty standard. But, images of perfection in the media are so constant and extreme they can become dangerous. Rabbi Shmuley, an author and public speaker, stated on Oprah Radio that “Women especially are haunted by a society that tells them they are never good enough” (Oprah.com) Unfortunately, some women are more than haunted by these images; some become obsessed. According to Dr. Roxanne Guy, who is president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, some end up turning to plastic surgery in order “to fill an emotional need” (Allison Adato). When changing your appearance becomes an “emotional need” it has also become very dangerous. Happiness and self satisfaction should not be achievable only through drastic physical alterations.

But not all obsessions have to go to such extremes to still be risky. Studies that took place at the University of Massachusetts and Stanford University concluded that 70% of college age women feel worse about their physical appearance after reading women's magazines (Brown University). Such saddening statistics further prove the effect images of physical perfection have on everyday people on a daily basis. Consequently, when self-esteem is low, eating disorders and the desire to change one's appearance through extremes such as plastic surgery can take root. Deborah Schooler, one of the researchers who focused on college women and how they are effected by media said, “People see the same images over and over and start to believe it’s a version of reality.” She went on to say, “If those bodies are real and that’s possible, but you can’t attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body?” (Brown University).

Deborah addressed one of the primary dangers of social media: its everywhere. When we are constantly bombarded with images of perfection, even if they're highly edited, we can't help but begin to compare ourselves to these people of unreal beauty. According to Brown University “…these images certainly contribute to the body-hatred…and to some of the resulting eating problems, which range from bulimia to compulsive overeating, to simply being obsessed with controlling one’s appetite. Advertising does promote abusive and abnormal attitudes about eating, drinking, and thinness. It thus provides fertile soil for these obsessions to take root in and creates a climate of denial in which these diseases flourish.” Essentially, the images of perfection portrayed by the media are like the seeds from which many eating disorders and unhealthy habits can grow. By believing that changing our appearance will make us happier, we often end up obsessing over dieting or plastic surgery rather than doing the things in life that truly bring lasting happiness. Focusing on helping others is proven to bring feelings of happiness and satisfaction while restricting what you're eating can just make you feel more unhappy and frustrated.

The powerful lyrics of Pretty Hurts as well as the strong imagery in the music video both aid Beyonce in her strong message about true happiness. In the chorus of the song, Beyonce sings “perfection is a disease of a nation/it's the soul that needs a surgery.” Beyonce points directly to the fact that the United States promotes unachievable beauty standards for women. By calling the obsession with perfection a disease, Beyonce not only implies how contagious the obsession is but how many people are affected. Though many people turn to plastic surgery to change their appearance on the outside, Beyonce sings “its the soul that needs a surgery.” The soul is who you are on the inside, and has nothing to do with outward appearance. The soul can be seen by how we act and treat others and is in no way defined by physical appearance. We, as a nation, need to change our values and goals. Rather than putting so much value and focus on a perfect appearance, we need to start focusing on what truly matters. When physical appearance is taken away what is truly important comes to the surface.
Beyonce goes on to sing, “You've stripped away the masquerade/the illusion has been shed/are you happy with yourself? Are you happy with yourself?” Once we are able to look at who we are on the inside, will we be happy? Regardless of makeup, clothes, and outward appearance in general, are you truly happy with who you are? Beyonce sends a powerful and important message; what you look like on the outside won't provide lasting happiness and fulfillment in life. But working on being a good person, not a perfect looking person, can result in true happiness and satisfaction.

Beyonce's music video also includes strong symbolism. In one scene, Beyonce's character Ms. Third Ward (a contestant in the beauty pageant) is depicted consulting with a plastic surgeon. Meline Matsoukas, the director of the video, revealed to MTV that “What's also interesting about that scene, which you don't really see, is that she's wearing a white straight jacket. So I thought that was interesting, like being confined by society standards” (Jocelyn Vena). In another scene, Ms. Third Ward knocks down all her trophies. Matsoukas explained that her knocking down the trophies was meant “to represent knocking down those beauty standards and falling into a victim of that.” Beyonce not only sent the important message of how susceptible we are to these standards but how crucial it is to escape them.

Author and blogger Erika Nicole Kendall put it well when she wrote, “If your happiness becomes hinged on fitting into the mold, you never think about what happens when you fit the mold and are  still  unhappy. Of  course you’re unhappy. You have very little idea who  you  are and what thrills  you. It gives her singing at the end, repeating over and over “Are you happy with yourself?” a little more meaning” (Erika Kendall). Beyonce depicts the importance of finding what truly makes you happy; changing your appearance won't provide the lasting self satisfaction so many of us are after.

Imagine the freedom of letting go of perfection. If looks didn't exist and all that mattered was who people were on the inside and how they treated others, imagine how different the world would be.

Of course, Beyonce's message couldn't be more relevant to our society in than it is today. However, it seems the disease of perfection has affected our society for decades. In an interview with Laura Dronzek, a 52 year old artist, she said, “The ideas about beauty in the 70's and 80's seem similar to the ideas prevalent today, although there is more diversity now. Seventeen magazine showed thin, mostly blonde “all American” looking models. The big difference I see today is that stereotypical ideas about beauty are directed at younger and younger girls.” (Personal Interview) As the goal of perfection is engrained into girls' brains at younger ages, it can be harder to overcome and accept anything less than perfection in terms of physical appearance.

With the increasing popularity of celebrities as well as the increasing accessibility into their lives, many of us surround ourselves with images of who we think we want to be. Unfortunately, many people aren't looking to someone's kindness or generosity for inspiration, they're looking to their physical appearance. Never before has society had such constant access to images of perfection, and technology has never been as advanced, meaning nearly any picture can be altered to perfection. People are more susceptible than ever to the media, since they are almost always surrounded by it. Beyonce couldn't have picked a better time to send her message about realizing what will create true happiness and self satisfaction.

Pretty Hurts is certainly a fresh and powerful song. Beyonce really dove into the issues involved with unachievable beauty standards, which few celebrities have dared to do. Since Beyonce has a large social media following herself, she was able to spread her message globally. As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Happy girls are the prettiest.” True happiness won't come with changing your appearance, true happiness comes when you are able to be happy with yourself.