Comments on: AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL d: Darryl Roberts http://www.altfg.com/blog/film-reviews/america-the-beautiful-d-darryl-roberts/ thinking film Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:41:03 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Starchild http://www.altfg.com/blog/film-reviews/america-the-beautiful-d-darryl-roberts/#comment-382629 Starchild Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:50:22 +0000 http://www.altfg.com/blog/?p=2988#comment-382629 The problem that is the subject of this film, and so much other handwringing in various media, is quite real. But I don't think telling people they are putting too much emphasis on making themselves beautiful, or that they shouldn't care about beauty, lends itself to any beneficial solutions. In a free society there will always be social rewards for beauty, and thus a widespread desire to be beautiful. What can help counter-balance this is a greater emphasis on other areas of achievement. Particularly, more celebration of intellect. That probably means a return to more merit-based education, which means breaking the stranglehold of the education unions. A boycott of shallow celebrity culture, and culture that celebrates stupidity and vapidity wouldn't hurt either. Meanwhile, we should keep a sense of perspective -- in a culture where many people are dying of obesity, some impetus to look beautiful isn't entirely a bad thing. The problem that is the subject of this film, and so much other handwringing in various media, is quite real. But I don’t think telling people they are putting too much emphasis on making themselves beautiful, or that they shouldn’t care about beauty, lends itself to any beneficial solutions. In a free society there will always be social rewards for beauty, and thus a widespread desire to be beautiful.

What can help counter-balance this is a greater emphasis on other areas of achievement. Particularly, more celebration of intellect. That probably means a return to more merit-based education, which means breaking the stranglehold of the education unions. A boycott of shallow celebrity culture, and culture that celebrates stupidity and vapidity wouldn’t hurt either.

Meanwhile, we should keep a sense of perspective — in a culture where many people are dying of obesity, some impetus to look beautiful isn’t entirely a bad thing.

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