Editorial: Photoshop Ruining Our Community?

Technology, fashion, education and money are things many young people care about a great deal these days, but something more seems to be be adding on to this. Using Photoshop to improve the images of ourselves that we share on various social media platforms is gradually becoming something that people cannot resist.

For the past few years, Photoshop has had a major impact on the fashion industry, which in turn affects people’s confidence. Advertising companies often use slimming effects to finalize the models’ appearance and also to perfect the small flaws on their faces. As the models are adjusted before the release of their photos, it makes it seem as though everyone should have a slim body shape and the stereotypical facial features of big eyes, high eyebrows, large foreheads, and small chins. This especially affects young and impressionable people, particularly young girls and women.

Even though some people are not overly concerned with their appearance in general, the desire to have a better body and appearance still subconsciously affects people’s thoughts. Most people are affected by their surroundings where there are advertisement posters, magazines, and models. These factors cause them to create unrealistic ideas about body images, and this influences people to change their natural habits and adopt unhealthy cycles and habits. The statistics have shown that more than 30% of high school girls and 16% of high school boys have eating disorders due to the unhealthy reduction of weight. (pbs.org) Now there is evidence, proving the reduction of weight is affecting younger children of age 8 and 9, as they start showing self-consciousness over their weight. (PMC)

Photoshop should be used more appropriately. As more people use Photoshop for unrealistic slimming effects, the world is affected by these unreasonable stereotypes about our appearance. Most people don’t see their own natural beauty, and we should not allow Photoshop to determine beauty. Instead of using brands that support the use Photoshop to adjust photos, it is better for people to use brands that refuse to use Photoshop such as Dove, Darling Magazine, and SilkFred .By limiting Photoshop, we can create a better environment for the growing of our next generation.