Why do guys think heavily photoshopped photos are real

[brainygirl]

Well, the bottom line is that all that processing still doesn't matter that much --> the original girl is PLENTY pretty already and would get plenty of attention, so I'm not sure what the big fus about the marginal improvements is... The photoshopping removed some blemishes, but certainly didn't make her "impossible".

 

Photoshop doesn't make any more difference than tastefully applying make up, which, ironically, is something that women have been doing for THOUSANDS of years...

 

The photographer told her "you could do this if you excersiced and ate like you are supposed to" not knowing the girl's job was to condict fitness all day long. How much more dieting and exercising can a girl do?

 

And that's not even an extreme example. Look at the smile lines and laugh lines that get erased from the faces of stars and then men complain about women not "keeping themselves up" when in reality no one can do that without a photo editor standing by.

 

the fuss is that these images have programed us to expect a level of perfection that isn't possible. If it were, they wouldn't need to bother with retouching.

[Jersey Shortie]

SadandConfused

 

Didn't read the whole thread but I agree with ThBigQuestion 100%, sorry girls.

 

Photoshoped images are completly irrelevant. There are many girls walking around who are OMG hot and real. They look just as good as those images. I feel like obese women are made to feel better about themselves through deluded thinking "of course if I was photoshoped I would look like that too" - uh, no you wouldn't.

 

Men are visual and appreciate beauty - deal with it. We can all put some effort into looking the best that we can given genetics (if you women care what men think which you obviously do hence this thread - get yourself to the gym).

 

Ugg, I have to say, I am so sick and tired of hearing how visual men are and how much they appreciate beautiful women and that women need to just suck it up and act like everything men do is wonderful because men need to pander to every fleeting, unstable feeling they have towards other women. It's such a gross display of a very insidious atittude towards women. It tells us that men are 100% allowed to indulge in their emotional and physical response and that women are to just "deal with it" on their own physical and emotional response to the way men treat and view women. Men are allowed to indulge and women must be the ones to exercise self control. That's exactly what you are saying, that's exactly what anyone is saying, when they say that men are "visual" and omen need to just deal with it.

 

There are many women in real life who are very beautiful. And I am sure there are and will be many a man, with loving caring partners, that will oggle these women and defend it under the guise of being a man and there for playing up on how much men need a quantity of women instead of maintaining their monogamy out of respect. Which is why i talked before about the fact that women just can't ever get a break or some peace and a place to have where she doesn't have to always see or fight against all the messages the media sends about her. Because you are right, men will oggle women in the street and they will go home and oggle them on their tvs or computers. And his wife /gf has no place where she can ever get a break from the media driven images he eats up like candy.

 

I bet if you asked those very beautiful women that are all about their opinion on popular media and how it protray's women, a good percentage would have the same exact opinons of more average women. That the messages the media gives about women are not healthy for women's body images and men's idealogies about women's bodies.

 

To make the assumption that anyone that thinks photoshopped images are negative is either fat or ugly and needs to get to the gym to fix all the problems in the world, is both extremely limited and grossly simplistic.

 

And at the end of the day, if there is one thing many men have proven true, is that whether you work out or don't, whether you try to look good or don't, either way, none of these things sway men from exercising personal self control out of respect for their partner who might ry hard. Instead they continue to feed and seek out more and other more exciting visuals of any number of women.

 

We can sit here all day and berate women and tell them to shut their mouths and get to the gym and that men need to be men and visually pleased 24/7, but that goes to show a very negative attitude we have in general towards women. Men are allowed to indulge in their hormonal response, and apparently women are to be the great gate keepers of leadership and selfcontrol. And guys today wonder why women don't always respect them. Because sadly, too many men are more quick to defend their indulgences then they are to practice selcontrol or work and focus on making their own partner feel like a woman. It's so sad that so many more men are more happy and willing to make completely strangers feel good about themselves by a lustful look, or support porn starlets by viewing or purchasing their movies and less motivated to practice real etiqutte that would should their personal commitment to their SOs.

 

 

I don't think anyone ever said it doesn't affect people. I was just trying to explore whether or not it's fair to pin this sort of thing as an origin for men's infidelity, "throwing women away" after age 30, and all sorts of other hyperbolic nonsense that people like Jersey Shortie are maintaining. If anything, thanks to the American Pie movies, the whole "MILF" phenomenon as well as the cougar phenomenon just make it seem to me like age is no longer a woman's worst enemy. .

 

Do you pay attentoin to the amount of men on LS that make disparaging comments about the worth of a woman as she ages?

 

Are you really going to base a leap of power in society for women through American Pie? Do you really think that movie was doing any older woman a service? MILF might be a popular phenomenon but I certainly don't see any respect in the terms MILF or "cougar". It's another label that women get tossed out them that is to put them into a small box.

 

You have to live with your head buried in sand to think that seeing a celebrity half-naked on the cover of Maxim is making guys cheaters or completely dismissive of women who are 10 pounds overweight

 

Keep oggling all the pictures on your computer or in Maxim all you want. At the end of the day, as the years pass. You can be proud that you stood up for your right to oggle porn or sexy images of women. That's what matters here. That men still have their masturbation aids. And you can remember that you gave more respect to an image on a peace of paper by standing by it then by the real women that have been voicing their opinons and concerns in their very female experiences about how men treat and view the female body and a woman's worth.

[Mr White]

This is your opinion as a man, who approves of her pre and post processing. However, you missed the woman's comments in regards to the video. The editor conducing the photoshop told her: "It's possible you could look like that if you had a trainer and worked out every day, but who has time?" and the woman clearly expressed concerns with herself...DESPITE the fact that she does work out daily.

 

The problem lies in our interal grasp of beauty, not external. That woman may get all the attention in the world, but if she TRULY is comparing herself to the other women in the media- she will fail every time. Not to mention, the man inadvertantly insulted her. He assumed that the photoshopped image was POSSIBLE, and if she worked out more- she could achieve that.

 

My point is, your views on photoshopped women are shallow (as in, not really delving deep into the matter). Your say: hey, the woman is hot with or without photoshop, who cares? But the matter is not black and white. With or without your attention or approval, that girl is working to achieve what she and you find as attractive. You can make the same argument that with or without fashion, men and women are attractive. That doesn't stop people from going to great lengths to buy certain brands, etc. And this path to succeed is the danger concerning photoshop, not the end result.

 

How many times do you see people post a picture of a celeb in a dress, or bathinsuit on their refrigerator to stop them from overeating. In no way does the girl say, "Well, I can have a cupcake because that girl has had 10 lbs photoshopped off her ass" No. way. She doesn't eat the cupcake...DESPITE the reality of the model.

 

 

I understand, and appreciate all that, but how is it my (or "men's") fault that women try to achieve the impossible ideal, in spite of ample evidence that we (men) don't care? Makes no sense! If I like her body and she doesn't, the problem clearly is not "me", my preferences, and the media indoctrination I'm subjscted to.

If a woman is insecure with her body, she should work through those insecurities rather than blame it on "men"...

The "perfection" thing is simply how marketing works, and applies to ANY form of advertising. How many people have ruined their finances and lives in the pursuit of "the perfect" house? Who is to blame? The dumbass that can't appreciate a perfectly fine old house, or the realtor whose JOB is to generate demand for "perfection" (and the associated ridiculous price tag).

[Els]

I understand, and appreciate all that, but how is it my (or "men's") fault that women try to achieve the impossible ideal, in spite of ample evidence that we (men) don't care? Makes no sense! If I like her body and she doesn't, the problem clearly is not "me", my preferences, and the media indoctrination I'm subjscted to.

If a woman is insecure with her body, she should work through those insecurities rather than blame it on "men"...

The "perfection" thing is simply how marketing works, and applies to ANY form of advertising. How many people have ruined their finances and lives in the pursuit of "the perfect" house? Who is to blame? The dumbass that can't appreciate a perfectly fine old house, or the realtor whose JOB is to generate demand for "perfection" (and the associated ridiculous price tag).

 

I agree that there is no one person to blame. I have seen plenty of women obsessing over themselves, overindulging in shopping sprees, dieting unhealthily, when their bfs have insisted that they are fine just as they are. And I have also seen men ogling blatantly at another woman's perfect figure when they are with their partner. Both are in the wrong, IMO.

 

Not to mention all the producers of movies, magazines, photo ads, etc, whose job is to SELL products. Evidently they take the easiest and most profitable way out.

[marsle85]

hey! First, I'm a fan of yours, and it's always a pleasure to hear your responses.

 

Second, I just wanted to say I agree with most of this, and it also entails why I've discontinued responding in this thread. I felt like in my quest to get my point across, I wound up giving extreme responses to extreme

discussions. Which, of course, will mean nothing will get accomplished if that happens. So natrually I accept my part of the blame for that as well.

 

I look forward to discussing with you in future threads!

 

Haha, thanks - my pleasure.

 

I understand, and appreciate all that, but how is it my (or "men's") fault that women try to achieve the impossible ideal, in spite of ample evidence that we (men) don't care? Makes no sense! If I like her body and she doesn't, the problem clearly is not "me", my preferences, and the media indoctrination I'm subjscted to.

If a woman is insecure with her body, she should work through those insecurities rather than blame it on "men"...

The "perfection" thing is simply how marketing works, and applies to ANY form of advertising. How many people have ruined their finances and lives in the pursuit of "the perfect" house? Who is to blame? The dumbass that can't appreciate a perfectly fine old house, or the realtor whose JOB is to generate demand for "perfection" (and the associated ridiculous price tag).

Okay, well that's a complete cop out. Until you're ready to start viewing things less as men vs. women, and address the situation regardless of who's "fault" it is, you'll never be productive member of your society. I could point out to you that it was a MAN who addressed the woman in question and told her that form was achievable if she just "worked out," and the main beneficiaries of the media that presents the "ideal" is more than likely older, white males.

 

But unlike most of the posters in this thread, more focused on the present gender-war, I understand that neither of those facts matter. We have an obligation to our society, people and children. Mr. White, I'd certainly prefer your daughter didn't face the onslaught of impossible perfection with nothing more than: "If you worry you don't look like them, you must have low self esteem and be insecure." We are presenting bodies, faces...houses (ha ha) as REALITY. Celebrities in movies simply don't walk into medicore, small homes and have a "happy" life. But we certainly don't have subcaptions beneath their mansions and say: ">$500,000.00 per year" -- And while it may take longer, the effects of our perfection obsessed society DOES persist to men, and boys. I don't want that.

 

And if you'll notice, I NEVER said it was the fault of "men," I for one don't think all problems are derived by men, but the accumulation of money, power and what sells in media. Just because it's not directly "your fault," doesn't mean your views as one individual don't impact others... and it certainly doesn't mean you're void of responsibility.

[sweetjasmine]

I don't think anyone ever said it doesn't affect people.

 

Sorry, I skimmed through a lot of the thread so I missed a bunch of stuff.

 

My only point is that all this marketing has a significant impact on people, from childhood all the way through adulthood, and it probably runs deeper than we think.

 

I was just trying to explore whether or not it's fair to pin this sort of thing as an origin for men's infidelity, "throwing women away" after age 30, and all sorts of other hyperbolic nonsense that people like Jersey Shortie are maintaining.

 

I don't think that's fair, and it's pretty stupid to blame one gender or another since it's pushed by everyone. Every person in every non-candid photo in every magazine is photoshopped to some degree or another, and it doesn't matter whether we're talking about Maxim or Cosmo or Seventeen or National Geographic or Newsweek.

 

I do think our society has an obsession with youth and that photoshopping/airbrushing has always played a role in promoting that obsession, but I don't think it's fair to blame that for infidelity or anything like that.

 

If anything, thanks to the American Pie movies, the whole "MILF" phenomenon as well as the cougar phenomenon just make it seem to me like age is no longer a woman's worst enemy.

 

Well, it's not about age so much as it is about looking old. Despite the whole MILF/cougar phenomena, every wrinkle, sag, and age spot is edited out, and there aren't any fewer anti-aging skin products for sale. Cosmetic surgery hasn't become any less popular. People are embracing being older but still looking as much like a hot young 20-something as possible. They're not embracing natural aging.

 

You have to live with your head buried in sand to think that seeing a celebrity half-naked on the cover of Maxim is making guys cheaters or completely dismissive of women who are 10 pounds overweight.

 

I don't think a picture in a magazine is going to make someone cheat, but all those images do affect the way we perceive ourselves and others.

 

Take this as an example: how do most people feel about cellulite? Women absolutely hate it and are willing to pay lots of money for BS products that don't even work in an attempt to get rid of it. I've heard a lot of guys make disparaging comments about it. But just about every woman who's gone through puberty has it, regardless of how much they weigh or exercise. And yet it's photoshopped out of every processed photo, and people are grossed out by something that naturally occurs in at least 90% of all women. Why?

[SarahRose]

You might not be comparing it to a plumber showing his crack if you had had a 9 year old girl constantly ask you whether she's fat and "how do I look?" and "my tummy is huge and gross" when she's not even overweight. Kids in elementary school are already obsessing over their weight and body and going on diets to be skinnier.

 

We literally see thousands of ads per day. Thousands. And literally every single one is photoshopped and edited. To think that it doesn't affect people in any way is naive.

 

There are several studies on this topic, and all the ones I've read suggest that media exposure leads to a distorted perception of one's own body and has a negative effect on self-esteem.

 

That doesn't mean it's all as terrible as genocide, but that's a pretty lame argument. Just because one thing is worse doesn't mean that the first thing is okay, acceptable, or desirable. Punching you in the face isn't as bad as genocide, but that doesn't mean it's equivalent to a plumber showing his crack.

 

I think this is the saddest and scariest part of it all. There really are negative consequences.

 

What a powerful marketing tool to make people feel like **** from the age of 5 years or so...so mommy will buy that expensive piece of ****e to make little susie feel acceptable. Isn't that a huge part of marketing is to make people feel like they are inadequate unless they own the latest and greatest pile of ****e?

 

I recall being 8 or 9 and my appearance was something I never ever thought about. I was too busy having fun playing outside with real humans and animals, not video games etc.

 

We built tree houses, planted gardens, fished, rode horses, etc. Nobody cared if you wore a certain brand of jeans.

[Mr White]

Mr. White, the original girl is NOT "plenty pretty." She's a "plain Jane" who's done the best with what's she's got. But she's very ordinary looking, esp. facially. Her body may be fit but it's not all that great.

 

Well, that's kinda my point - most plain/average girls (that take care of themselves) are "plenty pretty":rolleyes:

[Jersey Shortie]

I think this is the saddest and scariest part of it all. There really are negative consequences.

 

What a powerful marketing tool to make people feel like **** from the age of 5 years or so...so mommy will buy that expensive piece of ****e to make little susie feel acceptable. Isn't that a huge part of marketing is to make people feel like they are inadequate unless they own the latest and greatest pile of ****e?

 

I recall being 8 or 9 and my appearance was something I never ever thought about. I was too busy having fun playing outside with real humans and animals, not video games etc.

 

We built tree houses, planted gardens, fished, rode horses, etc. Nobody cared if you wore a certain brand of jeans.

 

Yeap. You have littel 5 year olds that want to be sexy when they don't even know what that means but they know the world values it in women.

 

Maybe you have to be a father of a little girl before you see the world differently and how it treats women.

[Woggle]

I also see many mothers feeding right into it. They encourage it in their daughters.

[sagetalk]

Photoshoped images are completly irrelevant. There are many girls walking around who are OMG hot and real. They look just as good as those images. I feel like obese women are made to feel better about themselves through deluded thinking "of course if I was photoshoped I would look like that too" - uh, no you wouldn't.

 

Men are visual and appreciate beauty - deal with it. We can all put some effort into looking the best that we can given genetics (if you women care what men think which you obviously do hence this thread - get yourself to the gym).

 

It takes alot to impress me, and this post impresses me. You seem like a very intelligent woman and some guy is gonna be lucky to land you .

[sagetalk]

 

1. You might not be comparing it to a plumber showing his crack if you had had a 9 year old girl constantly ask you whether she's fat and "how do I look?" and "my tummy is huge and gross" when she's not even overweight.

 

2. There are several studies on this topic, and all the ones I've read suggest that media exposure leads to a distorted perception of one's own body and has a negative effect on self-esteem.

 

3. That doesn't mean it's all as terrible as genocide, but that's a pretty lame argument. Just because one thing is worse doesn't mean that the first thing is okay, acceptable, or desirable. Punching you in the face isn't as bad as genocide, but that doesn't mean it's equivalent to a plumber showing his crack.

 

1. I would constantly encourage my daughter to evaluate herself. Find her faults and find her strength. I would then tell her to cherish her strengths and improve her faults. If they are fault she cannot improve, then accept them, don't complain about it, and live the best life she possible can.

 

2. Science can be great, and there are plenty of studies that show how men are more visual then women in choosing a partner. The women tend to focus on the man's actions (he's a ...., he does ...., he likes ....) whereas the men tend to focus on the woman's body, hair, face.

 

3. It's not a lame argument, it's the best argument against it. It's something silly to worry about. If it bothers kids so much, then that is a sign to teach them not to let stupid people/things influence their behavior. That will save them from drug abuse, bad sexual relationships, and host of other dangers.

[Jersey Shortie]

Please don't have any daughters Sage.

[marsle85]

1. I would constantly encourage my daughter to evaluate herself. Find her faults and find her strength. I would then tell her to cherish her strengths and improve her faults. If they are fault she cannot improve, then accept them, don't complain about it, and live the best life she possible can.

 

 

I don't find anything wrong with this... a person should actively target their faults- however Sage needs to prep for the oncoming tears. Adolescent girls cry a lot... you should be her friend and mentor, not her trainer.

[Mr White]

I also see many mothers feeding right into it. They encourage it in their daughters.

 

I think there are two reality shows dedicated to beauty pageants for 5 year olds. The mothers are so scary making their toddlers look like retired hookers, that I wonder how child protective services (or at least the fathers!!!) have not stepped in.

[Woggle]

I think there are two reality shows dedicated to beauty pageants for 5 year olds. The mothers are so scary making their toddlers look like retired hookers, that I wonder how child protective services (or at least the fathers!!!) have not stepped in.

 

I live right next to the beach and I see mothers walking around with daughters who look like they are only a few years after potty training walking around in thongs. It is sick. The mothers think it is cute.

[Blade Runner]

The whole photoshop thing is very interesting. Now we're at a point in time where your average person off the street might see a picture that isn't photoshopped and say "Oh (that person) is ugly".

 

As much as we all like to support "natural" images, and as much as they have all these campaigns going round discouraging photoshop, it's a bit late.

 

What disgusts me is I can sign onto the IMDB message board or another place where celebrities are discussed, and I see countless threads of "She's so ugly". And often it's by women themselves. Gossip collumns in magazines....Radio shows...websites...you name it.

 

When I was at uni I had a part time job working at a bookstore. We sold a lot of magazines. On a daily basis, I would see women gather around the gossip magazines and comment on how ugly somebody looked. Most of the time it was them commenting on one of the "real" snaps of an actress or celebrity. Ironically, many of these women were overweight. But since they can't be big stars, they rip on ones who are.

 

After seeing "Orianthi" perform on American idol, I went online and saw a youtube video of one her songs. Dozens and dozens of people were talking about her looks, saying she's ugly, and too ugly to be a star, blah blah blah. Only half the people there were commenting on the music. It is disgusting. She's not even what you'd call "ugly".

 

Sure men do it too, but on one hand you've got all these women saying "Real women don't look like that!", but on the other, you've got just as many saying "She's soooo ugly" on real photos.

 

So what do you do? Personally I feel so damn sorry for the celebrities who have to put up with all this stuff.

 

Okay so I agree - photoshopping definitely has made things interesting. Some men will get false ideas about what women should look like. But not most. I think most men spend enough time in the real world to realize what photoshop is.

Edited June 5, 2010 by Blade Runner

[Woggle]

Women are way more judgmental about other women than men are.

[sagetalk]

I don't find anything wrong with this... a person should actively target their faults- however Sage needs to prep for the oncoming tears. Adolescent girls cry a lot... you should be her friend and mentor, not her trainer.

 

I am well aware of the water works of young girls, it doesn't phase anymore . I think one of the biggest weaknesses many girls in my generation have is that their Dad was missing in their life when they were young and they missed out on all the wisdom he could have given them had he been there. I know it's not PC to say girls are worse off being without a dad growing up, but I think it's 100% true. If I ever have daughters, I'm either a big part of their life or I'm dead.

[You Go Girl]

It takes alot to impress me, and this post impresses me. You seem like a very intelligent woman and some guy is gonna be lucky to land you .

 

Umm...you should read her threads. She's telling women to 'deal with it' that men ogle, she thinks she is hot, and yet she is uncertain as to whether she should sleep in the same hotel room with her boss while on a business trip. She used to have a thing for him, but now she doesn't. She's concerned that the problem with the sharing of a apartment while on a business trip is that she is younger and hotter than his wife.

Edited June 5, 2010 by You Go Girl

[MrNate]

Umm...you should read her threads. She's telling women to 'deal with it' that men ogle, she thinks she is hot, and yet she is uncertain as to whether she should sleep in the same hotel room with her boss while on a business trip. She used to have a thing for him, but now she doesn't. She's concerned that the problem with the sharing of a apartment while on a business trip is that she is younger and hotter than his wife.

 

Wait, what? Sounds like it's about to get interesting in here.

[SadandConfusedWA]

Wait, what? Sounds like it's about to get interesting in here.

 

She is blowing this out of proportion. I never thought that just because I am younger and hotter H might cheat. The real reason that I thought that he could cheat is the way he checks me out constantly and I know that he finds me physically attractive (young or old, hot or not, that's what matters) and his suggestion of sharing an apartment. I just thought that putting "young and pretty" there would cut down on a drawn out explanation.

 

Besides, I consider myself pretty but not hot. I am good looking and above average but I am NOT exceptionally good looking. There are girls walking around that I know are WAY hotter than me.

[Jersey Shortie]

In what world is it okay for a married man to sleep in the same apartment with a work mate, younger and prettier or not? You even have to ask?

 

I think it's really only women who want to be like the photoshopped person on the magazine. Guys are perfectly content with average looking women, if they weren't then amateur porn wouldn't be so popular.

 

Sure. Men are perfectly content to bang the very average women in real life. They are content to have the average woman wash their laundry and bare their children. However, they still oggle and get super excited over the really "hot" woman that wouldn't even give him a second look. They still look at images of photoshopped women and talk about their beauty and how hot they are. They only think men are perfectly content with is having a real woman there to bang and do his laundry but have the fantasy woman to turn to when he really wants to pull one out. If men were perectly content with the woman they had, they wouldn't turn to porn as often and as much as they do.

[MrNate]

In what world is it okay for a married man to sleep in the same apartment with a work mate, younger and prettier or not? You even have to ask?

 

 

 

Sure. Men are perfectly content to bang the very average women in real life. They are content to have the average woman wash their laundry and bare their children. However, they still oggle and get super excited over the really "hot" woman that wouldn't even give him a second look. They still look at images of photoshopped women and talk about their beauty and how hot they are. They only think men are perfectly content with is having a real woman there to bang and do his laundry but have the fantasy woman to turn to when he really wants to pull one out. If men were perectly content with the woman they had, they wouldn't turn to porn as often and as much as they do.

 

I just wanted to have post #200

[MrNate]

She is blowing this out of proportion. I never thought that just because I am younger and hotter H might cheat. The real reason that I thought that he could cheat is the way he checks me out constantly and I know that he finds me physically attractive (young or old, hot or not, that's what matters) and his suggestion of sharing an apartment. I just thought that putting "young and pretty" there would cut down on a drawn out explanation.

 

Besides, I consider myself pretty but not hot. I am good looking and above average but I am NOT exceptionally good looking. There are girls walking around that I know are WAY hotter than me.

 

I see, I see...