What is Lookism? Basic principles, positive and negative aspects. How does it manifest itself in society - at school, in employment and in politics?
Lookism is a stereotype of thinking, which implies a positive attitude towards an outwardly handsome person with excellent physical characteristics (addition, height) and the ability to dress stylishly. This prevailing belief in society determines the social significance of the individual.
What is Lookism?
Not so long ago, the Russian singer Zemfira took a cool ride through her friends on the stage of Grechka and Monetochka. One, they say, has a bad voice and looks to match the singing, the second looks better, but sings also lousy. A scandal arose, supporters of the offended singers announced Zemfira's lukism.
Lookism implies an established thinking, when people are positively judged by their appearance and manner of dress. This is a preconceived belief based on the false postulate that a beautiful face and a "cool" manner of looking are inherent only to good people!
Chekhov's hero said that "everything in a person should be beautiful: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts." Supporters of lookism blindly perceive only what immediately catches the eye - the impeccability of the figure and costume. Completely forgetting that "not all that glitters is gold."
In society, handsome men (beauties) are accustomed to equal, acquaintance with them flatters pride. Although often behind the appearance is not a pretty interior. You need to know that the opposite side of lookism is always body shaming.
This implies a negative attitude towards people who look "not at all like that", and therefore do not fall under the generally accepted stereotypes of beauty. If a child has not received a happy appearance from his parents, is he to blame for this?
Discrimination on the basis of any physical or mental flaws (eyblim) causes moral suffering. Feeling his inferiority, the person withdraws into himself, avoids communication.
An example of disrespectful treatment of wheelchair users is the lack of a ramp in some stores. Insults such as "idiot" or "moron", which often come off the lips in a quarrel, also carry a connotation of disrespectful attitude towards such patients.
Some young people like to dress provocatively, this often jars the feelings of respectable citizens. Now you won't surprise anyone with short skirts and unusual hairstyles. But there was a time when it was severely condemned, as it had an ideological background.
Suffice it to recall the so-called dudes. There was such a youth movement in the Soviet Union when young people dressed in the Western manner. The guys wore overly tapered trousers and pointed shoes, a special short haircut. Girls "dabbled" in fitted skirts and tight-fitting suits, blouses with a large neckline. The dandies were condemned, they were laughed at. And they simply emphasized with the style of their clothes that they wanted to be free, independent of the ideological stereotypes imposed by the authorities.
Lookism in society is far-fetched. This is a stereotype of thinking, developed by public needs and ideas of what a person should be. Often, such a judgment takes on a discriminatory connotation, when a person is judged not by merit, but by appearance and costume.
It's important to know! The proverb says that "a person is greeted according to his clothes, but he is seen off according to his mind." Lukism has nothing to do with a true assessment of human qualities.
