Gen Z's Obsession with Youth & Beauty is VERY Disturbing | Video essay

Gen Z's Obsession with Youth & Beauty is VERY Disturbing | Video essay. Today we'll be talking about gen z's fear of aging, the rise of anti-aging culture, obsession with skincare & the extreme pressure of consumerism, beauty standards, and the increase in plastic surgery!

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About Salem: Hey! I’m Salem. I make commentary and video essays on anything I want to talk about. New videos every week! Make sure to subscribe and turn on post notifications so you never miss a new video.

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[ladyreverie]

I gotta say, as someone who is 29 and doesn't use TikTok, look at the people around IN REAL LIFE. Nobody looks perfect. Everyone looks normal. You're fine.

[bougiepeaches]

I'm tired of being told what's wrong with me whether it's my face, my skin color, my body type, my hair type, my race, how I move, how I talk, etc. I'm tired!

[SloanePaoPow]

I blame the media. We have no middle age or older women shown living their best life, kicking ass, shown as aspirational, being it in tv, movies, or popular stories. Meanwhile, Tom Cruz, The Rock, Bruce Willis etc... keep making movies, impressing audiences, and aging. We need to change the narrative and representation.

[BelleChanson]

I'm a 2x cancer survivor in my early 30s, and I promise you, aging is a privilege denied to many. I do my best to take care of myself, but I still have visible signs of age (gray hairs, a few small lines), and they make me happy because eighteen years ago when I was sick for the first time, I wasn't sure I'd make it this far. Life is too short for anti-aging straws.

[agnesp.]

Picasso once said that a woman peaked at 17. Those shitty fears are rooted in some deep mysoginy and have been for ages. I hope we get to change that

[semplybalanced]

As an older millennial, reading a 21 year old say she feels so relieved to see older women talk about being childfree & happy bc she thought she was convinced she was about to hit the wall at 23 & so many early 20 year olds having the same fear.

Y’all wtf??

[fariygorl]

i feel like it’s so hard to match the beauty standard. Kids feel pressured to look 16 at 12. then adults feel pressured to look 20 at 35. we just need to let people age naturally

[ojyochan]

As someone who is officially middle-aged, I think it's not healthy to obsess about how well you'll age. There's no point. You can have romantic and career success without being the hot young thing. It's never a bad idea to eat mostly healthy, exercise, avoid alcohol, and wear sunscreen, though.
Also, my youth in reality was not fun for the most part; I'm too busy having fun now to create a fake online persona like the young'uns🦆

[MyNeonBubbles]

A lot of these issues wouldn’t exist if people just stopped caring what 17 year olds think about beauty standards. I’m 25, idc what a 17 year old thinks about my face or body. Go in the real world baby

[kittyfriend]

as someone who’s 33 it literally sucks to feel like you’re expected to look 20 forever, the whole “omg 40 is the new 20!” “You can still look hot and sexy at 50!” Like ok cool but when can we rest?! It’s out of control, I’m all for acting “young” as you age but feeling like we have to stay “hot and sexy” forever is really damaging, the millennials are the first generation who’s really feeling it

[pproximacentaurii]

It’s crazy how society thinks and acts like when a woman hits 25 she starts decaying or something… 30 years old?? a relict. It’s the saddest thing ever and deeply rooted in misogyny. I’m 19 years old and I already caught myself checking the mirror for wrinkles! It’s insane and I’m working on not feeling so self conscious about getting old and having imperfections because honestly, it’s SO exhausting

[camillemoore]

I turned 43 this year, and I'm here to tell y'all that aging is awesome! Two of my friends died in their late 30s (COVID and a heart attack, respectively), so when I say life is fleeting, I mean it. Eat the chocolate cake, take the trip, ask the crush out, wear sunscreen. If you do those things, the rest will inevitably take care of itself.

[katelynandkailey]

Aging is a privilege. I knew friends who passed when one was 18, and the other 21. They unfortunately won’t be able to grow up and experience long life like the most of us. Even a few centuries ago, the life expectancy was 30/40. Enjoy every year you get, and be thankful for all the time you have💙

[lesbianhotdawg]

As a gen z, I realized that as soon as you get rid of tiktok or instagram, or any other toxic social media apps, you feel way better about yourself than when you had them. I had a phase in my life where I despised the way I looked, just looking at myself made me feel ill, but currently I do love myself and the way I look. To anyone who wants giving in to the beauty standards, or just hate the way they look…body dysmorphia, all of it; you are beautiful, and you WILL be able to love how you look and feel good in your body and your own skin.

[Wellworm]

Life gets good in your 30s. It gets better in 40s. Those are the decades where you usually have more money and more confidence with what you like, but are still active enough to do many things. All these people who think life peaks in your 20s...it's literally the worst, most insecure decade.

[anntares]

I'm 41. You can't stop aging. It happens not matter what you do. Embrace it! None of this matters.

[dickottel]

I miss the Internet from the 00s lol. Instead of comparing myself to photoshopped influencers, I was downloading clothes for my Sims, pirating mp3s and reading Snarry fanfiction XD Forums about my interests were a big part of my teenage Internet experience. Pure joy, no self-hate.

[lauryndouglas]

AGING IS A PRIVILEGE DENIED TO MANY

Watching BOTH parents fight cancer while still growing up ( only a few years apart) myself has really illuminated what is truly important in life. Not a day goes by that I don't grieve my father but feel gratitude for everyday I have here on earth with my mom.

Last year I lost my best friend to a freak accident. He wasn't even 30.

You can spend incredible amounts of money on the last and greatest creams, serums, cosmetics and procedures but none of that really means anything if you get into a car crash tomorrow. It won't matter how much time you spend obsessing over your skin texture and side profile when you are in the er covered in burns, fighting for your life... And that's if you are lucky and survive.
What will matter how you spend the time you do have here and the way you choose to treat others and conduct yourself.

[summersocoldtv]

Millennial here! I'll start by saying, I lost my sister a decade ago. I was 21, she was 23 going on 24 and randomly passed in a car accident. That moment changed my entire outlook on life. Making it to another year is a blessing and aging is something we should all strive for. When I turned thirty I was scared it might hurt lol, but I was proud to be the one who made it to the thirty club for both of us (She's always with me)

I do get the pressure of social media but comparison is the thief of joy and time is an illusion! My grandma is 77 and she always says " Your only as old as you feel." Live like this and no one can ever take your youth.. That's the best anti-aging advice I got.

[AshleyOlivia]

I genuinely don’t understand how more women aren’t anti plastic surgery. Men for the most part aren’t running out to go under the knife or get needles shoved in their faces. Women say « I’m doing it for myself! » but I really don’t agree as long as the pressure for women to be perfect like this exists.