In this day and age I am expected to be pretty
I feel the need to plaster my face in a full coat of make up just to feel pretty
To feel noticed and respected
My physical attraction is all people see in me
And it's kinda like a hook for people

The more I think about it
The more I see of it
And even I am guilty of this
But judging people on whether or not they are attractive
Whether you want to be friends with them or not because of their social status
Everyone is expected to be perfect
Even when we aren't fully developed yet
I am in high school for god sakes!
But my friends are attractive
Some aren't in my eyes but who says they aren't for others?
And what if circumstance and personality is all you need?
I met my first friend when I moved her in junior high
And we have been good friends ever since
He's not conventionally attractive or good looking
But he's funny
He has a way of making you laugh in the worst moods
And yet I feel like people judge him

I don't think Im ugly persay
Quite average to say the least
But I feel the need to perfect every inch of myself
To meet people's expectations
And it's annoying
Because I should be focusing on my grades
Not on my physical attraction
Whether people like me or not
Whether I am deemed good enough to be someone else's friend
Social media, societal norms are becoming too much for us teens
And the adults see the change but they don't acknowledge it
Which makes it that much worse
I want to feel good about myself
But the pressure weighs me down everytime I open instagram
Or tiktok
I see pretty girls doing "get ready with me"s
And they look stunning
And I find myself questioning what they use to get that glow
And I hate when people apologize for giving a small opinion
Like "no hate to this person, but I think" like you have to defend yourself before the hate gets to you
It scares people to even share their personal suggestions for fear someone will take it the wrong way
I've seen this happen
Even the smallest comment and people blow up
Social media and the world itself is getting out of hand
What happened to talking freely about your favorite things online?
Posting your artwork without being accused of tracing or AI
Dancing without being judged because of your body
Backhanded compliments are excessive
Why must people insult one another?
To act higher on the social ladder?
Push people off it while you ascend?
Is that really what we want to do?
Let's normalize calling people pretty
Without a specific thing that makes them pretty
Because everyone is pretty, handsome, attractive
No one is JUST pretty because of their make up
Or their money
Let's make attractiveness more about the person and not the product
Let's make social media about relating to one another and not about bringing people down when you feel the slightest bit attacked
Your ego being hurt does not compare to people being hurt
Keep the shitty comments to yourself
"If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all"
That's what my mother taught me
Some people need it forcefully slapped across their face to get the point of it
Let's stop this cycle of love and hate
You love this person but there is a subtle attribute that makes you want to stay away from them
Leave people alone
Focus on your own lives
And if you have to say something
Make it a compliment.

— Just a little rant about what I think social media is doing to this world. so much hate and yet all this talk about love being the most important thing is hypocritical.

© Tannni