Doorway to Idealism

Idealism can be defined in many ways but in a simple explanation it can be summed up as the idea of a philosophy devoted to defining. There are subcategories to idealism, one being metaphysical idealism which holds the view that the only 'real' substances or entities are the minds and the perceptions that are taken in by them, and the second being epistemological idealism,  a subjective position of epistemology (the study of knowledge), which holds the view that what we know about objects exists and resides in your own individual mind. Idealism as a whole is also often the pursuit of the intangible, the perfect ideals of what the mind perceives to be the best of a certain subject, on any plane, not just physical. This short essay will discuss the latter viewpoint, and connect the ideologies of the pursuit of impossible perfection with today's American society.

First, an excellent example of idealism is found in the American classic short story, The Birth-Mark, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the story, the scientist Aylmer, is representative of the stance of idealism. His life has been devoted to science, and the humanistic struggle to improve nature through scientific achievements. While he does make certain improvements on some of his experiments, his perfection is never fully achieved, and this short story serves as an allegory that nature is naturally imperfect and cannot be perfected, otherwise it would no longer exist as natural. Georgiana serves as a representation of the transcendental philosophy that the imperfection of nature is what makes the world and all it's features beautiful. Ignoring this concept and driving to execute his operation to rid Georgiana of her birth-mark shows the struggle man is constantly caught in to transform the physical world into a never ending cycle of improvement.

One of the most obvious and long-standing forms of the hunger for perception lies in the starving stomachs of the fashion industry. To start with, the average American model is 5”11 and weighs 117 pounds. For further comparison, in 2010 the average height and weight of the American woman was 5”4 and 166.2 pounds according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. So why does the fashion industry strive to produce images of a taller and leaner figure for women to idolize? It is the very nature of humans to engage in a battle of nature in an attempt to make it more aesthetically pleasing, and the fashion industry and modeling companies fuel our desires to dream up a more perfect physical form of ourselves. Those that are embedded in this way of life would argue that these images are displayed to give us a goal to achieve so that we may become better versions of ourselves. But from a transcendental point of view we know that we will not become better versions of ourselves by devoting our lives to a futile, circular, and physical improvement scheme. We will only become better versions of ourselves by making our inner selves, our spiritual selves, more beautiful.

Sources:

Acton, H. B. "Idealism." Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Donald M. Borchert. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 552-562. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

Rodenbough, Libby. "The Fashion Industry Promotes Eating Disorders." The Culture of Beauty. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Killer Fashion: An Industry in Denial." In These Times (28 Mar. 2011). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

Anderberg, Kirsten. "The Images of Beauty Are Unrealistic and Hurt Women." The Culture of Beauty. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Radical Body Politics for Women." off our backs (Nov.-Dec. 2004): 54-55. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Body Measurements - http://www.livestrong.com/article/357769-weight-height-for-the-average-american-woman/#sthash.83zcuxJ9.dpuf