Why Are Many People Obsessed with Staying Young? UM Surabaya Lecturer Touches on Lookism and Its Implications

• 09 Feb
• 2023

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Why Are Many People Obsessed with Staying Young? UM Surabaya Lecturer Touches on Lookism and Its Implications

• Article
• By Uswah Sahal
• Health
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Gita Savitri again made a splash on social media, after making a shocking confession about having a baby. The YouTuber, who now lives in Germany, revealed that being childfree or not having children is one of the natural ways that is considered effective in preventing anti-aging, aka staying young.

The bustle of the Gita Savitri case and its youthful image in society attracted a number of people to provide feedback, one of which is a lecturer in media studies at UM Surabaya, Radius Setiyawan. Radius said that the obsession with youth is influenced by cultural standards formed in society, especially through the mass media, social media and beauty advertisements.

Radius explained that the basic assumption of wanting to stay young even at a no longer young age starts from the assumption that young people are more attractive, desirable, and beautiful or handsome. Meanwhile, old age is considered bad, unattractive, and ugly.

"That's why getting old is an unwanted condition and must be fought with great efforts even though it has to spend relatively large funds," explained Radius Thursday (8/2/23)

He also mentions the phenomenon of youthful obsession related to lookism. Lookism is understood as an act of discrimination against women or men stemming from expectations of beauty. Lookism is an effort to keep looking attractive as constructed by the media, one of them.

"This discrimination often occurs more in women who feel insecure and anxious if they cannot look beautiful like the dominant construct," Radius explained again.

Still looking charming, energetic at a ripe age, white skin, slim and toned body is a condition that is very likely to be desired by many people. The implications of this can certainly discriminate.

According to him, this is often found in the reality of urban society. Where many of them try to keep their skin and body young. This is of course not an easy thing to do.

“People have to struggle to maintain their diet, exercise and consume anti-aging (anti-aging) creams. A business that is recognized or not as something torturing. Attempts to maintain this appearance are often discriminatory. Both men and women," he added.

He again explained that the obsession with youth is part of a cultural competence that is used to legitimize social differences. This serves to create social distinction.

"So that you can appear young is an effort from the ability to convert economic capital to symbolic capital. The economic strength they possess is capable of making certain class of women obtain recognition for still looking young,” said Radius who is a master of cultural and media studies.