The Objectivity of Beauty: A Post-structural Study of the Hyperreal Screen of Media

Abstract

This paper attempts to bring out the biggest objectivity of beauty by evaluating the norm of ‘beauty standard’ from psychoanalytical and post-structural lenses. Beauty depends on cultural interpretation. Media and film industry play a key role in shaping the audience's psychology and rules the audience to be selective about the beauty tones and aesthetic ideals by rejecting the multiplicity and hybridity of beauty tones available in culture. This formation tends to shape Jacques Lacan’s ‘image’ in human psyche and Judith Butler’s ‘performativity’ in social theatrical context by building a certain standard of beauty. From Erik Erikson’s point, the image and performative role prepare one to possess the selected standard when one stays in ‘role confusion’ and lack of ‘ego identity’. This paper deconstructs the entire motive and outline of the contribution of media to the objectivity of beauty and its effect on psychology, through psychoanalytical and post-structural analysis; and establishes a larger form of the objectivity of beauty that may eliminate the scopes of racism and alienation.