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TX State | Culture

How Optimal are You?

Kamora Young Student Contributor, Texas State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TX State chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Perfection is possible on the internet, not in real life.

In the genesis of the AI we know and use today, common arguments in support of its necessity considered the higher numbers of productivity in corporate settings. As September rolls in and marks the beginning of the late 2020s, we find ourselves in a unique position: one of constantly finding a new word to attach -maxx to.

I’m not necessarily saying that people want to have a physical likeness to AI. Maybe it’s in our nature to be a bit scared of the “uncanny valley” look in the real world. However, is it possible that the corporate chase for convenience and perfection has found its way into everyday people’s self-worth, leading us to treat our bodies like another computer?

Gibson Girls and iPhone Faces

From Victorian-era corsets to Photoshop, technological advancement and beauty standards are certainly nothing new. There is nothing wrong with moderately biohacking in an effort to better maintain and understand your body, such as supplements, fasting, or simply sleeping more! 

Today, however, it feels as though our faces, humanity, or vanity are being exploited in the rat race to total efficiency. You can ask an AI to evaluate your face for the purpose of looksmaxxing— a practice among men dedicated to essentially looking your hottest. Gallup, an American analytics company, found that usage of weight loss drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic has reached new highs, while diabetes rates remain stagnant. These trends mark a new age of perfectionism intertwined with tech, whether it be using AI as an assessor or following the internet’s next idea on what is considered a beautiful body.

You may have noticed the mainstream rise in short-term use of GLP-1, or ‘undetectable’ plastic surgery trends, whatever ‘wellness raves’ are, BRICKs, parasite cleanses, etcetera, etcetera
 

Be More Gentle

Not to yuck anyone’s yum, but I’m pretty tired after listing just a few of the latest products of beauty and wellness culture, and as I write, all I can think is “what is the logical end to all of this?” My conclusion is to just rest, and don’t track how long!

One of the best parts about being human, and not a computer, is getting to be intuitive. Another amazing, and often overlooked, gift is being worthy of all the world has to offer just by merely existing somewhere, probably on the toilet, reading this. Go to that Pilates class, try out the skincare or the different diets until you find what feels amazing. Maybe try to get your screen time down while you’re at it, but obsessing over looks or performance as opposed to healthy growth is just plain exhausting. Don’t miss out on life’s perfect imperfections, for they’re there to test how far you’ve come.

Kamora is a second-year student at Texas State University, studying Composition and Rhetoric as well as Political Science. She is from Houston, Texas, and is a writer and senior editor for Her Campus at TX State. She loves essaywriting about culture and politics, along with pieces of her world. When not writing, you can find her crafting, doing yoga, or crossing a film off of her watchlist.