From Self-Improvement to Self-Destruction in the Age of Appearance
Beauty standards have long been socially constructed, evolving across time and culture. From eras in which larger bodies symbolized wealth and status, to modern ideals that equate thinness with beauty, these standards have continually shifted.
Preferences such as blonde hair being associated with femininity and purity, or smaller body features being linked to attractiveness, reflect changing societal values. Today, these ideals have transformed yet again, seen in the rising popularity and normalization of procedures such as Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) in online culture.
When do these standards become too much?
Likes, comments, and fame
In an age where someone can receive millions of likes based solely on their appearance, beauty becomes a perceived pathway to validation and opportunity. Have you ever scrolled past a TikTok of someone simply recording themselves and wondered why it gained so much attention?
This phenomenon reflects the rise of “thirst traps,” content designed to attract viewers and generate praise for appearance, often resulting in thousands or even millions of likes.
Thirst traps rely on visual appeal to draw attention and reinforce the idea that beauty alone can bring social reward. As this becomes more normalized online, it begins to shape how value and success are understood. What impact does this have on younger children and teenagers as they develop their sense of self-worth?
For younger audiences, especially teens and pre-teens, this creates a constant cycle of comparison. When you keep seeing people rewarded for how they look, it starts to feel like your worth is tied to your appearance. Over time, this can turn into pressure to look a certain way or fit a certain aesthetic just to feel seen or validated.
For some, that pressure does not just stay internal; it turns into action. This is where the idea of “looksmaxxing” comes in, where people try to improve their appearance in order to gain attention and validation.
What starts as small changes can escalate quickly into something more extreme.
Looksmaxxing: the clavicular phenomenon
By now, you may have heard of the popular TikTok looksmaxxer Clavicular, who began looksmaxxing at just 14 years old. See? Influence.
At an age where puberty is beginning, the mind is developing, and teens are growing into their bodies, Clavicular turned to extreme measures to enhance his appearance, including substances to accelerate results.
His goals included gaining more muscle, losing all remaining fat, sharpening his jawline, hollowing his cheeks, achieving “hunter eyes” and defining his facial features.
While many of these changes could likely have been achieved naturally by allowing his body to develop, his decision to use hard and unprescribed substances shows just how far social pressure and insecurity can push someone.
Along with looksmaxxing, these goals were tied to his desire to “mog” and be the most attractive person in the room. “Mog” (or “mogging”) is an internet term, often from red pill communities, that means looking significantly better, stronger or more attractive than someone else.
The desire to “mog” others is fueled by the internet, where likes, views and comments act as a measure of digital status and masculinity. Communities tied to the red pill ideology promote a version of masculinity that values dominance, strength and attractiveness, making comparison constant and extreme.
For Clavicular, this online pressure pushed him to take drastic measures, showing how digital masculinity and social validation shape the way teens approach their own bodies.
How online pressure shapes young minds
Clavicular is just one extreme example, but the pressure he faced online affects countless other teens and children. Constant exposure to curated images, likes and online validation teaches young people to measure their worth by how they look or how much attention they get. Over time, this can influence behaviors, self-esteem and mental health, pushing kids to chase impossible standards they see online.
The rise of AI-generated and heavily edited images has made online comparison even more intense. Teens are now comparing themselves not just to real people, but to digitally enhanced versions of perfection. Psychologically, this reinforces insecurity and heightens the pressure to “mog” or optimize oneself, making the pursuit of idealized appearances feel unavoidable.
Today, procedures like Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) and other cosmetic surgeries have become increasingly popular, especially in Black communities, as people try to fit the current ideal of a “thick” body. This shift reflects the desire for women to appear more sexually appealing to men, replacing the previous standard where extreme thinness was considered attractive.
These trends show how beauty standards constantly change, but they also highlight how extreme and unrealistic these ideals have become, further contributing to the pressure kids face online.
Rethinking beauty and digital influence
Beauty standards have always existed, and they will continue to evolve over time. The extreme measures people take to achieve these ideals, the pressure to “mog” others, AI-enhanced images and body trends like BBLs show how fleeting, demanding and damaging these standards can be.
If we let ourselves follow every trend, we risk constantly adapting to temporary ideals instead of defining our own values. Recognizing how these forces influence self-worth can help us resist the pressure to conform and focus on lasting confidence rather than ever-changing approval. Surgery or extreme measures cannot keep up with changing standards.
Will you keep chasing each new ideal and risk being deemed “unattractive,” or embrace your natural self?