Real People Don't Look Like That

[Hyena Dandy]

It bothers me when I hear someone talk about attractive people and say "Real people don't look like that."

In some cases, that makes sense. When you're talking about a character in a movie, (and not just an animated movie) or a cover model, the person probably has been at the very least thoroughly made up beyond what one person is reasonably capable of, if not digitally edited to look better. But its really bothered me because lately, I've heard that said, a lot, about my sister, who I can assure you actually exists, and so unlike a character in a movie or on TV, who has a make-up crew, all she has is herself.

I've heard someone repeatedly dismissed as "Real people don't look like that."

And that... Really bugged me. >_> I guess I'll try to elaborate later.

[Boozy]

You definitely need to elaborate, because I don't understand what these people are commenting on. Are they seeing your sister in person or in photographs/on TV?

Only a mentally-ill person would see a real live human being and then claim that they aren't real.

Unless they mean that they aren't "real" in the sense that they have fake boobs, fake nails, dyed hair, etc?

[HYHYBT]

I haven't run into this particular situation, but I've certainly heard "real" used to exclude quite a lot of reality.

[Skunkle]

I think that, with how common not only airbrushing and photoshopping but fake nails, fake breasts, fake eyelashes, fake eyebrows and fake tans have become, it becomes generally assumed that if a girl is a bombshell, she's boosting her image with false add-ons. I think the underlying thought is, "'Real' people are imperfect. If they don't LOOK imperfect, they're faking something."

I'll point to an extreme example: pornography. I'm not sure what NEW porn is like (I don't look at much commercial porn these days) but back in the mid-80s, porn mags came in several flavors, and one of these was called "amateur" or, slightly more commonly, "girls next door", meaning NOT models but "ordinary people." What did you tend to see in those? Flab hanging. Pancake boobs. Uneven this and that. Pasty skin. Hair in wrong places. Slightly-below-average looks. I guess people were into the notion that, since these people looked as far away from models as you could imagine, they were realistic and could really be living just next door! *shrug*

[kiwi]

I don't believe the images we see on magazine covers or in music videos are "real" in the sense that people can not look like that without the help of HEAVY makeup, lighting, photoshop (or video editing software) and being shot at the right angles.

I think they mean you can't see someone looking like that in their natural state.

[blas87]

I agree with Kiwi.

There was a magazine with Kim Kardashian (not sure if she was on the cover or just somewhere in the middle), but she wanted everyone to see what she looks like without the photo being touched up, and naturally, she has cellulite and other imperfections that come with being curvacious. People got all up in arms over it that she isn't perfect looking. Well duh, NO ONE is.

[Greenday]

I have to agree with that. When a picture has to be tampered with to alter the appearance of a person, the person in that photo is no longer real.

[Nyoibo]

It's possible for people to "look like that" Photos from a photo shoot of my GF are untouched, only using natural light, it's just that the preparation needed is most of the time too much effort.