A long time ago, I studied the sociology of communication. Among the essential readings  on beauty as social currency, beauty and the industry as an endless trap, the double standard of aging, and so on from that period, were those by Susan Sontag, Naomi Wolf, and other deeply committed feminists. Then, a few decades later, I came across Umberto Eco’s *The History of Beauty* (2010), which really piqued my curiosity. In recent years, I’ve often wondered what a philosopher and semiotician of his caliber would say about the era of “Instagram Face”…  because aging in the era of the “Instagram Face” imposes, once again, tremendous aesthetic pressure,  beauty standards even more unattainable than the famous 36-24-36 (this isn’t a combination of padlocks, but rather the numbers representing Marilyn’s famous curves... although it seems Marilyn herself was more of a 36-24-34).

In short, the Instagram Face is all about high cheekbones, full lips, perfectly smooth skin, and almost constant false eyelashes—thanks to social media filters, cosmetic medicine, and all the Kardashians of this world! We’re no longer talking about natural harmony here, but rather technological construction, hyperreality. These faces have become smooth, uniform, clickable, and replaceable consumer products, because they’re standardized and repetitive. I think Eco might have drawn parallels between this era and the medieval quest for perfection—the body as a reflection of divine beauty—or even with Renaissance ideals, but I don’t have that expertise. 

So I'm back to the fact that I’m trying to age gracefully, with a healthy acceptance of reality, but in a digital environment that values a perfected and unrealistic image. The coexistence of the passage of time and the screen raises major issues and presents an unprecedented psychological and aesthetic challenge. However, I believe that detaching ourselves from the standards of perfection we’re constantly bombarded with requires a conscious effort—but one that pays off! Today, senior influencers, actresses, politicians, essayists… new voices are emerging everywhere, proudly displaying their wrinkles and eccentricities to show that age remains a privilege, not a failing.
My own favorite recipe for achieving this? A few drops of irreverence in my glass of lucidity! What about yours?

To be continued...