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On the magazine cover is a model for millions — a beautiful, well-groomed woman who seemingly just stepped off the runway. But beauty demands sacrifices, and the sacrifice is sought and found.
The selfish beauty lays upon the altar of her appearance her feelings, principles, time, and, of course, the money of her victim. In return, she gives nothing — simply because she has nothing to give. Behind the striking exterior lies an echoing emptiness — no intellect, no heart, not even a trace of emotion.
Only three interests reside in her sealed and powdered soul — sex, a walking wallet, and shopping. The primary instinct fills all intellectual and spiritual voids, yet the body is trained to attract and retain the prize — interest No. 2, known as a husband. This euphemism masks the woman’s desire to have everything without making any significant, yet impossible, effort. Having gained access to a card with a substantial number of zeros (others do not interest her), she fulfills her “one and only, yet fiery passion” — things. And the more expensive, the better. Price alone determines the status of an item, endows the owner with that status, and satisfies her refined self-love.
This is precisely the portrait of the modern woman painted after reading many contemporary women’s magazines. This image is their ideal, the example they teach not only young novices but also mature women who are deeply dissatisfied with their lives.
Glossy magazines filling the women’s niche resemble each other like twin brothers — in names, in design, even in cover models, made up beyond recognition, as if they were the same person. The content also lacks variety — the same topics issue after issue, only expressed in different words. And through all these essays runs a red thread — the idea of great, all-consuming love for oneself, the one and only. Proof of this love can and does consist of the things a woman wears, eats, drinks, steps into, and the places she flies to. And only if these things meet the declared standard can one claim that life has been successful. Feelings such as love, respect for another person, friendship, and understanding are set aside as unwelcome. Indeed, why would one need them? After all, men who are expected to pay for women’s whims love with their eyes, so the main thing is to display the goods — that is, oneself — front and center. Inner experiences are of no interest to anyone.
After all, “glamour” in English means charm, even enchantment. But can a woman truly become charming merely by wearing a dress priced at a thousand euros? Beautiful — perhaps. But charming, enchanting — unlikely. Without those very inner experiences, she will not succeed. Magazines have distorted the meaning of this beautiful word, filling it with prestige, the glitter of sequins, and the nausea of pink hues.
The editor of one Kuzbass event frankly divides women into two categories — “those who want to be the most beautiful bride in the world at the most glamorous wedding” and “those who believe pomposity is inappropriate for such a personal moment.” That’s all. There are no other options. Everyone else — those focused on education or career, caring for friends or parents, involved in charity or creativity — is simply erased from the list. A real woman (in the editor’s opinion) has only one goal — to marry successfully. Therefore, differences can only lie in the color of the wedding dress.
It should be noted that headlines in such magazines are entirely pious and decent. Yet beneath them sometimes lie surprises — sometimes amusing, sometimes shocking. Sex occupies an honored place among publications. By now, traditional topics no longer surprise or attract readers. Therefore, on glossy pages, experts (where do they even come from?) with professional knowledge offer advice on vibrator use, safety measures in sadomasochism, and inevitably, the pros and cons of anal sex. All of this is highly informative, but when buying a magazine and glancing at innocent headlines, one expects something else. Thus, one feels deceived by advertising — a cheated consumer. I didn’t order this filth. Such reading material should be separated from the rest and hermetically sealed in black polyethylene to avoid shocking those for whom it is not intended — for example, children.
Such magazines declare their main mission to be helping single women find a worthy life partner. Advice on how to meet, attract, and retain a man appears in every issue. Yet these tips resemble not a psychologist’s recommendations, but a courtesan’s business plan.
Your walk should be springy and captivating. Chest forward and on display. Slit from the thigh, tight-fitting top. And with this prepared beauty, you must go to places where men gather in large numbers. These could be stores (preferably specialized, such as car shops), concerts (though not Kirkorov’s), and travel. It’s unclear why travel suddenly became such a place, but the idea is clear. Appropriate venues also include public and political organizations, corporate events, and, of course, sports clubs. But even in places with a high concentration of men, one must not be passive. Smile at one, flirt with your eyes at another, ask a small favor from a third, and even compliment a fourth. You might even get indignant over some issue, but always politely, without hysteria or market-style language. Before you know it, a conversation has started, and phone numbers have been exchanged. Don’t think the first man you meet is already your eternal destiny. You need to gather as many catches as possible, then eliminate those who didn’t pass the competition, leaving ten to fifteen candidates. According to statistics, one in ten makes it to somewhat serious relationships — do the math.
Your behavior should be proud; you must carry your self-esteem high and with the greatest dignity. Act calmly, leisurely, lazily, even slightly carelessly. The man must think he’s not particularly important to you. A bit of caprice, self-assurance, and teasing — the man should feel you slipping through his fingers, prompting him to reflexively grab tighter. Leave sex for later, when the client is ripe. You can only hold green young men or hopeless old men with sex — and neither suits you. A cocktail of beauty, lightness, and unavailability can make a man do something foolish. For example, marry.
And tell me, where are the feelings in this instruction? There are none — neither feminine nor masculine. In the woman — calculation; in the man — a game of emotions, psychological complexes, and instincts. Everything is laid out openly and cynically. No magic of intimacy or aura of falling in love. Therefore, the following advice on achieving a happy family life fits perfectly: have sex in the morning. Know why? The reason is obvious — in the morning, calories burn more intensely, so physical exercise is more beneficial, and your figure will be more beautiful. Love is secondary; the man is a sex trainer, nothing more.
Sex is a fail-safe topic, directly touching the oldest strings, hence its popularity. And there are countless articles on sex in glossy magazines — from innocent ones like “How to Undress a Man” to pickup rules, but now for women. Indeed, it’s not only trousers and ties being borrowed. The fireworks of sexual life are ensured by articles like “12 Ways to Spice Up…” For intellectuals, tests are offered — “Are You Attractive?” and “What Kind of Sex Do You Like?”
But the pearls of female authors pale beside the works of their male colleagues. They either openly mock or realize their own personal, male complexes. And they paint a sweet fantasy — the woman as a toy, a rubber Galatea, expensive, prestigious, beautiful — but an object. And they even give advice on how a woman can enter a man’s sphere of interest.
For a man to choose a woman, he must first see her. The first thing he sees is her chest. Therefore, the bust must be as prominent as possible. Then his gaze lowers, and he evaluates the correct proportions of waist, hips, and leg length. In this assessment, both his own subjective impressions and the evaluation given by his friends — with whom he has often discussed ideals of female beauty — are important.
How does this approach differ from buying a car or even a mobile phone? In this case, it’s even simpler — no legal formalities or delays.
Another magazine published a new version of Cinderella. Without overcomplicating, it reprinted Charles Perrault, only the kind, rich fairy godmother turned the pumpkin into a Lamborghini, the Chinese hairpin into a CHAUMET diadem, the bathrobe into a bejeweled, sequined dress from ESKADA COUTURE, and the slippers — D in gold. One of them she lost while fleeing from the prince. By it, he found Cinderella, because only one beauty in the entire kingdom could wear such kitsch.
Maybe Cinderella doesn’t know, but we do — the magazine itself lives, and authors are paid from advertising revenue. Selling ordinary shoes has become a problem; selling them at ten times the price requires effort. And advertisers try hard. Their task is to convince Cinderella that only when wearing 500-dollar shoes will she become happy. And these shoes must be bought exclusively at the specified store. And the idea takes root that if lipstick costs less than 100 dollars and a bag less than 1,000, Cinderella will remain a loser and never see a prince. Immediately, a ready and easy recipe for joining the society of successful and beautiful people is offered — simply open your wallet. Otherwise, the magazine will do everything to instill in you a massive inferiority complex and brand you a failure.
Advertisers sell the belief that a 500-euro cream will restore sixteen-year-old skin, that 300-dollar shampoo will make hair grow like ropes, and that 5,000-dollar perfume will lay all surrounding men at your feet. And if it doesn’t, then, unfortunately, according to advertising, 95% of women have sorted out their personal lives, and you, much to their regret, fall into the 5% exception. Try new tights — with them, stunning success is guaranteed.
Magazines provide countless reasons to part with one sum or another. Of course, no one speaks of the editorial desire — or rather, advertisers’ desire — to make money. Quite the contrary — it’s your high demands that the most exquisite products are ready to satisfy. And when it comes to extra-class items, discussing money is simply bad taste. You should visibly improve only from understanding how much you’ve just spent on that jar of cream. And you should consider yourself part of high society solely because a famous singer used that cream two years ago… I forgot her name… And accompanying items — golden-shimmering pads, elegantly curved spatulas, lids that open with the lightest touch. Touching luxury most often costs more than the fatty substance itself, packed in branded packaging. Who in such a situation would read the ingredients? Advertisers calculate on emotions, which glamorous girls have in abundance, and not on logic.
And so that logic doesn’t appear in anyone’s pretty little head, women are instilled from a young age with the idea that their calling is to dress expensively, undress beautifully, know the basics of oral sex, be an actress, hold empty social chatter with any man, and know how to stylishly spin. These commandments of glamour a high school girl must memorize, and her mother must set a practical example.
As long as manufacturers need to sell their products — and sell them as expensively as possible — advertising will rule magazine pages, directly and indirectly. And consumers of these very products will be cultivated, constantly told that a woman who respects herself simply cannot live without the latest haute couture dress from the newest collection. It would be strange to see a women’s magazine promoting intellect, sensitivity to others’ needs, or selflessness. After all, then money might flow elsewhere. The only way out is to fight them with their own methods. Don’t buy the glossies. Vote with your wallet for interesting, informative magazines that promote normal human values. Then they will appear, because demand creates supply.
