Why do you think vanity is valued so much in this day and age?

It’s not just in this day and age. It’s been used as a tool to get ahead since biblical(?) times

I don’t think that everyone values vanity. I know that I don’t. I also don’t think it is a necessary element for success.

Most people do, especially in many jobs. It bothers me, but you can’t deny it. I guess it’s just out there with other social norms that seem to have no justification.

Are you suggesting that it’s, as you say “sad” to, as you say “think about how you look, how your’e portrayed”?

I’m getting the impression, that you believe concerns for self image somehow prevent one from being who they really are. Correct me if I’m misinterpreting your question please. Because it is very possible that concerns for self image do express who some people really are more than anything else possibly could.

Concerns for self image (vanity) are the most efficient way to express a non verbal outward sign to others that you care. That you give a damn. That you have developed certain refinements that define humans away from the animal kingdom. For unlike animals, humans have the unique ability for refining style, and taste.

To judge concerns for self image as “a sad aspect of society”, is no different than someone else judging lack of self image concern as “a sad aspect of society”.

As far as I can tell the folks who value vanity foremost are lacking in other values.
If all you have going for you is your looks then you might as well make the most of that.

Self-image is important. And a healthy ego is vital to a stable personality. But there’s no reason that should be the guiding light in one’s life.

The line between pride in ones looks and achievements and vanity is very thin. It sounds to me like you are describing greed or a false front rather than vanity.

It’s instinctive but as humans we figured out the logic and the reasoning behind it, and know that it is also unfair in many ways to many people. But it certainly isn’t new or unique&imgdii=&imgrc=cmdhIWox60iTPM%3A%3B3rJ43rdlHb8NtM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fphs.parkhill.k12.mo.us%252Fpractice%252FMusuem4%252FAfrica%252Fzulunkosi.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fphs.parkhill.k12.mo.us%252Fpractice%252FMusuem4%252FAfrica%252Faboutpeople.htm%3B323%3B500

Like @YARNLADY said, vanity is not what you think it is. Vanity is excessive pride in one’s appearance or achievements. Merely caring what you look like is not vanity.

I was always extremely vain about my face, my weight, my clothing, my profession, etc. But as I grow increasingly older, vanity matters to me increasingly less—and thank goodness for that, because looking back, I see my vanity as wasted energy.

I wonder if other older jellies feel the way I do.

Being attentive to your appearance—caring about it, taking care of it, improving it—is not the same thing as vanity. Being vain is being conceited. It’s having excessive pride in your looks or other qualities. It’s being stuck up. It’s being super-impressed with yourself and thinking you’re greater than everybody else. I don’t know when this quality was ever valued. It’s a despicable trait that makes others dislike you.

It sounds to me like you’re talking about something like “image” or even just what we used to call “good grooming,” which is about how you take care of yourself and how you present yourself to others. Vanity, in contrast, is having a completely inflated, false idea of your own gorgeousness and wonderfulness.

Yes, in many ways I do @Pachyderm_In_The_Room because I can’t look like I used to. I came across this old photo of my Aunt Any Beth, my sister Lex and me a few weeks ago. I just had to shake my head. I honestly had no IDEA how beautiful I was. I had no idea, and I didn’t spend a lot of time dressing up trying to look good for other people.
I’m not going to let myself go to crap now, but there is nothing I can do to get that back, so I’‘m just not going to worry about it.

The hero worship of the celebrity culture is more extreme now than it ever was.
Shallow minded superfans idolise people who have no discernible talent, are basically famous for being famous & who would attend the opening of an envelope if they thought an ounce of publicity could be wrung out of it.

Oh, gosh. I had an answer all prepared, and then I re-read the topic question and realized that you were asking about “vanity”, and not “sanity”. I was all set to question the premise, because it doesn’t often seem that sanity has much value anywhere in our society.

So, never mind. I got nothing here.

LOL!! Go ahead and talk about your sanity @CWOTUS!
Ok. I’ll do it for you: CWOTUS + sanity = does not compute.

No one values vanity, they value a person that takes care of their appearance. Being vain and caring about your looks can be separate.

Well said @Blackberry.

The last time I was vain, I was a teenager who wouldn’t step foot out of the house (not even to take out the trash) unless my hair was ‘done’ and I had my full make-up on. Probably not all that unusual for a teenaged girl, but it’s ridiculous looking back on it. Thank goodness I got over that by the time I was an adult. No one values vanity.

Because “looking good” (whatever that means to the media) is often presented as the key to happiness.
It’s really not something new to the earth, but having the media in our faces telling it to us moment after moment does make the problem worse.

I don’t think that caring about how you look and how you appear to other = vanity.

I don’t think vanity is valued so much in this society.

Ah, Vanity thou art a heartless bitch.

hey, you talkin bout me?

Well, there is a good point here. Vanity often = Narcissism, which is not valued in our society. However a bit of concern and care about how you look can affect the amount of respect you receive from society. It also affects our own confidence level, which also affects where we’re at on the hierarchy level.

When we’re younger, of child bearing age, then we look our best because we need to attract a mate, just like any other animal (although in other species it’s the male who does all the dressing up, and I find that interesting.)

When I was 19 I once went to work with no make up on. No less than 5 people asked if I was feeling OK, as in, was I sick.

Yesterday I took my daughter and her daughter to a camp out at a lake in Oklahoma. I spent about 15 minutes “dressing.” I took a shower first. I put on some foundation, but no mascara or any other makeup. I threw a few curls in my hair. I wore knee length khaki pedal pushers, sandals and a light jungle print cotton shirt. Why would I do all that when the only people who were going to see me were some store clerks, my daughter, granddaughter, camp counselors and a herd of unknown girls and boys all out in the boonies? I did it so I wouldn’t feel self conscious and uncomfortable and grungy. I don’t think that was vanity.
Today I may have to take my daughter to a hospital for out-patient surgery. If so, I’ll wear the same thing I wore yesterday. For the same reasons.

I agree, @Dutchess_III. I try to look my best just as much for myself as for other people.

Vanity mostly causes trouble.