Is to transform to conform?

When I think of transformation I think of the magazine stands in newsagents screaming out to me about the latest celebrity who has undergone a complete ‘beauty transformation’ after a break up, or about a promising new makeup or skincare hack that will promise to ‘transform’ your appearance over night. It seems today, we are all striving to be the best version of ourselves, whether that be through the inside or the out, living in a permanent state of transformation. To transform denotes striving towards a higher self, or a better state of living, but is this a certain guarantee today? What does the end sight look like for someone undergoing the act of complete transformation? For women in particular, they are handed tools of ozempic and lip fillers to propel them that little bit closer to being ‘transformed’, others opt for the act of meditation, rigorous exercise routines and a strict diet. In youth we watched Cinderella transform from mousy cleaner to princess in a matter of seconds, an image from childhood that eerily reflects this mission driving us today. Transformation has turned into a buzzword, and it is one that we have developed a love-hate relationship with as we age. 

In the conversation around transformation, we have to factor in the beauty industry that makes millions of pounds every year pushing the message that you look good but. You look good but..have you thought about what you could do with this new concealer, you look good but have you thought about what you could do with this hair dye that will transform your entire face shape, making you completely unrecognisable. Women have stood upon a stage of transformation for centuries, performing in front of a male audience that demands the actresses must look a certain way otherwise they won’t get booked up again and will be cast out to the sidelines. But what happens to the ones who reject this cosmetic transformation?  As the desire to transform ourselves has sped up, the desire to not conform has also gained momentum, the word of the year (bed rotting) tells this story alone. Transformation looks different for everyone. To some it may be getting a pay rise at work, or running a half marathon. These, again, are all very normal acts of personal growth and transformation that don’t point to some darker force at play. However, the role of social media is a very important one to look at whilst discussing transformation as it is the breeding ground for where the desire for transformation thrives and those who don’t, end up failing to survive. Instead of being a personal journey of your own, transformation on social media has turned into conformation, a way of life. A quick scroll through social media will propel you into the bedrooms of influencers waking up at 5am and meditating, running, and journaling, all striving to better oneself. The bedroom has been transported from a private space to a viral digital one, and when exposed to a routine that seems more productive than ours, where every act taken in those few first hours in the early morning is one carried out to transform. Acting under the guise of this is what you can do to improve yourself, those who may miss a step, and not conform at all, are left with a feeling of guilt that seeps into them through the screen. Say you miss out on that yoga class, or you don’t adhere to a no phone policy after 10pm, bettering and ‘transforming’ ourselves in society today has become something we cannot avoid, especially when it comes to sitting back as digital passengers to the transformation of others online today, 

Transforming comes with the assumption that our current state is not good enough to stay within, and if you look at consumerism, the beauty industry and hustle culture today, it comes as no surprise that we aren’t content within our present selves, and we can be reassured that we are only one step away from purchasing something that will put us right on track.  Of course, there are times when transformations are necessary, and act as the natural path to life, but a sped up version of this has turned bettering ourselves into a given that results in failure if we do not conform. Transformation hundreds of years ago would be discussed in religious terms, more specifically with individuals awaiting transformation in heaven after dying. There was no need to set out on a personal journey of transformation as this was already guaranteed by God. The bible states that ‘believers will be transformed into glorious bodies in heaven, similar to the resurrected body of Christ’. Philosopher Alain de Boton explores this idea of transformation today by linking the decline of religion with the rise of suicide. Back when religion was the driving force of society, the prospect of bad luck held more influence over those who didn’t do as well as others. Boton looks at how bad luck today is barely ever summoned as a reason for misfortune, and those that do not succeed (or set out to transform themselves) simply have themselves to blame. An obsession with transformation leaves those that fail to reap the rewards of such (because not everyone benefits on their own journey with transformation) in a state of failure that as Boton states, on the extreme sides, can result in suicide. 

1 in 4 people today in England will experience a mental health problem. With the ongoing cost of living crisis, it comes as no surprise individuals are attempting to take control of their lives with little routines that can promote a greater sense of well-being amongst the chaos of it all. Setting personal goals is not a dangerous act, but the emphasis we as a society today put on improving ourselves to fulfill our great potential and live our best lives has become suffocating. Where does the beginning and the end of this transformation start and finish? Once transformed, do we never need to work on ourselves again? The noise of self-improvement has got extremely loud in recent years in an attempt to keep us sane amongst the chaos of a world that can feel extremely uncertain today. Transformation is now an act of conformation with the rest of the world setting out to elevate themselves. Is this a choice today or an act of survival?