Chris Duffy

The idea that we always have to be optimizing and improving ourselves, that we're never just enough.

That is not healthy.

And that is what today's guest, journalist and author Elise Hu often found in her exploration of global beauty culture.

Elise had a special focus in her book on South Korea, but this is really an issue that is worldwide.

And like in so many other aspects of society, technology has accelerated and exaggerated global beauty standards and expectations.

A small personal experience with this.

I take almost all of my remote meetings on Zoom.

And when I'm on Zoom, I have the touch up my appearance feature enabled.

So my skin's a little smoother and clearer.

The bags under my eyes are lightened.

But I use Zoom so often that when I occasionally switch to a different program like Google Meet, I'm shocked and appalled by how rough my unfiltered meeting face is.

Oh, no.

Like that is the real me.

That can't be right.

And that experience is something that Elise talks about a lot in her book, Flawless, the experience of seeing yourself through what she calls the technological gaze.

Elise also talks about skincare, plastic surgery, and most of all, the work that it takes to look a certain way.

These are themes that Elise has been thinking about for her whole life.

We will be right back with more from Elise on how we learn what we are supposed to look like and the work that it takes a person to live up to or push back against those standards.

Don't go anywhere.

Today, we're talking with Elise Hugh, author of the book Flawless, about the work, effort and money that goes into trying to optimize our appearances.