Swimsuit competition of a beauty pageant. Facebook and Instagram logos added in the background. Composite graphic: PNL. Photo: pageantcircle.com / Logos: oinkandstuff.com fter the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles on the deleterious effect Facebook's Instagram app had on many young girls, the U.S. Senate summoned executives from both companies to Capitol Hill. Cecilia Kang, a writer for The New York Times noted that "Senators accused the company of knowing for years that Instagram, its photo-sharing app, has caused mental and emotional harm." The idealized, oftentimes manipulated, images of others on Instagram affected the self-image of teens who found it increasingly difficult to look as attractive as their peers. In addition to the stresses that normally accompany puberty, Instagram's algorithms may have made matters worse for its many young users. Kang's article quotes Senator Richard Blumenthal, stating that the company " attempted to deceive the public and us in Congress about what it knows, and it has weaponized childhood vulnerabilities against children themselves. It’s chosen growth over children’s mental health and well-being, greed over preventing the suffering of children.” The harm that Facebook and Instagram are accused of, is in many ways, similar to what beauty pageants in the Philippines have been doing for decades, albeit more subtly, and to a lesser degree. Beauty pageants inadvertently promote the shallow and superficial argument that good looks are all a person needs to succeed in life. Unfortunately, only a select few are born with the right set of genes that allow them to compete in what some see as base and exploitative contests. It is high time that we Filipinos stopped hitching our claim to fame on silly Guinness World records and beauty contests that fail to highlight our varied skills and abilities. We should focus instead on earning global acclaim in the sciences, technology, education, and the arts, and partake in endeavors that challenge the mind and push the frontiers of human achievement. We have to show the world that we Filipinos stand shoulder to shoulder with the best from the West, the East, North, and South. It is not going to be easy, especially given our penchant for always looking for an easy way out, and depending on others to do the heavy lifting for us. But we have to start sometime, and now is as good a time as any to get started. Published 10/2/2021