I've noticed lots of dancing around this subject, so I thought I'd get the ball rolling and address the elephant in the room...and by elephant, I mean unicorn.
We all know that there are several types of unicorns that appear in nature, and they sometimes differ from the way they are depicted in the [s]Fake News[/s] media. The most striking difference between the unicorns that we encounter in nature versus the ones depicted in the media is the appearance of 'tattoos' in some of the unicorns we see on TV. I use the term tattoo loosely because said unicorns are born with these tattoos, so they're more like birthmarks. These tattoos vary depending on the unicorn, but the most common ones I've seen include a heart or two, star(s), a rainbow (sometimes accompanied by one or two clouds), and even a lightning bolt!
These media unicorns have huge, cult-like followings and include TV shows, books, movies, music, etc. They're practically worshiped.
Now the unicorns I've encountered in real life have never had these tattoos/birthmarks, which leads me to this question: Are we placing unrealistic expectations on the unicorns we know and love in nature by worshiping these tattoo/birthmark-touting unicorns in the media? I mean just the other day I passed by a group of young unicorns helping each other apply temporary tattoos. One of the unicorns I babysit is currently in the hospital with a really bad staph infection because she let a friend's cousin from college give her a tattoo with tools that were less than sanitary.
Granted, the tattoos we see on the media unicorns are perfect and brightly-colored and symmetrical. How are we supposed to expect our unicorns to keep up with that, especially the young, impressionable ones?
What are your thoughts? Are these unicorn tats/birthmarks harmful to the self-esteem of our unicorns? Or is it just harmless fun and an expression/promotion of individuality?
Note: I understand that this is a heavy topic and as such, things could potentially get heated in the comments. However, it is important to remember that we all experience unicorns differently, so respect the experiences and opinions of others. Thanks in advance.