Korn questions not only her own definitions of success, but those of society at large ... By refusing to take 'empowerment' or 'inclusivity' at face value, Korn emphasizes the fact that without substantive changes to economic disparity, and the mechanisms of privilege that support it, progressive mission statements and employment quotas are often ineffective against systemic inequality .... Everybody (Else) Is Perfect is a compelling expose of online journalism, in which Korn dissects the realities of digital media in an informed, but informal blend of essay and memoir. This is useful reading for anyone interested in the evolution of digital journalism, especially as it pertains to the struggles and rewards of mitigating a more diverse and inclusive system.
In Everybody (Else) Is Perfect: How I Survived Hypocrisy, Beauty, Clicks, and Likes, Korn comes across as more than just a good guy: she's a hero ... Korn writes about her life, both in and out of the office, in a series of smart, nervy essays ... it's hard to read Everybody (Else) Is Perfect without seeing Korn as a soldier fighting in the culture war on the side of women's empowerment. The nation is better off for her service.
The continuing lack of diversity and inclusivity of mainstream and other media both in their own organization and the messages they convey, and the impact of this on eating disorders and other mental health issues, are perhaps becoming rather well-worn themes, but Korn explores them again with elegance and passion that take her story above the banal.
The narrative serves as a poignant insider’s look at women's digital media as well as a tender retrospective on growing into adulthood in the early 2000s. The author is honest about her enviable position as a tastemaker, though some readers may not muster sympathy for her depictions of salary negotiations or dressing for Fashion Week ... Particularly incisive is Korn’s essay on feminist language being co-opted for profit while one of the author’s themes—that feminism and aesthetics needn't be at odds but that the beauty and fashion industry still need to change—is keenly observed, if familiar. Korn also offers darker reflections about personal and wider pressures on women. A confident, confessional modern account of breaking free from image obsession.
