It probably plays out like that, but I'm sure someone initially just saw it as a way to drum up magazine sales.

A less publicized example of this is what's done in music production. Most people aren't singers, so it's not as obvious, but the perfection you hear in any track produced in the last 20 years sets pretty unrealistic ideals for even a trained voice.

Unlike the magazine example, there isn't a compelling ulterior motive. They just wanted to sell more CDs.