Should cosmetic surgery be banned?

[Hayley90]

I know where my desire to be thin comes from, and it was made worse by media and vogue... but it was there all along from my family. My mum and sisters all have EDs... i guess i have a mental one, but i love food too much to do anything about it So i just crash diet instead and fantasise about liposuction

As for my skin/scars on stomach, that is alllll my brain

I wish surgery was freeeee x

 

[polo_princess]

So do i

 

[Hayley90]

When i have a better credit report, i totally know what im doing with it... no point moping about things i dont like if i can change them. Liposuction is cheap as chips nowadays.

Its so bad, but i would happily spend a fortune

I guess im one of those 'silly little girls' who people would roll their eyes at and think 'when will she learn' - answer, when im thin and pretty

 

[Lightworker]

Hayley90- I do think we have different perceptions of "happy" as my definition is not reliant on physical attributes, its a state of being experienced within the soul, but I totally agree that different people have different definitions of happy. Re the "images out there" I think for alot of people, there is a general inclination to compare, even on a subconcious level which then leads to them finding themselves wanting and trying to change to fit their perception of what is ideal. Thats just my own obs tho

 

[Lightworker]

Leebee- yeah ofcourse docs need to earn money and they do, with the various organizations that provide services in the developing world. I wasn't implying that they should do it for free. Regardless of what anyone thinks about doctors and their earning potential etc, it remains a fact that it is sad that doctors can spend their careers on cosmetic surgery when there's more worthy causes, that was my point.

 

[LeeBee]

In an ideal world, no one would care what others think- but that's just not the case. It's human nature Cosmetic Surgery is just one thing on a very large spectrum of things we do to look good to others, including but not limited to physical appearance. Some people spend money on "cooler" looking cars and bigger houses, my husband spends a couple hundred dollars a year to make our lawn look better than everyone elses (which I think is stupid, but whatever ). I mean, why hold your fart on an elevator? Let her rip- who cares what everyone else thinks!

 

[ShanandBoc]

I mean, why hold your fart on an elevator? Let her rip- who cares what everyone else thinks!

This made me Lol. I hope im never stuck in an elevator with you!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lightworker]

I don't think emitting an offensive odour is the same though. I also don't think it is human nature to care about what other's think of us (moreso to the extent where we are willing to undergo surgery). I think that is as a result of centuries of social pressures etc. Have you ever watched very young children? They don't appear to be worried about their looks.

 

[Hayley90]

I don't think emitting an offensive odour is the same though. I also don't think it is human nature to care about what other's think of us (moreso to the extent where we are willing to undergo surgery). I think that is as a result of centuries of social pressures etc. Have you ever watched very young children? They don't appear to be worried about their looks.

You could say being consious of those around you and their feelings comes with age - children have no concept of emotions beyond their own, and maybe their parents... as you grow older you notice how people perceive you, and how you are treated in response to certain behaviours... seen as society is now so obsessed with looks its not unnatural for children of this generation, and the last to be more aware of their looks in this way - if people look at you funny because of your hair or something when you're small, it will impact in the same way as a child 30 years age being looked at funny for being loud or badly behaved. Does that make sense??

Our perception of what is acceptable has grown to encompass appearance, so of course younger people are more likely to base their happiness and perception of others on that too. x

 

[Lightworker]

Hmm I don't fully agree. If a child is looked at funnily by someone, she woun't instinctively think "there must be something wrong with my looks." It becomes a crucial turning point however depending on how the mother responds i.e mom could say "oh she is looking at you funnily because she is tired/sick." The idea of our appearances being acceptable/unacceptable is 100% learned via social conditioning and that counters Leebees assertion that it is "human nature" - it is not iykwim.

 

[Lightworker]

You know when you say "if you are looked at funny because of your hair" - well how do you know thats why you are being looked at funny? There's a huge element of self-judgement there, which is absent in children. The person maybe deep in thought about something else yet you have concluded your hair is the problem. Children don't process things like that (very young ones at least and older ones depending on their parents techniques).

 

[Hayley90]

the point i was making was that its 99.9% impossible to remove social/media perceptions on looks from someones view of themselves.

there will always be occasions like those i mentioned where someone feels criticised etc for their looks. Maybe 'looking at them funny because of their hair' was a bad example, but a child saying 'ewww you have blonde hair!!!' would certainly make an impact. I dont think you're seeing my point..


its a very 'adult' frame of mind to be completely 100% happy with your appearance, or moreso to not think about it at all, to completely overlook it in favour of being happy 'within' - no child could ever grasp that concept as i have already mentioned - there is no way to remove social pressures from all aspects of life, so it is bound to be apparent in younger generations thoughts of themselves

 

[Lightworker]

Again, I disagree. It is actually a very child-like quality to love yourself and be happy regardless of your appearance. When pyschotherapists and spirtualists try to enlighten people on true happiness, their fundamental point of reference is the child, as it is they (children) that embody real happiness, independent of social influences. When you say it is 99.9% impossible to be uninfluenced, where did you get that figure from? Sorry for nitpicking I just wondered, for the sake of accuracy and curiosity.

 

[Hayley90]

Again, I disagree. It is actually a very child-like quality to love yourself and be happy regardless of your appearance. When pyschotherapists and spirtualists try to enlighten people on true happiness, their fundamental point of reference is the child, as it is they (children) that embody real happiness, independent of social influences. When you say it is 99.9% impossible to be uninfluenced, where did you get that figure from? Sorry for nitpicking I just wondered, for the sake of accuracy and curiosity.

its not an official figure, and im not about to start posting links. I do not know a single person, publication, song, place, home or book that does not reference appearance in some way shape or form.

How is it remotely possible bearing that in mind to raise someone who from age 0 to age 100 is not bothered at all by their appearance, when everything around them IS.

The fact people want to improve their looks really should not be up for debate, its just surgery. Its their looks, no one elses... what does their internal happiness mean to anyone but themselves.

 

[LeeBee]

I mean, why hold your fart on an elevator? Let her rip- who cares what everyone else thinks!

This made me Lol. I hope im never stuck in an elevator with you!!!!!!!!!!

The sad thing is- now that I'm pregnant- sometimes... I just have to not care, LOL

 

[LeeBee]

I don't think emitting an offensive odour is the same though. I also don't think it is human nature to care about what other's think of us (moreso to the extent where we are willing to undergo surgery). I think that is as a result of centuries of social pressures etc. Have you ever watched very young children? They don't appear to be worried about their looks.

I'll give you that. We're not born with a need to please others (maybe human nature was the wrong term). But it is inevitable (sp?).

 

[LeeBee]

the point i was making was that its 99.9% impossible to remove social/media perceptions on looks from someones view of themselves.

there will always be occasions like those i mentioned where someone feels criticised etc for their looks. Maybe 'looking at them funny because of their hair' was a bad example, but a child saying 'ewww you have blonde hair!!!' would certainly make an impact. I dont think you're seeing my point..


its a very 'adult' frame of mind to be completely 100% happy with your appearance, or moreso to not think about it at all, to completely overlook it in favour of being happy 'within' - no child could ever grasp that concept as i have already mentioned - there is no way to remove social pressures from all aspects of life, so it is bound to be apparent in younger generations thoughts of themselves

agree

 

[Lightworker]

Hayley90- totally agree thats why my original post does not support a ban on cosmetic surgery, thats people's freedom. I think the issue of happiness came up when I said I hate the TV ads which link surgery to happiness which I said was untrue given my definition of happiness. Anyway, I think it is possible to raise children in a way that doesn't consider looks. There are so many things to care about in the world that if you focused on them, physical looks wouldn't get a look-in.

 

[Lightworker]

Some cultures and communities globally do not value looks, at least not to the extent of the Western society.