Plastic Surgery for Teens Is Booming (http://content.health.msn.com/content/article/95/103213.htm)

"Oct. 11, 2004 (San Francisco) -- American teens now account for 4% of the plastic surgery market in the U.S. -- that translates to 346,000 cosmetic procedures in the past year. But is this good medicine?"

Teens having plastic surgery? It's already sad that adults do that frequently... imagine kids.... :bugeye:

Whatever happened to "true beauty is inside"? :eek:

Whatever happened to our values such as integrity and goodness? Why do we turn so much to our appearance? Why we value more our image then who we truly are? How come we decayed so much? People are beautiful not because they look beautiful, but simply because they are different and unique. If we focus too much on our appearance, we finish forgetting about what is within us and neglect the most important part of ourselves- our own selves!

Why people depend so much on their appearance in order to fit in and feel worthy of happiness? Why we became so low on self-esteem, that we need others to tell us wheter we are "pretty" or not? Was it the ads on TV? Or we changed as a society and the ads just reflect that?

Whatever happened to our values......... :rolleyes:

Surgery is used to correct defects.

True genes are concealed, so natural selection is screwed.

What true beauty on the inside? My insides don't match my face.

Surgery is used to correct defects.
Which "defects"?
And you can always change a little thing. The problem is when your own self-esteem depends on how you look like......! :bugeye:

True genes are concealed, so natural selection is screwed.
Well... natural selection is just this - natural. Wasn't meant to be that way. Of course, that's not a good argument against plastic surgery. I don't think there's a problem with little changes. The problem is how you feel inside....

What true beauty on the inside? My insides don't match my face.
Personality. It's a widely used metaphor - it is not literal.

Personality. It's a widely used metaphor - it is not literal.

Yes, my personality does not match my face.

"Whatever happened to "true beauty is inside"?...
Whatever happened to our values such as integrity and goodness? Why do we turn so much to our appearance?...
Why people depend so much on their appearance in order to fit in and feel worthy of happiness?"

I think this has always been true of humans; it's just that we only very recently acquired the means to correct our aesthetic deficiencies.

Many aspects of beauty are invariant across cultures, and even very young infants respond more positively to attractive than to unattractive human faces. This is a biological drive that helps us select healthy and fertile mates, and it is as old as we are.

You think that humans were less obsessed with appearance in the past? Then how come the good characters in fairy tales are generally beautiful, and the evil ones are almost always ugly?

Of course, for a long time there was very little anyone could do to change his or her appearance, which is precisely why it was such an accurate biological marker for health and fertility. Now that makeup and plastic surgery have become commonplace, people are finally able to fulfill their ancient desire to be beautiful.

Does Society Value Futility?

You need a crash course in consumerism: "You have to consume, whatever it is, as long as you consume, even if it is futile, or the consumer system will break down."
Of course futility is valued! It has to be, or the whole market system would collapse.


Whatever happened to "true beauty is inside"?

Whatever happened to our values such as integrity and goodness? Why do we turn so much to our appearance? Why we value more our image then who we truly are? How come we decayed so much?

Everyone can have a "good personality", that is something that can be learned (or some claim so) -- but try being beautiful!
Physical beauty is largely genetically predisposed, and if you happen to be somewhat shorter or have an uneven face, or the wrong eyecolour -- bummer! You're out of the game.


People are beautiful not because they look beautiful, but simply because they are different and unique. If we focus too much on our appearance, we finish forgetting about what is within us and neglect the most important part of ourselves- our own selves!

Oh, you really ought to watch more commercials. The self is what the self buys. Duh.


Why people depend so much on their appearance in order to fit in and feel worthy of happiness? Why we became so low on self-esteem, that we need others to tell us wheter we are "pretty" or not? Was it the ads on TV? Or we changed as a society and the ads just reflect that?

Whatever happened to our values.........

Sweetie, we killed God, and put ourselves in His place, in every imaginable way. We now have modern idolatry, literally.

"Whatever happened to "true beauty is inside"?...
Whatever happened to our values such as integrity and goodness? Why do we turn so much to our appearance?...
Why people depend so much on their appearance in order to fit in and feel worthy of happiness?"

I think this has always been true of humans; it's just that we only very recently acquired the means to correct our aesthetic deficiencies.

Many aspects of beauty are invariant across cultures, and even very young infants respond more positively to attractive than to unattractive human faces. This is a biological drive that helps us select healthy and fertile mates, and it is as old as we are.

You think that humans were less obsessed with appearance in the past? Then how come the good characters in fairy tales are generally beautiful, and the evil ones are almost always ugly?

Of course, for a long time there was very little anyone could do to change his or her appearance, which is precisely why it was such an accurate biological marker for health and fertility. Now that makeup and plastic surgery have become commonplace, people are finally able to fulfill their ancient desire to be beautiful.
Ok, but by now maybe we should have evolved, eh? It seems that it's getting worse. I mean.... if everyone looked like Britney Spears I would just puke... :D What a boring place this would be! Besides just because someone is physically ugly, should that person be condemned to be alone for the rest of his/her life!?

Also, when you get to know someone better and start loving that person for who she/he is, then that person start to look more beautiful. Have you ever noticed that, or that is just me?



You need a crash course in consumerism: "You have to consume, whatever it is, as long as you consume, even if it is futile, or the consumer system will break down."
Of course futility is valued! It has to be, or the whole market system would collapse.
Good thing you recognize that! But that is a subject for another thread......

Everyone can have a "good personality", that is something that can be learned (or some claim so) -- but try being beautiful!
Physical beauty is largely genetically predisposed, and if you happen to be somewhat shorter or have an uneven face, or the wrong eyecolour -- bummer! You're out of the game.
Is that fair at all? Is that evolved? I mean... I look quite cute (or at least that's what I heard) but that's not all that I have to offer. Geeeeezzz... can't people evolve and actually look for things that bring more happiness?

Oh, you really ought to watch more commercials. The self is what the self buys. Duh.
Well... what you buy is an expression of your personality, of course. However, some ads simply induce people to buy something just because that something is considered "cool" or because there are unrealistic promises of happiness. This shapes our society, you know? What you buy actually make you who you are in this case. And if you buy futile things you are going to become just that.

Sweetie, we killed God, and put ourselves in His place, in every imaginable way. We now have modern idolatry, literally.
Thanks for recognizing that.
You are awesome. :eek:

I just realized that this poll really tests whether you are an optimist or a pessimist.

Maybe...
But it also expresses how we see society as a whole, and how well we are going as a group... :p :m:

We will only be futile if we can not recognise the true beauty and value in sex toys!

And it's me that needs to grown up as a Christian...... :rolleyes: :p

Just teasing ya.... ;)
Altough it's true. It does sound contradictory....

And it's me that needs to grown up as a Christian...... :rolleyes:

Just teasing ya....
Altough it's true. It does sound contradictory....

Lean not to your own understanding :)

Lean not to your own understanding
Don't you see that you contradict yourself? It's clear that you are leaning towards your own understanding. I'm not saying to prove me right, I'm just saying that to show you that just because you think in a certain way doesn't mean it's correct.

It's not my own understanding. It's simple logical argumentation.

[/I]"Oct. 11, 2004 (San Francisco) -- American teens now account for 4% of the plastic surgery market in the U.S. -- that translates to 346,000 cosmetic procedures in the past year. But is this good medicine?"[/I]

Teens having plastic surgery? It's already sad that adults do that frequently... imagine kids.

How much of that plastic surgery is for things like harelips and such? My ex was born without a chin and got plastic surgery to correct it . Does that make him overly concerned with physical beauty? or just want to fit in with "normal" people?

"Many aspects of beauty are invariant across cultures, and even very young infants respond more positively to attractive than to unattractive human faces. This is a biological drive that helps us select healthy and fertile mates, and it is as old as we are."

True. Physical symmetry is concidered attractive cross-culturally, and generally is evidence for a good immune system, low infant mortality, and a predisposition towards non-violent behavior.

"You have to consume, whatever it is, as long as you consume, even if it is futile, or the consumer system will break down."


You should read "Midas World" by Poul Anderson. He deals with just that idea.

"What a boring place this would be! Besides just because someone is physically ugly, should that person be condemned to be alone for the rest of his/her life!?"

No, of course not. But then again, what kind of people are YOU physically attracted to? and are they good looking or are they ugly? and would you be willing to "be with" someone who was really ugly even if their personality was good?

:confused:

How much of that plastic surgery is for things like harelips and such? My ex was born without a chin and got plastic surgery to correct it . Does that make him overly concerned with physical beauty? or just want to fit in with "normal" people?
This is different. It's when things are exagerated that it becomes bad. Did you read all that I wrote?

True. Physical symmetry is concidered attractive cross-culturally, and generally is evidence for a good immune system, low infant mortality, and a predisposition towards non-violent behavior.
Huuuummmm... How are those things connected? :confused:

No, of course not. But then again, what kind of people are YOU physically attracted to? and are they good looking or are they ugly? and would you be willing to "be with" someone who was really ugly even if their personality was good?
Some girls that I used to find really ugly look prettier everyday simply because I get to know them. This not only happen with girls my age, but also older girls and even guys. People that have nice personalities have their personalities projected to their exterior. Or at least I have that experience... So, yes. Sometimes I'm attracted to "ugly" girls (that is, girls that are normally considered ugly)...