I simply cannot fathom the lengths to which so many people go to ‘change’ themselves. And to what end. And at what cost? And why?
I suppose that one can say the simple act of cutting hair, dying it, or wearing makeup fall into this category of vanity, but what I am really thinking about are the cosmetic surgeries, the liposuctions, the EXTREME wacko makeovers. I decided a few years ago that I like British tv series, not because of their content, nor because of some latent monarchist tendancies, but rather because the actors look like real people.
I think in North America, and in many other parts of the world, we are obsessed with looking like the ‘perfect’ people. The supermodels and actresses. Let’s face it, these people won the genetic lottery, the other 99% of us didn’t. Let’s not take this fact as a carte blanche to become unkept, overweight slobs, but let’s recognize that we need to make peace with who we really are.
I can’t say that looking into the mirror naked at myself makes me particularly pleased. On the other hand, I know I am my biggest critic, that I am healthy, I excercise regularly and I love life. I live well, have good friends and cherish my family. Would lipo or a face lift make me look ‘better’? I don’t know. I know that having a ‘perfect body’ wouldn’t make my life better. I do know that I would look less like myself, and more like a characture of myself. Just look at Joan Rivers or Michael Jackson for the extreme examples of this.
Then there is the financial cost. Holy cow, can’t we possible spend that money in a better way? Can’t we feed the hungry, put books into the hands of children, or clean water into the mouths of those dying around the world? Ay yi yi to quote a good friend of mine.
