Why enhancing your average beauty makes you ugly?
When we talk about
Human Augmentation/Enhancement we are often phantasies about crazy things we
can do with our genetic imprint or things that can be developed for people with
any physical disorder. But when I thought about what topic I could address to
the blog, I got inspired by a TED Talk I recently watched. Jill Helms, a
professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Stanford School of
Medicine, was talking about reconsidering the meaning of beauty. Plastic and
cosmetic surgery is a very common form of Human Enhancement and we deal with it
almost every day in (Social) Media and advertisements. It is not an emerging
technology but nowadays with the existing delusion of beauty we bring it to the
next level.
First of all, why is everyone going so crazy about plastic
surgery?
The aspiration of perfect face symmetry, golden ratios and
what-so-ever have made us crazy about being perfect and even more beautiful
than we already feel (or not feel). We think, looking like one of the
Kardashians is an absolute dream and if a lot of people were really honest,
they wouldn’t mind changing their appearance towards the one of a celebrity.
Many people think, that the “average” they are within would not be enough to
feel sexy, attractive etc.
From a biological and scientific point of view, it is
absolutely evident, that the symmetry of a face gives us a hint about being
healthy. Having an unsymmetrical face instead could show us, that a person
might have a genetic disorder. Also, a study has proven, that people with a
specific face symmetry are more likely to commit a crime (no jokes!). But here
is the problem: another study has also shown that the perfect symmetry of a face
is not considered to be the most beautiful, the average beautiful is. What does
that mean? If you take a country of the most beautiful men and woman and their
ideal of a beautiful person, the symmetry that will result from all the countries
as the product is not considered to be the most beautiful. But the average of
every country is. And this changes the aspiration of “perfection” a lot.
The thing about plastic surgery and what I think about it I
really do need to say this: if you have a major issue with your body, go ahead
and enhance your body, the opportunities are there. Unfortunately, a lot of
people do not enhance and underline their beauty, they overpower it by the
opportunities of human augmentation. We think, that bringing our body to the
next level and having the perfect face makes us more competitive and more
“healthy”. Although I know that people that have been involved in an accident
and suffered from major face mutilation or suffer from chronic diseases want
nothing else than looking normal. And I 100% feel them. But for the “the
normal”,” the average”, “the mediocre” I want to say: beauty comes from within,
appearance is a ticket to be recognized by someone but true beauty which means
your joy of life, confidence and positivity - these are the things that will
make you sexy as hell.
No technology of human enhancement in the world will
ever make it possible for you to feel that way without being drugged and
actually unhappy. So when you think about plastic surgery to become next level,
please think again. You might be the beautiful average that someone will love
you for with all your perfect imperfections.
Comments
Post a Comment