Opinions • A9
Thursday, September 27, 2012 • The Silhouette
Feedback Plastic makes perfect MODERN-DAY BEAUTY
Who is your favourite author and why?
“Nicholas Sparks because I like the way he writes. It is intense and romantic.” Isrisham Varra, Commerce I
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Despite the stigmas that come with it, plastic surgery could mean a better-looking, and ultimately happier, you.
Nour Afara The Silhouette
“Jodi Picoult - she writes really good dramas. Let’s put it that way.” Rebecca Armstrong, Life Sciences I
“Marcel Proust is my favourite because the first book I read, Swan’s Way, really inspired me and I wish I could write like that.” Alishah Saferali, Biology I
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to leave all of your personal insecurities behind. Cast away those morning shudders when gazing at yourself in the mirror because the answer to all your problems is here. Forget practicing your confident face (or your duck face), plastic perfection is what has been making the news for years now. I’m not here to rant about old news - I’d like to think of myself as a little more fresh, and hip, if I might add. Instead, I’m looking at something more specific within this topic — plastic surgery and young adults. Is it ethical? Is there an age that can be deemed too young to make such a decision? Are young people ready to make physical alterations to themselves? The questions could go on but I must make it clear that my article is not directed towards those who undergo plastic surgery for medical reasons, but those who do it for aesthetic purposes. I think that plastic surgery is a great development and that young people should definitely take advantage of it. Although everything that is done in excess is, well, excessive, plastic surgery is no exception. I believe that the only valid reason for having plastic surgery at a young age is for the purpose of being happy or happier. That’s where it all ends. It can be said that you must
learn to love yourself as you are — if you can’t accept yourself, then who will? However, I will strongly argue against all of those idealists who assume that loving yourself is the easiest option. I thought it would be interesting to get the input of some students on campus about this topic. Jessica Grendzienski, a second-year English and history student also thinks that everyone “should be happy with their bodies and not try to change certain parts about [themselves] since that’s what makes [them] unique from others.” Although this may be the ideal mindset, being unhappy with your body is a huge obstacle to overcome. This isn’t obesity where the weight can potentially be lost or ugly glasses that can be replaced with contact lenses — this is your physical structure, your skin and bones. The only way to change that is to go under the knife. So all that’s left now is to determine if you’re ready to undergo surgery for the sake of your happiness. How frustrated are you with your imperfection? How sure are you that this surgery will make you happy with yourself? These are questions you must answer for yourself but my goal here is to educate others that there is no shame in going to great lengths to make yourself happy. I feel that the topic of plastic surgery is overly glamorized in the sense that there is this assumption
that “no one I know has had plastic surgery.” This assumption is false. I think that those who have undergone procedures tend to hide it from others, fearing judgmental opinions and prejudice. The most vital thing to remember is to make your decisions based off of your own emotions and your own thoughts. Natasha DalliCardillo, a second-year English major agrees with this mindset and said she has “never had any surgery done but that does not mean [she] would stand in the way of someone else’s happiness. [She thinks] everyone is beautiful just as they are. “However, if it will truly make them happy, then they should go for it, by all means.” And that’s exactly what I did. Although I will not go into extensive detail, I will confess that I have undergone plastic surgery. My reason? Because for the majority of my mature life I absolutely hated a certain feature of mine. Finally, I decided to “fix” my problem and I can confidently say that I am much happier with myself now than ever before. Plastic surgery among young people should not be embarrassing or something to hide from. It is an opportunity to feel fantastic when you otherwise do not. As long as you have come to this decision on your own and are ready to start glowing with happiness, go for it.
SELF-HELP
Quitting isn’t the end; it is only the beginning
“J.R.R. Tolkien is because I think Lord of the Rings is relevant for all people and all problems we face today.” Diana Gutierrez, Philosophy III
JAVIER CAICEDO MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
David Laing The Silhouette
“Richard Dawkins. I love the way he challenges the general thought among communities and he is pretty damn eloquent.” Elliot Hepworth, Health Sciences III
There will come a time when you must quit. You will have to give up and let go of something that you love. You will worry that being a quitter means that you are less than the person you thought you were. It will feel like you’re giving up a part of yourself, and that you’re letting people down. Your whole life, you’ve been told that quitting is a sign of weakness. More than that, you can feel it in your bones, because it’s an admission of failure. In many cases, quitting is just as bad as your conscience tells you, and I’m not here to say that your conscience is wrong. I’m here to say that sometimes quitting is necessary, and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You don’t need to worry that you’re not doing enough or not being enough. You can’t win battles from the bottom of a dog pile even if you have a black
belt in karate. No matter how skilled you are, how fast, or how strong, you will eventually reach a point where you are immobilized. Foes will attack you from all angles and they will pin you to the ground. You will eventually be beaten, and this is good. It means that you were brave enough to take on something bigger than yourself. You saw opportunities in challenges, and you didn’t run away from them. And unless I’m horribly mistaken, you probably didn’t do it all for yourself. In fact, you probably got a lot less thanks than you deserved. You tried to meet the expectations or the needs of others, and this is admirable. But even more admirable is that you knew when the battle was over. Just as you had the courage to say, “I can” when life seemed easy, you had the humility to say, “I can’t” when life proved you wrong. I wish I could be more like that, but too often I seem to have it backwards. You should not worry about
the people that you will abandon. If there is pain in your eyes as you say goodbye, they will see it. They will see that you are following your heart and protecting your livelihood, and they will respect you for it. And if they can’t, then you need to remember that your life is separate from theirs. If you are stretched too thin, you’re nothing more than a parachute slowing everyone down. You cannot be completely selfless. If you don’t have yourself, then nobody does. So be yourself in the place where your heart tells you that you belong. This is the place where you can shape your future most effectively. Some doors lock automatically, and this makes it scary to close one and throw away the key. But your pockets can only hold so many keys, so don’t be afraid to shut a few doors. It’s like a computer – let your finger drift to the top left corner of your keyboard, press ‘escape’, and be free.