Death's Bosom
What on earth can be the matter with people? Yes, we are our own worst critics. There always seems to be something about ourselves we find wanting. That is, unless one is a complete and utter egotist. Most people identify some failings about themselves that they would like to correct. Most people are not completely satisfied with themselves. But when their dissatisfaction centres on physical appearance, it's a non-starter in most cases, since what we find inadequate is that which nature through our genetic inheritance has gifted us with.Seeking satisfaction in stretching one's potential as a human being, is a laudable goal. Doing one's utmost to educate oneself, to acquire knowledge for the very sake of doing so, cannot be faulted by anyone. Insisting to oneself that to be a truly meritorious person one must make every effort to be fair, inclusive and non-judgemental is very good, to be sure. Making a concerted effort to be a kind and concerned person, a person engaged with one's community, neighbours, companions makes for a well-adjusted individual.
Focussing all of one's attentions on physical appearance, beyond the maintenance of good health, nutrition, hiegene, and reasonably stylish, neat and clean apparel is of questionable good to anyone, bringing into question one's values. True, it's difficult for young people, let alone more mature adults, to reach a reasonable balance in personal values given the emphasis by manufacturers, style arbiters, public relations and advertising on the attributes of youth, sex appeal and high fashion.
But it's a fair statement that things have gone really wrong, that we've failed miserably to imbue impressionable young people with reasonable values - when young men express themselves through the medium of mindless hip-hop music focussing on moral lapses and absent values, and young women endanger their lives by deliberate starvation techniques to present a figure to the world that verges on skeletal.
All the more so when young girls are turning increasingly to plastic surgery to "correct" what they perceive as faults in their physical make-up. Now, new research appears to indicate that suicide risk is high among breast implant recipients. It's a moot point, that: are people so bereft of balance of mind as a result of their dissatisfaction with themselves to begin with, hoping that breast augmentation will make a positive difference in their lives? Or are the deleterious physical health-after-effects the cause? Or, more likely - both?
Here's a listing of the possible complications that can be associated with breast implants:
- potential interference with detection of breast cancer;
- can rupture during mammograms;
- can leak or deflate;
- hardening of the surgical incision scar, causing pain, distortion or displacement of the implant;
- varying degrees of pain;
- infection;
- change or loss of nipple sensation;
- dead tissue around the implant;
- atrophy of breast tissue;
- possible risk of connective tissue disease;
- calcium deposits that can interfere with mammograms;
- inability to brast-feed, or reduced milk production.
Especially given the authenticated history of some women's dire experiences with breast implants? Women with implants appear 73% more likely to take their own lives than those within the general population. How about this for an experience...a woman who had one breast augmented to match the other, natural one experienced breast hardening and extreme pain after a few years, experiencing a range of debilitating symptoms doctors were unable to treat.
When she finally had the implant removed it was discovered to have ruptured, leaking silicone throughout her body. She now suffers from fibromyalgia, lupus and osteoporosis and is on heavy pain medication. She attributes the high suicide rate among breast implant patients to women who have suffered as she has. She is the founder of the Breast Implant Line of Canada, and the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Health Canada.
In another case, where a young mother committed suicide, an autopsy discovered platinum, a component of the implants, in her heart, lungs and brain. After having had her implants she had two babies, both of which she breastfed. Of the two children born after her implants the younger daughter has a disorder that makes swallowing difficult. The older of the two has suffered gastrointestinal ailments, wore leg braces as a child and now relies on a wheelchair.
The question remains, why is society so wedded to a vision of women that is demeaning to them, impractical and truly inconsequential as far as the true meaning and quality of life is concerned? Why are we doing such a poor job of instilling pride and confidence in our young girls? Why are we not assuring them that there are values other than the purely superficial that are of far greater import and merit?
Why, in fact, are so many mothers thoughtlessly living their own valueless lifestyles and gifting them forward to their daughters? Isn't it time we had more respect for ourselves?
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, October 12, 2006
<< Home