Newsweek is reporting on a new children's book for kids whose parents are undergoing plastic surgery.  It is supposed to help the child deal with the fears and uncertainties of a parent going through a surgical change.  It tells the story from the perspective of a child whose mother is having an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), breast implants, and rhinoplasty (nose job).

I've already written here about how we allow commercials to indoctrinate our kids to strive for unattainable beauty.  People have an inferiority complex and want to fill that need.  That's where the free market comes in.  If you have a need, and I can fill it (for a price), then let's make a deal.  But there are some critics of the book who evidently think the idea of plastic surgery in and of itself is inherently evil.

One blogger (Alex Leo, below left) compares those who undergo plastic surgery to child abusers, alcoholics, and prostitutes.  She also criticizes the physical appearance of books author (a plastic surgeon).  So apparently the 348,000 breast implants and the 148,000 tummy tucks done last year were on women who may as well beat their kids, drink heavily, and sell their bodies.  Carrot Top (below, right) has not commented.  Wait a minute.... or, has he?

       

I have a few questions.  Firstly, is this a surprise to anyone?  We tell kids for years that perfection is the goal we are supposed to achieve.  Those kids become adults, and have the means to buy some surgical fix, so now we belittle them for trying to achieve it?

What about women who wear make-up?  Isn't that the same thing as getting some wrinkles injected, just a bit less invasive?  So let me get out my scorecard on what is socially acceptable to make myself look 'good'.

• Using a trowel to apply make-up to hide crows feet : OK
  
• Getting an injection to hide the same crows feet: Not OK
  
• The latest California diet, purging, and diet pills: OK
  
• Getting the fat sucked out of me at the mall next to Lens Crafters on my lunch break: Not OK
  
• Personal trainer to help me do 2.2 million crunches: OK
  
• Tummy tuck to duplicate the effects of 2.2 million crunches: Not OK
  
• Hair coloring, eyeliner, lip stick, mascara, eyeshadow, base, rouge, blush, etc. to bring out the 'natural beauty': OK  This message brought to you by Mary Kay
  
• Surgical shaping of a nose that gets there 20 minutes before you do: Not OK
  
• Continuing to smoke because I gain weight if I quit: OK
  
• Losing weight from the lung cancer I got from continuing to smoke: Not OK

Please feel free to print and cut out the above reference, and check back often for updates.  I am so glad I don't give a crap what I look like.  And that I am not a female.  (Thanks for the Y chromosome, Dad).