OUR COSMETIC CULTURE

Much of what we see in the media is cosmetic. Youth is personified and glorified. The use of steroid enhancing drugs to foster the “culture of youth” is widely role-modeled and promoted. Have you been to a high school activity lately? Can you separate many of the mothers from their daughters in terms of the “baby-doll clothes?” Cosmetic surgery has become more of a necessity, rather than an option. Recently, I was doing some marketing for my business. I went to a plastic surgeon’s office locate nearby my practice location. As the office manager approached me, I sensed that she had undergone facial surgery. Why is it that many of us have a hunch that an individual has had facial reconstruction surgery? I am told that it is not unusual for administrative staffs that work in reconstructive surgeon’s offices to have undergone the process for themselves. I guess they serve as a role model for their patients who are considering a surgical procedure.

I identified myself to the office staff member and responded with, “I am sure that there are times when you have potential clients who experience body misperception problems, who do not need surgery, and I am her to tell you that I can help them. She looked at me as if I had “ten heads.” She was clueless as to what I was trying to say regarding the emotional implications of body misperception during the screening for potential patients. I thanked her for her time and then departed. I am told that it is no longer unusual for teenage girls, in lieu of receiving new clothes, money or other gifts, to receive breast reconstruction surgery for their birthday!

Often, the media perpetuates this cosmetic image. Some of my friends have a son who has been a correspondent in Afghanistan. He has indicated on numerous occasions that the “fair and balanced” news reporting that we receive from various resources in the United States about the current war on terror is distorted. However, many people are not interested in quality journalism. They naively accept a spin on a story that will keep them awake. They are content with a story that will hold their attention through the use of sensationalism.

Often, people have an aversion to the truth about current political events. There are many Americans who still do not see the magnitude of the brutal treatment of prisoners during our current war on terrorism. We may justify or minimize our government’s mistakes. Many people don’t want to believe that there is a dark side to our institution of government. It’s too painful to ask the difficult questions such as, “Could this brutality of detainees by a systemic problem within our government?” One of the ways of avoiding reality is to exalt a person, situation, or institution.

How many flag-draped coffins have we seen coming home from Iraq? How many stories of maimed or emotionally traumatized soldiers have been covered? People and institutions tend to compartmentalize difficult and painful realities as a way of coping. Keeping things guarded protects the public from experiencing the full impact of events. By making war appear sanitized, people lose a sense of the magnitude of horrific events. With that in mind, how do we get people to “step out of the bubble” and begin viewing life as it really is? Much of our culture is cosmetic in nature because “appearances” are more important than the truth. We shun the harsh realities of life which keep us functioning in “shallow waters.” I believe that it is important to observe life the way it really is and face the emotional impact that comes with that awareness. Then we really have our eyes wide open.

James P. Krehbiel, Ed.S., LPC, CCBT is an author, freelance writer and cognitive-behavioral therapist practicing in Scottsdale, Arizona. He recently released Stepping Out of the Bubble available through http://www.amazon.com/. Now you can "ask James" through his interactive forum at www.parentstation.com.