*Surgery is not fashion, it's permanent alteration*

First of all, surgery is not fashion; surgery is permanent alteration. Fashion is meant to be a costume we put on and then take back off, not a look that lasts a lifetime. Aren't you glad women didn't get huge, saline, shoulder-pad implants in the 1980's! Don't you see how fickle fashion is? Don't you understand that the body image you think you need to have in order to be 'fashionable' right now will look and feel really out-dated in a matter of years?

While many cultures encourage body beautification and alteration, and it is a common custom to commemorate the natural stages of life through permanent body-markings, the cosmetic alterations practiced in our society are in direct antithesis to the true progression and celebration of life. In fact, most of our procedures and fashions actually honor stagnation and regression, while denying natural development and evolution.

For example, do radical anti-aging procedures for the older face, or the alteration of breasts twenty years after puberty reflect a deep and meaningful celebration of life's journey? Hardly! What is going on? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that fashion is an industry in our culture. Our body image ideal is actually commercially driven and therefore, fashion must go against the flow of nature if it is to be economically triumphant. It must drum up new insecurities and false solutions to remain profitable. If natural aging and physical diversity were celebrated and considered beautiful, we would not need to buy new 'looks.' Profits would decline. The industry would fall apart at the seams.

This constant hype on having new things can be fun when it relates to clothing; you can continually buy new clothes and fanciful accessories; you can recycle your outdated items; you can really laugh at what you used to wear ten years ago; or you can hang onto these items and wait for some unknown length of time for this stuff to perhaps come back into style again (or not). However, your body is not quite so tolerant of whim. This is because you are a living, breathing event--not a trendy object.

Although the body can be a wonderful tool of creative and visual expression, the current trend in cosmetic surgery is to make everyone look exactly the same: endlessly young and perfect. The same procedures are done over and over. It's so predictable and boring. It would be much more interesting if cosmetic surgery was used as an opportunity to express original, conceptual body art.

For example, I might want to have a kangaroo-type pouch sewn onto my stomach so I could carry a drawing pad around with me for inspiration wherever I go. Or it might be great to have a sleek flashlight implanted in my fingertip to light the way when I feel lost in the dark. Or maybe I could play the devil's advocate more convincingly by having little black horns grafted to my head. The possibilities are endless. If you are going to fantasize about altering your outer self, why not really let your imagination go.

Creative Strategy
Pretend you are the main character in a science-fiction book. Imagine that you are on an important mission. What is the mission about? Now envision that you have the magical ability to transform your body in three ways that directly assist you in this mission. What are these three features? For example, do you have hidden wings? Infrared vision? The ability to change your sex at will? Be as creative, revolutionary, and whimsical as you can be.

If you are looking for a creative project, try drawing a picture of yourself as this extraordinary creature, or write a short story about it.