Technology with Body Modification

Body modification is accepted because we all know we don’t love everything about our body, and we want to look young and youthful for as long as possible. so now we find it accepting to change ourselves because we don’t like something. Plastic surgery is one of the options to change one’s body; nose jobs, facelifts, Botox and even tummy tucks and the like are ways to enhance and improve the body.

The TV series nip tuck, are focused on two plastic surgeons and their practice in Miami Florida. On a daily basis they carry out operations and do surgery on people to make them happier about their lives and their bodies.  In reality we are putting things in and taking things out of our bodies when we undergo surgery to satisfy our thoughts on what looks perfect. Putting in butt and bust implants, and taking out fat and other disgusting things that our bodies need. 

  Looking at celebrities who get surgery done, in particular Heidi montag from the hills, she was already a gorgeous looking young women, and then went down the fake route. Question is- why?  

There is an increase in plastic surgery over the years, the last decade or so, and it is sad to think that there is that many people who don’t like what they see in the mirror. Yes we may have the technology now and obviously the money to change what we don’t like, but that isn’t a good enough reason to take drastic action. Any surgery whether its plastic or normal surgery has a high risk factor, and quite possibly always has a follow up and more surgery later on to update the previous surgery. 

Despite plastic surgery being an increasingly safe yet still problematic procedure to have done, there are other options for changing one’s body. Robotic limbs are starting to become accepted into society. We have already seen Paralympic runners with carbon fibre limbs, as well as this, we can see this type of technology now made to help disabled people, amputees and soldiers. This is a good thing, as an increase in a.i., helps those get their lives back. those who have lost their limbs, by using this type of body modification, puts body modification in a good light. 

Our technology is getting to a point now, where we can put things into the human body to help us. Pacemakers already help the heart beat, but how far will we go in order to make our bodies, and to go as far as the human race, better? 

Looking at the technology side to this, the film ‘repo men’ starring Jude law and  Forest Whitaker, concentrates on the technology that helps humans. It is a sci-fi action thriller film where artificial organs and body parts are put on credit. If you are in need of a new organ, but can't afford it, you have the operation done and then have to pay back the money accordingly, a bit like a mortgage payment.  

Now realistically speaking, if someone needs a new organ, you have to go on a waiting list, and have your dying organ replaced by someone else’s in a operation. So far we have only been able to replace organs with new ones or use technology to aid an existing organ. So this film that plays on the possibility of technology going that far that we are able to replace organs with a technological organ, is pure genius. 

The film’s story however is interesting, as of course no one can really pay off the amount of money they owe the company for giving them a new organ. Heart, kidney, liver, and eyes are just a few of the body parts advertised within the film’s story, however all sorts of body parts are able to get replaced by technological ones such as knees, voice boxes and more. 

Understandably if this was real, and we really did have the technology to make improved organs and body parts, this would be a brilliant way to replace the parts which have been damaged by disease or no longer work due to an accident for example. But this film shows a darker side to this, with people getting new body parts for the sake of it. one of the main characters Beth played by Alice Braga has so many parts of her body replaced by technology, its practically half robot half human. But some of her technological body parts she had done just because she didn’t like what she naturally already had. By changing her eye colour and the sound of her voice, is just an example similar to those who have plastic surgery done to change what they don’t like. 
 

A medium that takes this technology even further, is the game ‘Deus Ex- Human revolution’. This is a cyberpunk-themed action role-playing video game, with it set in 2027, the central topic is the ethics of advancing humans with artificial replacements for body parts. 

Looking at the live-action trailer on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcsd6mJ3R08 ), it really hit home. Taking away the fact that this is a trailer for a game, and put it in the context of a possible one-day reality of our world. Watching the trailer while putting yourself into the world of it, really makes you think.

It is said that if one doesn’t change, then one would feel less than everyone else, less strong and less intelligent. Also the phrase “if you don’t take the drugs you die”. The back-story to the game is that if a person gets a technological body part, they have to keep taking this special drug in order for their body to not reject the technological aspects of it. But getting the drug costs money, and if you don’t have the money to buy the drug, the body part will turn against your body.  

This ‘changing to become better’ stigma is similar to getting anything changed to fit in. if everyone looks a certain way or even dresses a certain way, one doesn’t want to be the odd one out. We as humans can’t help it; we are wired to be part of a group, and in doing that we need to fit in. The end slogan of the trailer is

‘be human, remain human”.

Maybe the underlined, hidden more deeper meaning behind this slogan as well as maybe changing the body generally is to remain human, remain true to yourself. Don’t change your image; love yourself for who you are. Of course the message of the trailer and the slogan for the contents of the game is completely different, but if one looks at it from a body image, confidence, love you point of view, it totally makes sense.

Looking at the trailer from a realistic point of view, one can so see this type of trailer not only for a film, but the issues that it addresses, not surreal at all.

It wouldn’t surprise me if somewhere down the line, like beauty products say they help get rid of wrinkles for instance, that companies take advantage of people wanting to change themselves, and some sort of world develops like in the back story of dues ex game or in repo men film. I have do hope that some sort of technology does help those who need it, such as accident victims, and those who have lots limbs etc, because that’s what I feel technology like this should be used for. As for those who want to use the technology just to improve on their already perfect bodies, like what plastic surgery does.

Like I said earlier, I feel sad that it is clear that so many people are upset and don’t like their bodies. Agreeably we all have something we don’t like, but that’s the beauty of the human body and the differences between us all- we are all different, and the imperfections of ourselves as people, as well as our bodies, makes us who we are, and it makes us perfect.

If we were all the same, as in if all women were thin with big boobs and blonde hair, where’s the variety and sexiness in that? All men going after the same type of women, not attractive, and the same for men, if all the men were the same, women would become bored of the chase.

We may get fed on a daily basis what is the idealistic view on what perfect is, but it is clear from surveys, data, and the general public’s point of view, that we all are only human, and we are perfect as we are, because if we weren’t, or if we don’t think we ourselves are, then if we don’t love ourselves, who else will? No one likes someone who is always complaining about their bodies, weight, how they look, or at least that’s the reaction I have got from asking some of my friends.

We shouldn’t be comparing ourselves to the person in front or behind of us, we should be looking at our own reflection in the mirror. If you don’t like what you see, there will be someone out there, a friend maybe, who envies the part of you that you don’t like, and they wish they had what you have. That’s what make us all unique, no one else has what you have.

So no need for solutions on how to make yourselves better or prettier, or more attractive through body modification, because you already are. 

 

Raquel