Parenting Advice From Joy Berry: Michael Jackson’s Plastic Surgery
A lot has been said about Michael Jackson’s plastic surgery—both before and after his death. Most of the comments have been critical. Some people criticize the outcome of Michael’s various surgeries, but most criticize the decision to have any kind of plastic surgery at all.
Like everyone else, I have my thoughts about why people are critical about Michael’s surgery.
Plastic surgery is expensive and not everyone can afford it. And even those who can afford it are often too scared or too busy to go under the knife. While, under different circumstances these people might elect to have plastic surgery, given their current circumstances, they are compelled to be adverse to it.
However behind efforts to malign plastic surgery there are often feelings of jealously over other’s people’s ability to make themselves look younger or more beautiful. These feelings are completely understandable, as it is almost impossible to escape the enormous pressures to remain young and beautiful.
All that said, the choice to make oneself as beautiful as possible is a personal choice and, like all personal choices, it needs to be an informed one.
In my book, “You Can Be Beautiful, I define “classic beauty” by saying, “Some people feel that beauty is based on standard measurements applied to the human face and body. The more a person’s face and body conform to these standards, the more beautiful the person is considered to be. This kind of beauty is often called, ‘classic beauty.’”
I also define “cultural beauty” in my book by saying, “Some people feel that beauty is based on standards established by a culture or society. These standards reflect the thinking, values, and major events of the culture or society, and they change as the society changes. The more a person’s physical appearance conforms to the standards set by the culture or society, the more beautiful the person is considered to be.”
Last but not least, I define “genuine beauty” by saying, “Some people think that beauty is a combination of outer and inner qualities that every person can develop and maintain. This kind of beauty is often called ‘genuine beauty.’ The qualities that make up genuine beauty are often called ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ beauty.”
I go on to explain, “Inner beauty translates into a personality that is genuine, caring, and giving. Inner beauty creates a ‘radiance’ that shines through a person’s physical appearance no matter how ‘beautiful’ or ‘homely.’”
In conclusion, I tell kids, “No matter how beautiful people look on the outside, if they are not beautiful on the inside, they will not remain attractive to others. Also, whether a person is beautiful depends more on the person’s actions than on his or her looks.”
I can’t help but wonder what kind of decisions Michael Jackson would have made about his physical appearance if he and the people around him sincerely knew and understood the true nature, as well as the advantages and disadvantages, of the various kinds of beauty. Would the pressure to expend so much time, energy, effort, and money on outer beauty have existed? Unfortunately, we’ll never know.
