New Face, New You?
#TrueBeauty #NoCutting #Bewhoyouare #embracediversity #loveyourself
Short Rationale:
Today, how you look is more prevalent than ever, what you wear, what you eat, what makeup you use, and even what products you buy are judged by social media. It’s easy to fall victim to the influence of propaganda. I picked plastic surgery propaganda because, it can be potentially harmful, especially for young adults and adolescents. With the rise of influencers, on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, it is easy for users of these platforms to fall victim to societal pressures and feel the need to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. I desired to bring to light this issue and encourage viewers to think critically about the content that is being fed to the mind, which in turn influences the decision to get plastic surgery.
My process began by thinking about the current situation in the world, I thought about what I could write about that wasn’t so obvious, in regards to current events, and what would intrigue people. Plastic surgery propaganda stood out to me, as an issue that people don’t talk about in a serious way, sure, I might say I want arm lipo because I want skinny arms, but I never say why I would want skinny arms, the truth is I see a lot of celebrities with nice arms, and because of genetics it’s difficult for me to achieve that look, so I always consider getting plastic surgery. Because of what I see on social media, in return, I think about changing myself to match that beauty standard, this issue is actively affecting our generation.
My goal was to captivate the audience by addressing them directly and establishing a connection, addressing glamorous advertisements to rising plastic surgery rates among young adults, I incorporated a critical tone to highlight the dangers of falling into societal pressures, emphasizing the potential physical and mental health risks associated with plastic surgery.
Integrating statistics and expert opinions added credibility to the narrative, making it more persuasive. I think it is very important to bring awareness to this topic, while at the same time dressing the dark side of plastic surgery propaganda, without trying to be judgemental. I wanted to speak in a light tone and use words that weren’t too strong or negative, I wanted the message being delivered to be enlightening and delicate so that people would feel open to listen and not feel like they need to close off to the message being delivered. I also thought it was important to make it culturally relevant, in this case, relevant to pop culture in the U.S., by using celebrities and mentioning social media platforms that many of us use, to be able to reach my audience.
To finish, My decision to choose plastic surgery propaganda stems from the need to address a pressing concern affecting young adults. My creative process involved an in-depth brainstorming session, where I looked at a lot of the factors affecting our society and I also had to think about how I look at myself and what affects the way I do that. Through this project, I hope it touches someone, in a way that they learn to accept themselves and others for who they are and build a more beautiful world.
Screencast:
Script:
Today, let’s dive into a topic that can be a bit controversial, but nonetheless deserves our attention; the potentially harmful world of plastic surgery propaganda.
We live in a time where perfection is constantly advertised, but this perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and for many, that pursuit of flawlessness leads them astray, and they end up making the unfixable choice of getting plastic surgery.
Influencers and celebrities flaunting their transformed bodies can be misleading. It creates an unrealistic standard of beauty, setting an unattainable bar for many young adults. It’s like a never-ending loop; the more you see, the more you feel the pressure to conform to these beauty standards, which are not only expensive but can be incredibly harmful.
In fact, did you know that the number of young adults undergoing plastic surgery has been on the rise? It makes a person wonder, one has to assume the person receiving surgery genuinely wants it because they created this idea that they won’t be beautiful until they look a certain way. Unfortunately, the images and messages on the internet manipulate their perception of self-worth. Social Platforms, such as TikTok and IG, are part of the problem. Here users share their plastic surgery stories, influencing others along the way.
Slide with Statistics
Plastic surgery, when driven by societal pressures rather than personal choice, can lead to serious physical and mental health issues, for example, 1-in-5 Americans suffer from Body Dispmorphia, these people already have a false illusion of what they look like, and social media only worsens those symptoms.
Slide with Testimonials: Botched procedures, addiction to surgeries, and the perpetual cycle of dissatisfaction can occur. The emotional rollercoaster that comes with wanting to look like today’s beauty standards can leave lasting scars that no surgical procedure can erase.
What’s the takeaway here? It’s not about judging those who choose plastic surgery; it’s about questioning the motives behind the decisions being made, and understanding that a person’s worth isn’t determined by the number of likes they get or what they look like in the mirror. Embracing uniqueness, celebrates imperfections, and reminds us that true beauty comes from within.
References:
Hobbs, Renee. “Patriotism and Nationalism.” Mind Over Media Propaganda, https://propaganda.pathwright.com/library/patriotism-nationalism-61519/519003/path/.
Gardner, Stephanie S. “Teens and Plastic Surgery.” WebMD, WebMD, 26 July 2021, www.webmd.com/teens/teens-plastic-surgery.
Paul, Kari. “More than 200,000 Teens Had Plastic Surgery Last Year, and Social Media Had a Lot to Do with It.” MarketWatch, MarketWatch, 30 Sept. 2018, www.marketwatch.com/story/should-you-let-your-teenager-get-plastic-surgery.
Reed, Betsy. “How I Feel about My Decision to Get Cosmetic Surgery — 10 Years On.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Feb. 2017, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/15/how-i-feel-about-my-decision-to-get-cosmetic-surgery-10-years-on
Rogers, Simon. “US Plastic Surgery Statistics: Chins, Buttocks and Breasts up, Ears Down.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 22 July 2011, www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jul/22/plastic-surgery-medicine.
Underhill, Katie. “Do You Regret Having Cosmetic Surgery?” Medical Accident Group, 5 Oct. 2023, www.medicalaccidentgroup.co.uk/news/do-you-regret-having-cosmetic-surgery/.
Vijayan, Roshan, et al. “Marketing, Propaganda, and the Plastic Surgeon.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 29 June 2019, academic.oup.com/asj/article/39/9/NP396/5525315.
Zitser, Joshua. “Insider Created a TikTok Account and Set the Age at 14 to Test How Long before a Plastic Surgeon’s Promotional Video Appeared. It Only Took 8 Minutes.” Insider, 10 Jan. 2021, www.insider.com/rhinoplasty-is-being-promoted-to-teenagers-nose-job-tiktok-2020-12.
