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Everyone agrees: The future is in plastics

As you get older and your body starts to sag, are you thinking of getting a little nip here or a little tuck there? You’re not alone. According to a new worldwide study from marketing and research firm AC Nielsen, going under the knife is becoming more popular. Forty-eight percent of Russians would consider cosmetic ...

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605864_brazil28.jpg

As you get older and your body starts to sag, are you thinking of getting a little nip here or a little tuck there? You're not alone. According to a new worldwide study from marketing and research firm AC Nielsen, going under the knife is becoming more popular. Forty-eight percent of Russians would consider cosmetic surgery to maintain their looks. A third of Irish would consider it, as would 28 percent of Italians and Portguese. A quarter of Americans and Brits said they would buy a little plastic fantastic. I wonder if this trend will extend to world leaders. Will they follow the example of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has openly extolled the virtues of plastic surgery? Two years ago he urged his fellow rich and famous compatriots to get a little work done, too. This is what he said:

As you get older and your body starts to sag, are you thinking of getting a little nip here or a little tuck there? You’re not alone. According to a new worldwide study from marketing and research firm AC Nielsen, going under the knife is becoming more popular. Forty-eight percent of Russians would consider cosmetic surgery to maintain their looks. A third of Irish would consider it, as would 28 percent of Italians and Portguese. A quarter of Americans and Brits said they would buy a little plastic fantastic. I wonder if this trend will extend to world leaders. Will they follow the example of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has openly extolled the virtues of plastic surgery? Two years ago he urged his fellow rich and famous compatriots to get a little work done, too. This is what he said:

Given the possibilities of today’s cosmetic surgery, I think that those who can afford it have a duty to present themselves in the best possible way. It’s a form of respect. I have taken one of the choices of modern life. It is a way of showing respect to those who share your life – your family. It is a way of showing respect to those who expect you to represent them on an international and national stage.”

I wonder if there’s a correlation between plastic surgery and fainting on that international and national stage. 

Christine Y. Chen is a senior editor at Foreign Policy.
Tag: Culture

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