a As the United States population is steadily growing older, we
continue to focus on youth and beauty. The blind faith on the health
system plays a big role to shape their views and perceptions about
aging. For example, most Americans believe that innovation and
technological advancement in the healthcare setting can increase
their longevity via a pill or surgery. With the increase of the Baby
Boomers generation reaching retirement, it is expected that there will
be an increased demand for health care services and health care
workers as they may require life-saving surgeries, medications and
hospice services. For others, instead of accepting that aging is a
natural process, some individuals focus on more superficial features
such as beauty and youth. This could be caused by social media
platform such as Instagram, Facebook, and Tik-Tok highlighting
individual’s best features through a filter that makes them look
perfect but is not realistic. The focus on youth could also be in part
how society views celebrities as fashion and beauty icons, which is
also not realistic as these celebrities have professional makeup artists
and cosmetic surgeons to keep them looking youthful. The
combination of social media and celebrities has created body
dysmorphia issues and an ageing avoiding society. Cosmetic surgery
and non-surgical operations to alter physical appearance such as
rhinoplasty, liposuction, breast argumentation, even Botox and lip
fillers has grown into a common solution for self-improvement. “Over
the last decade, cosmetic procedures have grown from 1.5 million in
1997, to over 5.5 million in 2020.” (ASPS). These numbers show how
even though the population is growing older, there is still a high
importance on beauty and youth. I believe these numbers to be true
as I know a lot of people who have gotten cosmetic surgery and talk
about it so casual as if it’s the normal thing to do. The U.S. has had a
large increase in technological advancement and innovation in
healthcare from antibiotics to laser eye surgeries and organ
transplants, these types of medical advancements keep the older
population to feel younger and live longer. In the 1700s life
expectancy was 30 years old and according to the World Health
Organization by 2040 life expectancy in the U.S. will be 100 years
old. I don’t think the U.S. is afraid of aging or death but if we can live
longer and feel better about ourselves by using innovative
technology, why not?
