Surgery and Body Manipulation: Freedom of Choice or Lack of Self-Confidence?

The body, regarded as a sacred and unchangeable entity throughout human history, has always undergone gradual changes. From the time when the body was considered more beautiful with an additional layer of flesh to later when the removal of that layer became the standard for a more beautiful body, the body has always been a physical entity burdened by societal norms and moral rules. Is manipulating the body, making changes to it, enlarging or reducing certain organs, and creating plastic beauty a sign of human choice and will to break the taboo of the body and shape it in a selective manner, or is it, conversely, a sign of self-loss and an inner void? By changing our bodies from what we have inherited to what we desire, are we truly standing against the existing order, or are we bowing to the pressures of public taste, media, and market? Mohsen Ghazian, a sociologist, and Ghazal Sadr, who also writes about women's rights, represent two different sides of this debate in this week's taboo discussion. Ghazal Sadr states that 95% of surgery applicants are women and girls aged 14 to 45, with men making up only 5%. She argues that only 10% of those who undergo surgery are satisfied with their bodies afterward, indicating that the problem lies elsewhere and cannot be solved with multiple surgeries. She emphasizes that the issue is a lack of self-belief and an inability to recognize one's own capabilities. Sadr believes that the desire for surgery stems from a need to fit into a media-driven system that promotes certain beauty standards. Ghazian counters that throughout history, people have manipulated their bodies as a natural right, and while he acknowledges the influence of media and capitalism on beauty standards, he argues that individuals should have the freedom to choose how to manage their bodies, whether through surgery or other means. The discussion raises questions about the nature of freedom, identity, and societal pressures surrounding body image.