Should Cosmetic Surgeons Be Influenced By Societys Social Norms As Illistrated In The Ethics Of Complicity By Margaret Olivia Little
A physician, as any other professional, has a job to do. Granted, the job doesentail the preservation of human life, a characteristic which holds great importance andprestige in our society. But why should he/she also be burdened with the responsibilityof making society's moral decisions? A physician has no more responsibility for ourview of 'normal' than a fry jockey at McDonalds. Although Little's article does raisesome truths, I will argue that physicians, particularly cosmetic surgeons, should neitherbe responsible for nor influenced by society's social norms when approached by apatient requesting cosmetic surgery of any sort. Little argues (with a typical Postmodernist's attitude) that "requests for cosmeticsurgery are often motivated by deep and genuine suffering . . . not from a desire forbeauty, but from a desire to end a distressing sense of alienation from some body partor to escape incessant teasing" due to the "suspect norms of appearance" (Little,162,163). Men and women alike are deceived into thinking they need these surgeries dueto the deep rooted norms within our society, similar to the way our largely maledominated society has deep rooted itself into our understanding of
Some roofers, like some surgeons, may be more wellknown due to advertising, but an ad of this sort cannot entice those who do not need aroof. When choosing patients, it is still important for physicians to make"empty-minded decisions" (Mrs. Therefore, it isfalse to say that just because the medical community enjoys a high status, that their actof performing such surgeries is interpreted as healthy. However, the third and fourth patientswould be denied surgery by Little. So doesn't that imply that the thin shape is afad also? Following this logic, I feel I can safely conclude that one can not accuratelymake a moral distinction between patients. Little determines that the young boy's distress stems from the cruelty ofsociety. [an] umbrella, so that the norms of appearance get blurred with norms of 'health' and 'normalcy'", illustrating how thesenorms of society can be both wrong and dangerous (Little, 171, 172). is a similar inappropriateness in the enforcement ofnorms" (Little, 165). The third is a black man who is pursuing procedures to help him resemblea white European. Little has unfairly labeledthem complicitous. Little does address my view in her article.
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