WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES AMERICA DESIRE YOUTH?
             What is it about those golden years that makes everyone older try and stay that desired age forever? In our society we can find countless examples of the older generations trying desperately to hang on to their youth. It has almost become too extreme the lengths that both women and men are taking to feel and look younger. It has even become a rude question to ask an older person what their age is so that society will not judge them as being "over the hill." In today's day and age we put so much glamour and prestige into being young that it has become completely undesirable to be considered as old, not to mention that you become a member of the out-group.
             A very good example of these extremes that we can examine is the overwhelming amount of people getting plastic surgery. In the last ten years the number of people getting plastic surgery has grown so much that it is now thought to be the biggest growing trend of the decade (Thrapp 146). In 1997 "plastic surgeons performed an estimated 2.1 million cosmetic procedures, from nose jobs to lipo-suction to collagen injections. That's up 50% since 1992, and the popularity of procedures like breast augmentation and lipo-suction has more than tripled" (Hamilton 14). It is more than safe to say that the majority of these statistics are from people that desired to look younger and more perfect. It is almost sad to think that society has put so much pressure on the "elderly" that they are physically changing there appearance in the hopes that they will feel better about themselves through their acceptance in society.
             It is more than obvious that this desire to be young comes from the media. Everywhere we turn we see a younger thinner and more attractive person and that is to be considered as societies ideal. When we look at fashion magazines there is always a new fresh face gracing th
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