Cosmetic Surgery
A ritual of beauty and pain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/xecwd025Keywords:
Cosmetic Surgery, Pain, Ritual, LiminalityAbstract
Cosmetic surgery, as a medical surgery involving body modification and reshaping, inevitably entails bloodshed and pain. However, in the prevailing global trend of excessive emphasis on appearance, many individuals still gravitate towards cosmetic surgery despite the inherent risks involved. Nowadays, cosmetic surgery serves not only as a means to enhance one’s physical appearance, but also as a method for reconstructing postoperative identity order for those who undergo it. Similar to certain rites of passage observed in primitive tribes, recipients of rituals must endure the physical imprints left by pain in order to complete the transformative process of social identity. This paper perceives cosmetic surgery as a rite of passage related to beauty and pain, exploring how individuals undergoing such procedures achieve identity transformation and restore order after crossing the threshold through Victor Turner's theory of liminality. Furthermore, it analyzes the cultural significance and social implications of pain within this transformative journey.
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