It doesn't take much effort in asking around the general populace to find out that silicone breasts, and those that have them, are viewed with skepticism and derision.
Women with them are instantly portrayed as vain/insecure/stupid/Alpha-bitches/Sluts/Etc.
Still, when one stops to think about it, several inconsistencies come to light. If we ignore the (hopefully) small portion of people that get fake breasts due to breast-cancer, or having suffered so much bullying/derision for their small breasts in life that the only fixing the "problem" will finally be able to calm their psyche, breast-implants are done solely to be aesthetically pleasing.
But, I ask, isn't that an arbitrary factor, one among many equal factors one can put blame on, but in reality never catch as much flack?
Here's an ample comparison: Tattoos cost a lot of money, and are (usually) done solely to be aesthetically pleasing. Up until recently, these were too object of derision and prejudice, only worn by "thugs and prisoners". Yet recent trends clearly show that society have gradually shifted its views concerning them.
Both tattoos and implants are a form of body-altering surgery. Both cost a lot of money (granted, it takes awhile to build up enough tattoos for it to rival the cost of an average boob-job, but once you do, you still don't get the same bad PR), and both are done pretty much for the sake of vanity. If body-alteration is the main issue here, then why aren't we scorning bleaching of the hair (which is bad for the scalp), or hair-removal (can be very painful)?
If it is vanity and costs that is the main motivation for why implants are seen as bad, why don't we derive those with expensive clothing? A few fancy suits equal the price of implants. Shoes and clothing (and Sex and the City hilariously proved) can cost enormous sums, but is also equally seen as "silly and quirky", yet socially acceptable to most.
And hell, don't even get me started on sports-cars..
If we are going to make snide remarks concerning implants, why not these factors?
If we are going to assume that a person with implants are of bad character, because of her vanity and or what she spends her money on, then there's a whole throng of people that should also be deserving of your scorn.
I'm guessing there's a double standard at work here, somewhere in the background.
Now, have I rattled your intuitions? Have you any comments or other insights?