We all have two lives; the one we are living and the one we dream about.  Sure, the life we dream about may include many aspects of the one we are currently living, but there is always something more we dream of.  It could be gaining material wealth or creating a more solid foundation for ourselves.  It could be starting a family, or having a richer experience of the family we already have. It could be realizing success or simply loving the person looking back at you in the mirror.  We all have a life we dream of.  We always want something more – it is part of being human.

Since the beginning of recorded history, the most celebrated beauties have been soft, voluptuous and curvy.  Natural beauty was something to be admired and celebrated.  But as society has progressed and technology has permeated our culture, this beauty paradigm has changed.  As a result of the strength and success of capitalism and the media that supports it, our culture has become enamored with technology and the changes it can make to the human body.  The result is the ever-growing idea that one can never be too thin - or have too much money, for that matter!  Natural beauty has come to be viewed as trivial while manufactured beauty has become a powerful status symbol. My question is, is this really a healthy ideal for us to embrace? Is this who we really want to be?