Now it's about wrinkles

[PamNY]

all I can say is think back and remember your favorite grandmother. You loved her despite her wrinkles, bags, sags, bad teeth. None of that stuff really matters. Certainly take care of your body, it's the only one that you get, but no one except for maybe your NEW lover looks at you that closely and certainly not that judgmentally!

What lovely comment. As I child I was fascinated by the loose skin and veins on my beautiful grandmother's hands, and I loved her grey hair.

I don't need a book to push me to be wiser. I have a healthy appreciation for intelligence. You can be wise and beautiful at the same time. Why are the 2 seen as mutually exclusive? It feels like that perpetuates the "dumb blonde" stereotype.

Crankin, I agree. Who said beauty and intelligence can't exist in the same person? I am amazed that this idea is still around -- plenty of highly intelligent, successful women have some vanity -- and why shouldn't they?

I also roll my eyes at the idea that "our society" pushes vanity and "the media" are to blame.

Human beings have always paid attention to appearance. Spend some time in a museum, or study a bit of history. We aren't the first to think about how we look to others.

I don't know if this fallacy comes from ignorance or egotism, but there's no reason to clutch our pearls over botox.

Other animals (and we are animals) go to great lengths to make themselves attractive to potential mates. Some of what we are talking about here is probably hard-wired into our brains.

It's also not true that everyone goes overboard with plastic surgery. I have two friends who had face lifts and they look just fine. Both are successful, professional women with active, interesting lives. One is a very strong woman whom I met doing animal rescue after Katrina. She's not a delicate flower, and she exudes life and energy.