A few days ago I posted this link on our Facebook page: Fifty adults and children were asked the question, “If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?” (BuzzFeed)
The adults’ answers made me sad. They were the usual stuff. But I loved the kids’ responses. A mermaid’s tale! A unicorn horn! A shark mouth! Teleportation! Wings!
And I wondered what I’d reply.
I’m already on the books as saying I’d like to be leaner. See Fat, fit, and why I want to be leaner anyway. But that’s for hill climbing. Maybe wings could help with that though. Or more powerful legs.
Next up: knees and eyes that work! But again with the kids, why stop there? What’s the standard?
This week in sports ethics class we’re watching FIXED: The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement.
We’re talking about augmentation and the rise of the superhumans. Fitter! Faster! Stronger! Smarter!
It also got me thinking, playfully, about where else I’d go with it. Most of mine were balancing feminine appearance with athletic lifestyle demands. I’d love adjustable length hair! (See Athletic hair, helmet head, and summer time curls.)
But how about adjustable breasts too? Put them away for running, take them out for dancing.
Fingernails too.
I was kind of fascinated by contrast between the stripped down for speed bodies of sports versus the messy, unruly, bodies of femininity in our culture.
What would you change if you could?
I’ve always said my smile because I have some fake teeth and some things from my younger years have dulled their whiteness. Yeah, I’d like to get rid of my mommy belly, but that’s a work in progress and so is everything else that I have it within my power to do a little something about. However, I can’t do the whitening treatments on my teeth because my gums are too sensitive and therefore it’s the one thing I can never really alter….but wings and teleportation sound really amazing!
I really loved that video and the innocence of the kids. It got me to thinking when I started to want to change my body. I’m sure it never even crossed my mind until I was a teenager. My answer to that question is easy: leaner. If I could choose any body fat percentage, I would choose 20%. Other than that, I wouldn’t change anything. I do like the whimsical ones though: wings that worked would be excellent.
I saw this video too and absolutely loved it! I definitely want cheetah legs! 🙂
I want to be able to change into the Hulk – that would just be fun.
To be able to cycle until I die…at an old age meaning well decades after retirement. To have the same fitness as I do now for the rest of my life.
So that my skin doesn’t pop moles..alas I’ve tried sunblock, etc.