I think that sometime in the future (<50 years perhaps?), advancements in cosmetic surgery will come to a level of sophistication and low cost where practically everyone in rich countries can look anyway they want. Like second life.
Perhaps by that stage, the cultural stigmas associated with augmenting appearances will have weakened sufficiently so that everyone does it. At which point people will be judged on merit/personality instead of looks. A world where everyone can look the same... Utopia or dystopia?
I suspect that in a world where people can have their appearances overhauled, people will display their wealth by getting expensive body-modifications.
Not really. The modifications that people get today, usually of the breasts and face, are intended to enhance the visual indicators of youth and health. I don't think they're meant to signal wealth, especially since the people who get these procedures are often loath to admit it.
But there are exceptions; some people are open about their cosmetic surgeries. Perhaps some of them are (consciously or not) displaying their wealth.
I don't think tattoos and piercings are signals of wealth, usually. Most people in rich countries can afford them. Really elaborate tattoos might be an exception.
To the extent that beauty's advantage is a "cultural stigma" that's all well and good, but the point of the article is that beauty is a somewhat credible measure of other qualities, like health and intelligence. When people get plastic surgery, they're gaming other people's sexual instincts and so rendering them invalid.
Cosmetic surgery gives you "beauty" in the same way that processed sugar gives you "nutrition"...that is, it doesn't. Eventually, people will evolve some other antennae that can't be corrupted so easily.
Perhaps by that stage, the cultural stigmas associated with augmenting appearances will have weakened sufficiently so that everyone does it. At which point people will be judged on merit/personality instead of looks. A world where everyone can look the same... Utopia or dystopia?