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Eye of the beholder

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kathycf
, 04-24-2007 at 02:23 PM (2183 Views)
What is the power of physical beauty? Is it purely an aesthetic issue...does someone posses a definable quality of beauty or is it something more subjective? Man one may prefer brunettes and woman five may prefer green eyes, so personal preferences can safely be defined as subjective, I think.

There has been research into the field. Yes, you may well scoff (if you are, in fact, scoffing... ) but the research suggests an evolutionary preference for attractiveness. Harvard Medical School psychologist Nancy Etcoff wrote a book on the subject: Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty
Psychologists find that babies stare significantly longer at the faces adults find appealing, while the mothers of "attractive" babies display more intense bonding behaviors. The symmetrical face of average proportions may have become the optimal design because of evolutionary pressures operating against population extremes
I haven't read the book, but it seems interesting. I tend to think there may be objective standards in judging attractiveness, for example healthy skin and hair is generally considered attractive. However, much of what is considered desirable can be seen in a cultural context as well as personal preferences.

It is worthwhile noting that that physical beauty alone cannot lead to happiness. I think people are too obsessed with appearance. I know that is a rather broad statement, I know lots of people may enjoy an attractive face but also feel other qualities are important too. Compassion, intelligence, integrity, optimism are all worthy traits in my opinion and an individual really should develop a sense of self seperate from their physical appearance.

That is often hard to do, when popular culture places emphasis on attractiveness. Both sexes face judgement regarding their appearance, but traditionally women have under gone closer scrutiny in how they look. Well, let me make a bit of a confession here: I have often been called beautiful. That is not a conceited statement on my part, my facial features are not anything I had a hand in, that is a matter of genetics.

My appearance is something that just is...much like having dark hair or being short. When I was a child, I often wished to be invisible. I guess that seems weird, but I had my reasons. To be invisible was to be safe, and it is hard to be invisible when you have a pretty face. I took to being messy and sloppy looking as protection, and sometimes that helped. It was also helpful that I was that "weird smart girl who never talks" in school. When people think you are weird, they start ignoring you (when they aren't being mean).

Hmmm, when I first started writing this, I had a point....but I have begun meandering. Time for some coffee, I think.
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  1. Virgil's Avatar
    I found what you said to be interesting. I have heard of similar studies.
  2. Countess's Avatar
    On my MySpace I have a video of Orlando Bloom where he plays a man in love with his own beauty (sounds like my Jules, but my book was finished long before this clip). It's pretty funny because he pokes fun at himself and the "hot man" syndrome:

    http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endid=66326540

    I've never felt beautiful - not once. I suppose that's why I've always cultivated my intellect and my creative writing.
  3. 's Avatar
    interesting topic, kathy. i read a similar Harvard study once that linked male attraction to his scent that was somehow linked to the DNA type of the woman's father! i don't recall the specifics, but the study involved a sample population of women who were presented with T-shirts to smell worn by different men before they actually met! sniff sniff...instant love! lol!
  4. kathycf's Avatar
    I remember reading about that study, jon. I think it had something to do with pheromones. The attractiveness of a partner depends on how closely related we are or some such thing. I don't know if that would be acceptable in dating, though:"pardon me, sir, may I smell your shirt?"
    Quote Originally Posted by Countess
    I've never felt beautiful - not once. I suppose that's why I've always cultivated my intellect and my creative writing.
    I think everybody needs to cultivate something besides appearance. After all, a person might as well take huge delight in being left handed, as well as their appearance. Both to me are random genetic traits, and have little bearing on character. If it makes sense, I have never felt beautiful either. Well, maybe once, when my ex-husband told me how nice I looked on our wedding day....but I think that was more about love than beauty. I tend to "know" things on an intellectual level, but never truly believe them in my heart.

    btw, that video is hilarious. I loved the ending.
  5. mtpspur's Avatar
    Been thinking about this awhile. I'm very aware of appearance--partially because in the 21 years of Uncle Sam appearance is everything--substance is a bonus. My personal appearance has tended to be a stumbling block sometimes in being taken seriously but now that I'm older I'm not expected to pretty anymore so I'm cut more slack. Now he's just getting senile. You on the other hand now have me wondering if you wear the all so enchanting glasses that seems to be some idiosyncracy of mine. Remember shallow, shallow.
  6. kathycf's Avatar
    I wear both eyeglasses and contact lenses. My eyesight is horrendous, I have needed vision correction my entire life. I always found my own glasses hide my eyes, and feel heavy on my face, so I like contacts. On the other hand, contacts are a pain sometimes with the care they require and glasses are a lot easier to just plop on my face and go.

    So, you have a thing for glasses, eh mtpspur? Have you never read this Dorothy Parker quote? "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses"....

    (so aren't men a**es, who never make passes at girls who wear glasses)
  7. mtpspur's Avatar
    Just finished your interview then remembered to check this comment to see if I was in trouble or not. Remember Dorothy Parker quite well. Contacts scare me big time--I don't like anything touching the eyeball. Both Ruth and I wear glasses. Blind without them. Never read Dorothy Sayers I know because I read Mary Rinehart's The BAt and was bored by it and thought Sayers would be similar and never met a rabid Lord WImsey fan over the years. Do enjoy Poirot from Christie however and warming up the Miss Marple. Last few Sue Grafton have started to annoy by lack of personal growth in Kinsey.
  8. Madhuri's Avatar
    Power of physical beauty? Hmm.....In my experience it definitely has more to do with culture and personal preference. Here mostly people relate beauty (especially of women) with fair skin. Yes, most (not all) Indians have a fair skin fixation. This is more evident when a girl is to be married off in an arranged marriage, or even if two people like each other, physical attractiveness does play a role in bringing them together. I have seen cases where guys approach a dark complexioned girl only after being rejected by several fair and beautiful girls. If you have seen my picture, you'll know that I have a dark complexion (it is a boon as well as a bane, because although on one hand you get insulted for your looks, the very looks save you from the trouble of harassement). Well, there is this friend of mine who is very talented, an articst, very well educated, and has inner beauty, but has a dark complexion (just like me), and she tells me sometimes that her own mother looks at her with disgust, as if cursing the day she was born to her. She says to me that sometimes her mother has said -- "Only if you were a little fair" I am surprised at parents being biased. How can they do that? This particular mother will think good of her daughter only if her beauty is appealing to the society at large. She doesnt want to acknowledge the talent her daughter has, it has little importance. I fail to understand this kind of personal preference, physical beauty is something no one has any control, then why is it given so much weightage? A person can be a good soul, try to lead a good life, get a good education, doesn't hurt anybody, is that not good enough, that the burden of physical attractiveness is also added? I sometimes wonder what will happen to me.
  9. kathycf's Avatar
    Hmm, I have never read "The Bat"...
    The Bat is one of the few mystery stage plays to have the dense plotting of a Golden Age detective novel.
    I might have to check it out just to see if it is similiar to Sayers or not. I like Lord Wimsey, but can't consider myself a rabid fan. (that might be more andave_ya's department... )

    I tend to favor the books Grafton wrote in the mid 90s over her current Kinsey books, I didn't really consider it about personal growth, but think you might have a point about that.