What is Beauty? Is it individual or universal? Why are some faces more beautiful than the others? Why some people who have no physical beauty still radiate and shine beauty in opinion of many? Is beauty just in the eye of the beholder, or there is more to that definition? Where shall we start…I searched in Wikipedia first.
Beauty is a quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (such as shape, color, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern, or something else (such as personality)
Interesting how they said it. Intense pleasure or deep satisfaction. And I agree, there are satisfactions of subtler kind that are not pleasure, so hence the distinction. But why just to the mind? As if there is no other instrument in us to perceive beauty, like heart. But I guess it is from rational heritage of western philosophy. As if the whole world is just on the west. Oh well.
But this definition does not explain why beauty is beautiful. I know that painters and sculptors speak about Sectio Aurea. That is proportion -> a:b=(a+b):a They found beauty and harmony in that proportion. It has something to do with human anatomy too. For example your belly button should be located according to this proportion, meaning on 61.8% of your body height. I actually measured height with the tape in my case, and interestingly it is so.
Luca Pacioli and Leonardo Da Vinci were among the first to notice golden ratio in human anatomy and apply it to art. The Pythagorean school in ancient Greece noticed that objects proportioned according to the golden ratio seemed more attractive. That would never occur to me to think about geometry law in aesthetics. It is genius who discovered such phenomena.
But what is the connection between beauty and culture? Is it different when you are born in Norway where everybody is blonde with blue eyes, and in Turkey where everybody is black haired with black eyes, for example? How much are we conditioned to perceive the beauty in this or in that way by civilization we live in? Remember those african women with rings around their necks. And what about social and political system? And what about time factor, century we live in? Does consumer society affect aesthetic sense? Unfortunately, it does.
A friend of mine told me -I want to put silicone in my lips- I was surprised since I think there is nothing wrong with her lips at all. -Yes I know- replied she -but I want them to look like as if they were stung by the bees- :-) Oh my!
Is physical beauty so important issue? Today I wrote about beauty in physical world, but there are other types of beauty, so in next posts I will pay attention more to questions like connection between beauty and ethics, mental and inner aspects of beauty.
Be what it may, I was told that I was very cute when I was lets say in primary school. But ever since I grew up, I seriously consider pressing charges on Ugly Duckling for theft of part of my life story and using it to film cartoon, in..umm…reversed way. Uh huh :-) (J/K)
What do you think about outer beauty, what is your definition? Be sure to check out Face Research too. Interesting site.
March 1, 2007 at 2:37 pm |
what is beauty? a man once said, beauty is common, it is the inside that make a woman gorgeous. I whole heartedly agree.
In times of fashion crazed spending and starving, of aspiring to become like a computer enhanced image (great video!!), we tend to forget about our inner universe!
Personally speaking, I am highly picky with women. And for me beauty comes from the soul and shines through the eyes…
March 1, 2007 at 6:24 pm |
When I was a young teacher, in the early stage of a career, there was a handsome 13 year old boy in one of my classes – he was sweet, personable, a really good fellow. Halfway through the school year, he returned after a short absence with his jaw wired shut. Mumbling through tightly clenched teeth he explained his jaw had been broken to correct an overbite problem. So, for the sake of some imagined standard of “beauty” his parents allowed for maiming this child. There was nothing amiss with his looks!
In North America, it is standard practice to wire up the teeth of teenagers so that they could have the perfect smile. The message this sends is – “You don’t measure up in the looks department, you need correction!” Woe betide any person who looks unique and even slightly different, they are made to feel flawed.
People are not manufactured goods and by treating them as such opens populations to strange notions of standardization, regimentation and dis-individuation. What we end up losing is the marvelous variety that is a condition of natural life.
March 2, 2007 at 2:55 pm |
hello Dejan, outer beauty, well… some qualities both of body and face associated to a certain class of one’s behaviour. In my opinion, beauty and manners go together…
April 3, 2007 at 6:25 pm |
I find it an interesting statistic that “good looking” people get better jobs, rise to the top more easily and get better pay.
I also find it very interesting that fashion magazines have photographs of models who are supposed to be beautiful but have the saddest or most jaded looking faces. Who would want a companion with those downcast and disinterested looks! Not me.
Where are the slightly plump and happy models of the forties and fifties? Or the real beauties of the twenties (just look at some of those naughty French postcards) ‘
No! Anorexia is the beautiful standard of the day. A man could easily get his arms around one of these “beauties” but beware, that activity could result in crushing of the fragile bones, all that’s there. Or I can see the anorexic model simply slipping through one’s grasp, so thin they are. It would be like hugging oneself with a piece of paper between one and one’s own arms.
Ridiculous flights of fancy, I know. Puffy lips are in. Coat rack skeleton frames. High cheek bones. Go figure.
April 16, 2007 at 8:09 pm |
Nice blog!
April 22, 2007 at 3:48 pm |
Thanks, always good posts on your blog!