On Beauty
It seems to go without saying, that we live in a world now where beauty is only skin deep in the general perception. Not in the sense that we only consider the exterior of a person, but that we give disproportionate weight to the exterior, and have been deluded in to believing that the exterior is of greater import then the interior.
The conventional argument then proceeds to blame the media, but I can't make that leap myself. I do not see how we can casually blame other people for what is a societal perception on the whole. It is not confined to one sector or generated by one sector to further its own goals, but is in fact a collective perception. To a great extent we all buy into and perpetuate this common myth.
I can understand the biological arguments that compel the scientist in his critical assessment of beauty, the harsh metric of biological fitness is completely incapable I think of answering the question in any meaningful manner though. One only has to look at common cliches such as that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder to know that this is not the case. Beauty both applies and transcends such cruel approximation and denigrating definition.
So what does drive our collective conception of beauty? I will of course concede that physical lust must play a role, as does the imagination of the human mind, but the question must be asked that what does it on a societal basis. The only answer I can offer is that we live in a society that ascribes too much worth to physical appearence, and does not understand that evil can wear a fair face. In fact that face does not and cannot testify to what it conceals.
Its hard to remember this in everyday life, to realise that no one is deserving of extra advantage by virtue of their physical appearance, and equally important that it ought not to count against anyone. We have what is almost a reflex action that counters our democratic tendencies and instead encourages us to make the easy choice and discriminate on the factors that are most easily acquired by us to decide upon.
It behoves us all to not surrrender to it.
The conventional argument then proceeds to blame the media, but I can't make that leap myself. I do not see how we can casually blame other people for what is a societal perception on the whole. It is not confined to one sector or generated by one sector to further its own goals, but is in fact a collective perception. To a great extent we all buy into and perpetuate this common myth.
I can understand the biological arguments that compel the scientist in his critical assessment of beauty, the harsh metric of biological fitness is completely incapable I think of answering the question in any meaningful manner though. One only has to look at common cliches such as that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder to know that this is not the case. Beauty both applies and transcends such cruel approximation and denigrating definition.
So what does drive our collective conception of beauty? I will of course concede that physical lust must play a role, as does the imagination of the human mind, but the question must be asked that what does it on a societal basis. The only answer I can offer is that we live in a society that ascribes too much worth to physical appearence, and does not understand that evil can wear a fair face. In fact that face does not and cannot testify to what it conceals.
Its hard to remember this in everyday life, to realise that no one is deserving of extra advantage by virtue of their physical appearance, and equally important that it ought not to count against anyone. We have what is almost a reflex action that counters our democratic tendencies and instead encourages us to make the easy choice and discriminate on the factors that are most easily acquired by us to decide upon.
It behoves us all to not surrrender to it.
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