Beauty
I thought that we might contemplate a subject having little to do with politics. Being old, I often look at things based on what would today be considered as no longer in use. Take beauty for example, I think we can all agree on certain standards of beauty like when we see a flower, certain art, or hear a piece of /http://music.It is pretty easy to expound on their beauty. One thing, however, I find to be less easily understood, is the beauty of people.
Standards of what is considered beautiful have changed from era to era, and generation to generation. Look at runway models. They are skinny, barely pubescent girls. And , girls is what they are, not women. Yes, they have beauty, but they are not a standard of beauty. Real women simply don't look like that. Compared to women, when it comes to beauty in men, they have it much easier. They seem to come in all shapes and sizes but still get their share of admiration. I suppose the current standard for male beauty comes from Hawaii in the form of an ex-wrestler named Dwayne Johnson.
But beauty, and I mean real beauty is not just skin and bones. It is also intellect, attitude, grace, and expression. I started thinking about this one day as I thought about my wife. When I first met her at a party 62 years ago, and asked her to dance, she was pretty and she was a great dancer. She made my stumbling steps look good. As I look at her today, I realize that she has grown into true beauty. And I thought, how fortunate I was to be committed to such a woman, whose true beauty has only grown as the years have gone by. I hope I am up to her standards.
Standards of what is considered beautiful have changed from era to era, and generation to generation. Look at runway models. They are skinny, barely pubescent girls. And , girls is what they are, not women. Yes, they have beauty, but they are not a standard of beauty. Real women simply don't look like that. Compared to women, when it comes to beauty in men, they have it much easier. They seem to come in all shapes and sizes but still get their share of admiration. I suppose the current standard for male beauty comes from Hawaii in the form of an ex-wrestler named Dwayne Johnson.
But beauty, and I mean real beauty is not just skin and bones. It is also intellect, attitude, grace, and expression. I started thinking about this one day as I thought about my wife. When I first met her at a party 62 years ago, and asked her to dance, she was pretty and she was a great dancer. She made my stumbling steps look good. As I look at her today, I realize that she has grown into true beauty. And I thought, how fortunate I was to be committed to such a woman, whose true beauty has only grown as the years have gone by. I hope I am up to her standards.
Though it can be objectively defined within a context (symetry, form following function, etc), I would argue it is ultimately subjective. It is indeed "in the mind of the beholder."
When one or more of the senses encounters it, the mind produces that warm inner glow of recognition and pleasure, triggered by its possessed and imagined values.
Great question Herb!
There are so-called standards of beauty, but you're right, it's subjective. I would bet that if you were describing a color to a person blind from birth and another person described the same color, I'd bet that the bind person would think they were two different things.
"The Enchanted Cottage." I haven't thought of that excellent oldie for many years.
I love to make flippant responses, but on this subject, I can't.
Next day I'm reading this post about beauty.
Over the years I've lost count of the times I've out of nowhere thought of a movie I've seen before and within three days there it is on TV.
Me dino wonders if I have a useless ESP gift.
I call it useless because it lacks any benefit.
My mind must have a TV Guide antennae that specializes in movies I've seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtNns...
Old dino has pointed at the TV and laughed or said, "Oh, crap!" more times than I can recall over the years.
Is it possible, perhaps, that fashion designers do not like women?
Because of the emphasis on body over clothes, contemporary adult video starlets look curvier than fashion models; for example (some A names): Alexis Texas, August Ames, Asa Akira, Adriana Chechik, Lisa Ann.
My comments above are all visual—ignoring, intellect, poise, character, grace, ...
For hotties with brains, thoughtfulness, and perspective, watch Outnumbered on Fox News, typically hosted by Sandra Smith, Harris Faulkner, and pretty plus-sized Meghan McCain.
Life, life affirming, a positive feeling that reflects in the bearing and attitude.
Thanks for posting.
I am always in wonder of those who never learn, and fail to appreciate what they have. They turn gold into lead.
http://www.intmath.com/numbers/math-o...
Funny, the idea of "interesting" just reminded me of the original definition of the word cute as found in very old dictionaries: So ugly, that in a strange sort of way...kind of interesting.
Therefore, in the 60's I hated when girls called me "Cute"! when having Kooties was bad enough...laughing.
(dirty old man)
http://www.thegreatideas.org/apd-beau...
Human beings do indeed have attributes beyond the physical description reproduced on their licenses, passports, or Match profiles. If the mind is man's tool of survival, then wouldn't "intellect, attitude, grace, and expression" have equal or greater importance to weight, height, hair color, eye color, etc.? Herb, I like it.
On the other end of the argument, we should ask what is the reason a particular culture values youth and a slender frame when the maintenance of such a figure requires self-induced vomiting, starvation, amphetamines, and hours of Pilates, for example.