Perception: Beauty

[bamthedoc]

I'm going to state a few things before I get started.

• I am only comparing Christian Perception to "World" Perception.
  If you belong to another religion, please comment on your religion's perception.
• "World Peception", unfortunately, only includes "1st World Countries" as I have little go by in 2nd and 3rd World -- being as they are very diverse and divergent.

Now that that's out of the way...

The world's perception of beauty has been shaped and molded to tell young men and women that what appears on the cover of Cosmo or other such "beauty magazines" is the accepted norm. The world also has been shaped and molded into telling young men and women that the only way to go from "ordinary" to "beautiful" is through drastic changes in self. This ranges from plastic surgery to cosmetics.

While some believe this is aestecilly pleasing, I do not. A Christian artist I like -- whose name illudes me -- comments on how Brittany Spears and Christina Agulara are bad role-models to young girls. Being a young woman herself, she had to learn this lesson, also.

Her comment comes from views all Christians should share:
GOD had a plan for us and knew us before we came into being. We are beautiful in GOD's eyes. There is no such thing as "ordinary" as we are all seperate from eachother and special in our own unique ways.

I do not find the "super models" or people on the front of "beauty magazines" to be attractive. In fact, I find them to be quite repulsive, at times. I find Brittany Spears and Christina Agulara to be unattractive, and, quite frankly, they are dull, boring, and uninspiring. That includes looks and lyrics, as they are both "singers" -- or so they claim.

The Christian Perception of Beauty is not complicated, at all. You were formed in GOD's image to be just who you are. As a song I like goes (seperate from the aforementioned artist):

I can see a tear, and it's painfully clear.
I can see where it's coming from.
It's coming from heart; it's broken in two.
But what you don't see...
The person in the mirror
doesn't look like the magazine.
But, when I look at you, it's clear to me...

That I can see the fingerprints of GOD.
You are just who you are.
Oh, I can see the fingerprints of GOD.
You're a masterpiece that all creation quitely adores.
And I can see the fingerprints of GOD.


That's a small snip-pit, but it pretty much shows my point. The World's Perception of beauty is ruining young men and women because they want to be that face on the cover of beauty magazines. Those people, some nameless faces -- to me, are worthless because they do not have that alluring aura of self-confidence, anymore. They are lost in the sea of worldy desires, and it just doesn't feel right...

 

[dust601]

I'm not realigious in least but i agree with alot of what you said, there forcing these differant beliefs of beuty on us quite simply cuz they can make money off of it, they can't make money off of teen girls being themsevels, they make money offa teen girls who feel need to look all "glamed" up. I'm hardly noble enuff to say i don't find supermodels to be attractive though, but i don't limit what i find beauty to that on tv. I look at people and i can instantly decide if i find them to be a nice looking object or not without referring to 20 diff magazines on what i should think is.

 

[ST]

I also agree with bam, beauty is just a perception created by radio,music videos,tv,internet,magazines.Beauty perception is pretty much everywhere if you think about it.That's whats sad, beauty-in my opinion-is only in the "eye of the beholder" meaning that beauty is only what you think it is.Everyone is beautiful in their own special, way someone may have a ton of acne but look down right sexy when you look at everything else.Beauty in my opinion was never meant to be, it's completely fasle.

 

[~Canuck~]

Heh beauty was just another idea brought to social acceptance to benefit those whom it supported.

I of course am referring to the whole idea that beauty is what society says it is.

 

[ORC-r0x0r-ROC]

Originally posted by ST-ST-ST
I also agree with bam, beauty is just a perception created by radio,music videos,tv,internet,magazines.Beauty perception is pretty much everywhere if you think about it.That's whats sad, beauty-in my opinion-is only in the "eye of the beholder" meaning that beauty is only what you think it is.Everyone is beautiful in their own special, way someone may have a ton of acne but look down right sexy when you look at everything else.Beauty in my opinion was never meant to be, it's completely fasle.

Jesus, this perception was created long before any of these inventions that you mentioned. How can anyone really argue against this? Don't we all get turned on by attractive women? I would'nt class someone with lots of acne beautiful even if they are the most inteligent lifeform in thew universe and/or they have the best personality. I would say that they are very smart or they have a very nice personality, not beautiful, its only recently that we have had the definition of beauty changed. People have judged beauty by the looks for a very, very long time. Now people can make money of it, why bother trying to stop it, it is'nt really hurting anyone, at least directly. Your version of real beauty is'nt more real than the outside looks, there is a reason hormones get set off when you see someone that looks good. Its so your children are.. well "better". The whole point of this is to perfect the human race, why mess with it.

 

[Induhvidual_1]

Beauty is probably only in part perception.

I truly believe that beauty is determined by whatever sexual drives. The norm is some attractive woman. is an attractive woman (or) guy. Therefore, if I say that looks nice...and if I'm not deranged... most people would find some sort of beauty in it as well.

Just like how the norm is with heterosexuals. Most are heterosexual. Most will agree with what looks nice and what doesn't but there are those who would disagree (return to the analogy with the homosexuals).

 

[bamthedoc]

I'm not saying that "attractive" has not been similar through-out the years, but the perception of it has changed to the point of needing to spend thousands, if not millions, to change one's looks to suite society. I've recently seen a study that observes how people react to the smell of sweet on the beach.

They had men and women of different "attraction levels" prespire for a long time. They then had people of the opposite sex smell the clothing prespired into (sick yet?). What they found is that the opposite sex liked the "smell" of the most aestetically pleasing individuals more than the others. They also found that those who had plastic surgery smelled "worse" than those who excorcised and ate right. Odd, huh?

 

[VegetaClam]

There was this girl, who I didn't find pretty at all. She ended up getting naked and on top of me. I recall looking up at her at that moment thinking she is the most attractive woman, I've ever seen.
My dear point is that what a girl does or can do, is what makes her hot. Don't worry about girls in mags, they are all played out.

-VC

 

[ST]

Like I said before I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder.For those of you who are "special" this means that someone can be ugly or beautiful.It's what you think that matters.

 

[Ciphus]

I agree with ST. You can't tell exactly what beauty is because it differs from person to person. I may look at a girl and think she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, and you can look at her and see trash. Also, how the girl acts affects the way you perceive her. If she acts exactly how you wouldn't want her to, she suddenly becomes less attractive.

 

[The7thCircuit]

P.I.M.P

Humans, as individual as each of us is, are much more similar than different. I agree with the fact that some of the concepts of attraction are socially/religiously based . Yet our genetics makes the most difference in our internal definitions of beauty, which has been developed by mating for millions of years. An entire system for both men and women has been internalized since we were born with what to essentially look for in potential mates. Women have been found to understand body language TEN TIMES better than men, and when it comes to the game of romance it's thought that words make up only 7% of the TOTAL communication between people (means theres ALLOT more going on here)

But enough Biology jibba jabba, only brings the topic to what's called "The First Rule Of Attraction"

"The first rule of attraction is that attraction isn't a choice"

For those interested more in these 'systems' (and more specifically how to use them to your advantage) please refer to any writing by David DeAngelo, good stuff.

But this doesn't mean we can't still have control of our urges just because we have them, just takes mindfulness. For anyone interested in this aspect look into anything buddhistic, Buddhist Tantra is a bit of an extreme when considered by some, but it's called one of the fastest paths to mental liberation...

But either way, to each his own, first gotta know what it is you want before going for it....

"How ya gonna be the don, without bein the don!?" - Don 'Magic' Juan

 

[Gedrin]

I find some of the supermodels attractive. However once they get too thin it becomes a turnoff. In fact it seems that we percieve a person as attractive or unnatrative based on a set of perceptions that we pick up as we go along in life.

There are certain non-physical things that make a peson either more or less attractive. I'll make a short list that I will lengthen later for examples of these attributes. There are a few physical things too in the list.
1. Smoker vs. Non-smoker
2. Bitch vs. Nice
3. Whore vs. Not whore
4. Crude vs. Innocent
5. Dimwitted vs. Intellegent
6. Sense of humor (what kind)
7. What they wear (I suppose could be considered physical)
8. More to be added later
9. Tan vs. Fair skinned
10. Thin vs. not thin

 

[Jaden]

hmmm well i think there is definately beauty... it is subjective though. I think that magazines are trying to an extent to find girls who are more normal... i mean here all the teen girl magaiznes have modeling competitions for the "face of blah blah blah" and usually choose quite normal looking girls (this sin't to say they aren't beautiful)... personally i think guy will always be attracted to or fantasize (sp) about the really hot half naked chic on the cover of ralph.. but also hopefully he realises that there is much more to beauty.. and to women than that. i do feel the pressure of magazines or whatever. but it is more than that. it is everything. just social opinion.. you could never change it or escape it. i think often the pressure it put on girls by themselves.. most guys i know don't hold the same opinions as magazines or tv about what "thin" or waht "beauty" is

 

[VegetaClam]

Youth and Health are signs of beauty, no matter where you go or who you are.

-VC

 

[Jenny]

I look at covers of magazines and see beautiful women and feel no real pressure to be like them. I've accepted the fact that I am me and they are them.

I also believe that Beauty is opinionated, different to everybody everywhere. Really the pressure that female youth feel is more or less due to self esteem and alot of time how boys/men treat them. I also agree with Jaden..Most likely you see a guy and he's going to be fantasizing to some half naked or naked celebrity or playboy playmate, etc. However there's a certain love that can't be formed between the man and their fantasy woman but only between two face to face lovers. The fantasy girls like Britney Spears are clearly lust and nothing more.

Summarized- Beauty is opinion