artemisia Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Physical beauty seems to be the result of random genetics, that is, something that happens without any effort or responsibility on your part. But it seems to attract overwhelming admiration and approval from other people. Most people are more bowled over by beauty than other attributes, like talent, personality, etc. Why do you think this is? Link to post Share on other sites
Scottthespy Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Scientists have done studies on this, and determined a few things. One idea is that its actually a side effect, and that what we're REALY interested in is celebrity and leader status. Monkeys tested in a lab would give up food items to look at pictures of their leaders, and scientists believe this drive is because the leaders got to be leaders for a reason, and there's a desire to be like them for survival's sake, since they obviously know how to thrive. Since OUR leaders and famous people are mostly "hollywood beautiful", there's a correlation in our brains between beauty and success, and now people who are beautiful are perceived to be successful due to that correlation. Another idea is that beauty is linked in our minds with health, and we all want to be healthy, and being around healthy people may help us to be healthy. Or maybe its just social conditioning...every one wants to be pretty but doesn't think of themselves as being pretty so you grow up thinking pretty people are special. Link to post Share on other sites
.,. Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 In my experience beautiful people tend to also be very good people. I always get along with them, the ones I think are beautiful, anyway. It's kind of a detector for finding people without much bitterness in them, and who'll be open and for whom insecurity won't get in the way. I realise all kinds of people can have these attributes, that makes me relax a lot in conversation, but the ratio seems higher with beautiful people. The best part, perhaps, is that they're very easy to have as friends. Low maintenance. As to pictures of beautiful people however, I don't think you can really tell from a picture or a video if someone's beautiful, I'll need to see them in 3D first. Hear their voices, and see how they move. Basically you can assume that they're well-functioning humans, and that their friendship purely will enrich your life, and in that way I don't have to feel insecure about where I got them on any given day. What attractive people is walking around being angry at the world? That's actually a stupid question, cause angry people can't be attractive, it doesn't combine. In my world at least. Oh, and there's a part about how human instincts are focused on reproducing, - and beautiful, relaxed people definitely signify good health with all their beings. Link to post Share on other sites
neoclasic Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Physical beauty seems to be the result of random genetics, that is, something that happens without any effort or responsibility on your part. But it seems to attract overwhelming admiration and approval from other people. Most people are more bowled over by beauty than other attributes, like talent, personality, etc. Why do you think this is? It is random in the sense you mention. However it isn't random when you consider two features: beauty and appreciation of such beauty. The second feature has coevoluted to match the physical beauty. Why do we need appreciate the beauty? Perhaps as Scottthespy said, the ability to recognize beauty leads to choose more healthy partners or to gain status in your group. The same conjecture may be proposed at a social level. Beauty has a powerful impact on individuals, and such power most than probably come coded in our genes and in our societies. Link to post Share on other sites
LocustTheLurker Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 OP, not to avoid answering your question, but I don't see beauty as much different from personality or talent on the basis that you specified (whether you have control over it). You attributed beauty wholly to nature (genetics). In my opinion, that's not the case. Genetics are part of it, but you can change your appearance (e.g., by gaining/losing weight (fat/muscle), by cutting/coloring/styling your hair, and by growing/shaving facial hair). Thus, I wouldn't say beauty requires no effort or responsibility on your part. Meanwhile, I think that personality and talent are partly out of your control, that they are determined to a certain extent by your genetics. Link to post Share on other sites
The_Halfmoon Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 people value talent more than anything. You just have to have an inmense amount of talent for anyone to care. Beauty is the easiest way to get respect, because nobody cares if you're the smartest guy in your school or the most talented musician in your small town but beauty is something that someone can look at and immediately get the benefit of aesthetic pleasure I love beauty in people and things, and don't see anything wrong in admiring beauty more than, for example, someone's skill as an above-average writer. And I generally don't think very highly of intelligence at all, so beauty is as good as anything. but world-class talent I respect above anything, as well as world class kindness by someone who doesn't HAVE to be kind Link to post Share on other sites
SorryNotSorry Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Physical beauty seems to be the result of random genetics, that is, something that happens without any effort or responsibility on your part. But it seems to attract overwhelming admiration and approval from other people. Most people are more bowled over by beauty than other attributes, like talent, personality, etc. Why do you think this is? Erm... because we generally perceive physical beauty before we get to know the person well enough to find out if they're nice or not? Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. I find certain traits visually appealing in women, yet plenty of other men consider those same traits grounds to actively avoid women who have them. Link to post Share on other sites
Skycaptain Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I'd agree with Woodworker1968. You can recognise aesthetic beauty and be attracted by it the moment you cast eyes on the person or object. But intellect and talent take more interaction to discover, in the same way that you would need to look at an inanimate object in fine detail to really appreciate the skill of its builder or creator. Link to post Share on other sites
Peachyy Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 It's not random at all, just like dog breeding is considered "artificial selection". There have been studies upon studies done to show that beautiful people have had a tendency to want to procreate with other beautiful people because beauty = health (it doesn't, not really. I think its more along the line of sexual people being attracted to a similar appearance when it comes to who they want to fuck). To be completely honest, I've not once actually believed what you said about people caring more for looks than personality. There's a huge culture that will tell you it's true, but it isn't. There's an old trend of film makers who doll up their villains to be outwardly unappealing, and it's that sort of stuff that will condition people to be more comfortable around beautiful people (aren't serial killers slightly attractive?) because of a misconception between the connection of appearance and personality, but I give more credit to people than to say they are unable to learn the difference upon further interaction. Caring more for appearance would mean that even after finding out a person was cruel/dangerous/a serial killer, the person who met them would disregard that new information simply because they had equally set eyes, white teeth, etc. Link to post Share on other sites
LocustTheLurker Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I'd agree with Woodworker1968. You can recognise aesthetic beauty and be attracted by it the moment you cast eyes on the person or object. But intellect and talent take more interaction to discover, in the same way that you would need to look at an inanimate object in fine detail to really appreciate the skill of its builder or creator. I disagree; I think both talent and beauty can be quickly appraised, although they are also both better appreciated after a more thorough inspection. Sometimes, I encounter someone with especially amazing writing skills (just to provide an example of a talent I am particularly fond of), and I'm immediately hooked after reading just a few words by them. But if I invest time in considering their stylistic choices and their effects, my appreciation and admiration for their craft can grow. Similarly, at first glance, someone can appear attractive, but if you examine their features carefully, noting details (e.g., the size/shape/placement of their birthmarks, the way their eyelashes fan out, the lines created by the tendons in their neck), your appreciation of their beauty might also increase. Link to post Share on other sites
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