What is the definition of beauty?

What does beauty mean to you? What ends the definition of beauty? Who decided beauty was this? What are your views on society's vision of beauty. Anything and everything you think of about beauty.

"In the eye of the beholder"

As everyone know, beauty means different things to different people, so you can’t really have a universal definition of what is beautiful and what is not.

BUT you can try to figure out why people find something beautiful, and use that as a definition.

I believe that “beauty” is strongly tied in with emotions. A scene is often beautiful if it is fresh, calming, awe-inspiring, (IE, a large object, such as a mountain, or a very complicated object, such as an intricate sculpture)
A person is usually beautiful to someone for the same reasons, or if the beholder has deep feelings for them. (Keep in mind; this is BEAUTY, not sexual attraction - although they sometimes go together)
Also, beauty can (usually – except in above cases) only be something that is uncommon to the viewer:
Beautiful things are usually things outside the norm. You will be more likely to stop and notice something if it’s exotic to you – it’s unknown and mysterious; you give it the name “beautiful”, because it evokes feelings in you.
Something seen at a different angle, or in a different light can be suddenly beautiful, because it’s turned into something different from what it was.

Beauty in modern society follows these guidelines fairly closely, as long as you remember that when dealing with human beauty, you must separate sexual attraction from the beauty. “Sexy”, “Hot” – these are not beautiful. They are arousing, and may evoke emotions in the beholder the same as beauty, however it is drastically different in nature and result.

I often wonder if we are the only species on Earth who sees and appreciates beauty – if it is only a thing a “higher” mind can conceive. It would appear so, but that could just be a prideful human mind talking.
If other species on Earth see and understand beauty, then that would also mean they have emotions similar to out own, which would have a drastic effect on how we treat them.
Interesting point, if somewhat tangential.
75% Voted for by MindsAbyss, nanoinfinity, thecornerofacircle.
Add a comment Hide Comments
Please login or register to comment.
Registration is required because of issues with spam. It is fast and free! This author would LOVE to get a comment from you, please join!
- right now
  
  Adding your comment:
Please register or login to comment! It's totally free
right now

Adding your reply:
Your Comment:

My beauty remark

One day in my Humanities class, we were discussing asthetic and what beauty meant to us or what we thought beauty was. Out of nowhere I just raise my hand and say, " I think beauty is the one word description of the temporary feeling of overwhelmed intrigue." Because when we look at something and we think it is beautiful, we are intrigued by the way it looks and just can't think of any other word that would describe it. Also, I say it is temporary because when we think something or someone is beautiful we may (and it has happened) later say "what was I thinking?" We no longer view it or them as beautiful.

I am very tired of fashion and their say in asthetics. To this society to be beautiful is to be a tan blonde skeleton. And to be popular, we must be....well, sluts and do drugs and drink alcohol. I am not the skinniest person and I have a figure. It is so upsetting for me to go shopping b/c i can not find a bathing suit and fit into the barbie doll size clothes. So, i can not be that fashionable..then I get made fun of. I don't really care about that but other girls do...and that's why they starve themselves and slowly kill themselves. That is also why families are running out of money to pay their bills. They are spending all their money on fashionable clothes for their children to be happy and they spend their mony on the overpriced gas to get those overpriced clothes. Every few months or so, fashion will change and there goes another few hundred dollars, and a few broken spirits and homes.

Well, I'm just gonna stop there and let others have their say.

Voted for by alandriel1138.

View 2 comments

right now

Adding your comment:
Weydon
July 19, 2007
Edit | Reply

That's pretty interesting, but certain things keep staying beautiful in people's eyes.

I personally prefer brunettes, but don't hold anything against blonds because of their popularity in society. I also like girls of various figures, but see nothing wrong with staying fit and healthy. Anorexia is a sad disorder, but not all skinny people starve themselves. Some have fast metabolism, some watch their calories and work hard for their body, so it is unfair to dislike them.

"Sluts" are usually only briefly popular, though those that didn't get them yet may be more likely to try and sleep with them. But if you're not after casual sexual encounters, it's not the "popularity" you'd want anyway.

Drugs and alcohol don't make popularity. It may throw you into more social circles as it's a very simple "thing in common" I suppose. But I know plenty of people who drink and do drugs that I, and many others, do NOT want to be around. And, most drinkers really don't care if people don't drink. We're out to have a good time, if you want to drink with us--awesome. If you want to hang out with us and not drink, that's great too. I have a decent handful of friends and family that rarely drink or anything and we all get along great. The only time a non-drinker is a problem is when they look down on everyone else for being so feeble-minded.
eighteight
July 21, 2007
Edit | Reply

Beauty = Order
for a person's looks, beauty means having regular features evenly spaced out with certain mathematical proportions (Leonardo DiVinci calculated the number that proportion is based upon).