It is said that attractiveness is based on symmetry and averageness. The averageness characteristic poses the argument that attractiveness must emerge as a result of experience. One definition of experience is the events that make up the conscious past of a community or nation or humankind generally. I think through years of “experience” that media and the society we live in today has distorted our perception of what true beauty is and what makes one attractive.
Way back when, large women (who today would be seen as obese) were seen as very attractive. Today everyone wants to be “model skinny” because that is what the media has portrayed as attractive. This new desire to be stick thin bears problems of bulimia, anorexia, etc. People seem to be going to extremes to match what our society has now deemed “average.” For instance, plastic surgery, implants, gastric bypass surgery, etc. have all become increasingly popular throughout the years.
Why do you think that our perception of beauty/attractiveness has changed over the years? Do you agree that the media and society are big factors causing this change?
Another interesting outlook I encourage you to explore is that our outlook on attractiveness does not only differ across time, but it differs across cultures too. For instance, in America we perceive tan skin as beauty. People will layout for hours under the sun or even pay to get the bronze skin color they desire. However, in China they perceive pale skin as beauty. In China your skin color is attributed to your profession (ex: if you have tan skin you must work in the fields or do intense labor). Can you think of other differences in perception of beauty across cultures?
By: Emily Maxwell
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