Appearances are everything

[dong]

Next reminder question: What are the cultural underpinnings of the aesthetics of attractiveness?

 

[hokeshel]

Next reminder question: What are the cultural underpinnings of the aesthetics of attractiveness?

Clearly, we are still missing your question. Are you asking what causes a certain culture to to assign specific definitions of beauty, what keeps us bound to that definition? Am I getting warmer?

 

[dong]

Oh no no no no no, you're not missing anything at all. This is one of the few times I have been deliberately vague in order to generate what I find a very interesting and often informative discussion.

So, by all means, carry on! And...feel free to answer that paraphrase if you will.

 

[hokeshel]

Oh, ok. Sorry, I misunderstood. I think it is a very interesting topic with a lot of subtopics.

 

[mtatum4496]

I guess one thing to acknowledge is that what is considered attractive in one culture and time may be considered unhealthy in another. The first thing that comes to mind is how for centuries in Euro-centric cultures a little extra weight and lily white skin were considered desirable - both meant you did not have to labor with your hands and that you had enough money to buy plenty of food.

Of course, when I was growing up, being tan and thin was considerd the height of desirability.

 

[tater03]

I knew a girl in highschool that all the boys thought was "Hot", including my boyfriend. Well she spent the night one night at my house and the next morning when my boyfriend showed up and this girl was without her makeup on and her hair done she did not remotely look like the girl he thought was so "hot". I am not saying she was ugly at all but I will go so far to say that her skin under that makeup was terrible. I don't know if it was because she used so much makeup and that was why her skin was that way or what. But for some reason that has stuck in my head over the years.

 

[hokeshel]

This thought just popped into my head--why is a man that likes overweight woman considered strange and referred to as a "chubby-chaser" whereas a man who likes underweight women is not considered strange and does not gain a nickname?

 

[dong]

Easy: normative values. Despite trends for actual weight (on an absolute basis) increasing overall in some nations, in those same nations the values are trending towards being lighter- this should be pretty obvious as the current affairs and lifestyle media sectors have been blaring it out for a coupla years now.

Thus a chubby-chaser is considered strange as he will appear to have values that are deviant from the norm, and thus abnormal.

 

[hokeshel]

But how did we get here? When did we become more concerned about looks than health? I think there is definately a prejudice toward overweight people, particularly women. Lets face it, someone 50 lbs underweight is goign to die a lot sooner than someone 50 lbs overweight. But, at what point did we turn from beauty preferences to endangering our lives to look good? Humans are a silly animal.

 

[dong]

That's a good question you ask, and we'd have to thumb through the history to find out exactly. But I think I know the related factors- think improvement in health standards allowing us to think more of things other than our health (dangerous beauty practices were around since the Egyptians and romans...lead poisoning was well documented by historians of the time). Also, I point the finger at popular culture and the idolising habits of secularism for exacerbating the warped aesthetics of a modern society.

I'm now reminded of the plus-size model boom.

 

[mtatum4496]

I think we have to keep in mind that technology since the dawn of the 20th century has allowed for mass marketing of ideas - especially standards of beauty - that simply were not possible in times past. How many young girls in the twenties wanted to look like Jean Harlow? How many men wanted to look as suave as Rudolph Valentino? The trend toward comparing ourselves to public figures escalated then and continues to this day.

I don't suppose there is a way to stop ourselves from comparing our assets to those of someone who is supposed to be the standard of feminime beauty or masculine handsomeness, but perhaps if we recognize it for what it is, we can minimize its impact on our lives.

 

[mamab]

You know, hokeshel, you're right. Who really cares anyway?

I guess if you're a child predator who just got caught with what you thought was a 14yo who turned out to be 28, that might be a big deal. But if a person wants to dress up to look younger, or better, what's the difference?

 

[dong]

Speaking of children and looking an age you're not, you do know the trend that kids are getting into the whole body image and dolling up younger and younger right? What does everybody think of that?

 

[mtatum4496]

I think that is is a big mistake to allow kids to "adult" themselves up so young. We are participating in the theft of their childhood - something they will never be able to get back. I shudder to think how this will impact the mindset of the next two or three generations, even if there was a way to put a stop to it right this minute.

 

[hokeshel]

Speaking of children and looking an age you're not, you do know the trend that kids are getting into the whole body image and dolling up younger and younger right? What does everybody think of that?

It hurts brain and it hurts my heart a little and quite frankly, I just can't even find the words, rare for me.