The Importance of Beauty
Beauty is widely defined as an aesthetic characteristic of objects which makes these objects appealing to perceive. These objects include sunsets, landscapes, humans and artistic works of art. Beauty, along with beauty and art, is the most significant topic of aesthetics, among the major branches of aesthetic philosophy. The word ‘giene’ has various interpretations and it means ‘appearance’ and ‘health’.
Aestheticianrist philosophy describes beauty in terms of proportion and harmony. It also defines beauty as the proportion between things perceived and things actually measured, i.e. ‘appears’, ‘shape’ or ‘size’. Beauty is thus the ratio of contrary elements, like sharp edges, smooth surfaces and rough skins.
The contemporary definition of beautiful people has evolved from the works of Picasso to the work of Wimayne in the Twenties and the Nudes in the Art Nouveau period. In the United States, the term ‘beauty’ was used before television, cinema or literature. But beauty was often demonstrated in everyday life through the forms of clothing, makeup, architecture, fashion, interior design, sculpture and decorative art. Beauty is now considered an end point in aesthetic research, rather than a starting point. Many social scientists argue that beauty and attractiveness are socially constructed and are not innate, thus the need to define beauty is not inherent in nature.
People’s explanations for being beautiful varies greatly. Some may say it is their physical features, physical attractiveness is the result of genetic lottery. Others claim that beauty is determined by cultural norms, and that beauty is seen in the media and in advertising. Some even say beauty is a mind-set, a mental state that can be altered by alterations to one’s appearance and/or clothing or cosmetics.
Some argue that beauty is only something that is seen in the eye of the beholder. Aesthetics professor Bernard Kamin founded the theory of metonymy, which says that beauty is subjective and is not dependent on physical differences. For example, a beautiful woman does not have to be thin, as beauty is relative to one’s standards of beauty. Similarly, a beautiful boy or a pretty woman does not necessarily possess the same aesthetic value across cultures. Aesthetics professor John Locke argued against the importance of beauty, contending that all beauty is merely the product of imagination.
According to some social media users, beauty has been subject to much ridicule and criticism in the past decade or so. Social networking websites have allowed people to express themselves via pictures and videos, thus exposing them to a world of beauty parodies. Celebrities have also made it big with their appearance in beauty parodies. Beauty has become something of a ratings game on TV, with the best looking stars being rated lower than the worst. This is what makes beauty important to both men and women, and why beauty continues to be linked with high self esteem and confidence for everyone.