The Definition of Beauty

This is a very interesting post that makes sense. Recently me and an Asian co-worker were comparing what girls we thought were attractive. He pointed at petite Asian girls and I leaned more towards Caucasian girls. It is not because either of us was in some way racist, but instead it was what we valued in natural beauty because of our culture.

I agree, this post is very interesting and well-written. I think it's interesting to see the different beauty standards across the globe, but also the common characteristics. It does seem that men value physical attractiveness and women place more importance on financial security. I wouldn't be surprised if smooth, young looking skin was desirable in all cultures. In class, we talked about the "average" face and the concept of facial symmetry- I wonder if the beauty practices of every culture value or try to achieve this.

I too think this is interesting, and it makes me laugh because I am one of those who insists on being tan, but in another country, my paleness would be considered attractive...it's funny how tastes vary with culture.

It is really interesting how the concept of how beauty is defined can very so greatly from culture to culture. Also, the differences in what men and women find important is very interesting as well.

I've never seen this show(if it is), but it seems really interesting. I was just talking about this with my boyfriend the other day. In Asian countries, they value very pale and white skinned women. I think because it represents virginity, purity, and innocence. Oddly, in Westernized cultures, women want to be tan. Despite the many possible consequences (skin cancer) women are constantly putting themselves in tanning beds.

I also agree that women do look for me with more financial resources (not that we're golddiggers), we just need someone who can support us if need be. Men, on the other hand, care more about the superficial things.

I find it interesting in New Zealand that men get tattoos to signify their wealth. In the US, tattoos are usually a sign of rebellion and a "rock'n'roll" side, that doesn't necessarily allude to money, so I think that these two cultures are polar-opposites in that sense. It would be interesting to do a more in-depth study about the general consensus of beauty in both men and women across cultures (youth, beauty, wrinkle-free, skin-tone, etc.)

I was sitting in the nail salon the other day when the vietnamese woman said "you dark" meaning I tanned a lot, and she asked why do americans like to be dark or go tanning. i told her that it made me feel good and look better with a little glow to my skin. And she began to tell me that in Vietnam they belive and want to be as (light or white) as they can possibly be. they even like to bleach their skin. They see it as being more beautiful than ever. So it is miraculous how beauty is defined from culture to culture, and they ways we as humans go about to be beautiful.

The definition of beauty is no easy task, and I believe has no single answer. But I believe we can bring it all back to evolution. As you said, men are focused on physical appearance. This is because he wants his genes to be passed on, and if the offspring are physically attractive, the chances of that are higher. The females on the other hand are looking for a man to provide support and comfort, which is why men flaunt their wealth. You created a very thought provoking post!

Interesting that your discoveries seem to hold true to the saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." But also in the textbook it describes how the more "average" a face looks the more attractive they are to people. Also that symmetry plays a role in how we perceive people as more or less attractive. I have also heard that there is a "science" to how attractive one is. The cultural difference is also a role player as I and my friends have very different taste in women. I am more attracted to women of color while they are more leaning to those who are Caucasian or more fair of skin. I am biracial mixed with black and white and my specific friend I am speaking friend is Caucasian. It is a very interesting subject.

Haha, you are absolutely right, and moreover, I think men in all cultures pay attentions on women's physical attractiveness, especially on appearances. The only difference is their vaule of beauty might be slightly different. The diverse of sense of beauty all over the world.

This is a very interesting topic because cultures have such a different view on what beauty truly is. Some believe that having a longer neck makes a woman more attractive and some believe that it is the averageness of the face. Personally, I don't think a longer neck makes a woman more attractive but rather a more average darker face.

This topic actually relates to a situation I encountered today! My friend and I were out in the sun and she talked about how she did not want to tan. I asked her why. She is from Thailand and they do not find tan skin to be beautiful. This is different to me because I feel tan skin is considered beautiful here in America.

Beauty is always such a controversial topic, and I've always thought it was interesting how across different cultures 'beauty standards' vary so much. I do think that women can rely heavily on superficial looks, but can they really be blamed when learning that me are more attracted to physical looks? Also, when men complain about how women only care about money, it is funny to think that they have no problems with how much they rely on a woman's looks to be attracted. It is just an interesting trade off to be aware of.