What Makes A Person Beautiful?

[tealady]

Check out this website about a German study done to try to answer this question and tell us what you think:

http://www.uni-regensburg.de/Fakultaeten/p...glish/index.htm

They've even figured out what gives Kate Moss her special appeal.

[StellaStarr]

cool i saw a tv show on TLC and they talked about the human face....and you can even send in a scanned pic to see how symmetrical your face is. I think its pretty cool stuff.

The human face mask

^^
Just click on the face mask "golden ratio" and then theres a bunch more about the face.

[HBoogie]

Hmmm. It's always a problem for me when scientists try to apply a formula to something that is inherently subjective. When I look at their computer generated ideally attractive female face, for instance, I think that this face, while ostensibly pretty, is really kind of generic:



It also bothers me that they use only Caucasian faces to come up with this universal ideal of beauty. Studies or experiments like this often seem to be re-inforcing long-standing prejudices against people with ethnic features, and that is, I think, a dangerous thing.

[tealady]

It is subjective and their methodology demonstrates that, in that they asked 500 people to rate a group of photographs of people as attractive or unattractive. Based on those results, they morphed photos to see if they could manipulate and define the subjective criteria people were using to make their ratings. I think the Caucasian emphasis is because the study was based in Germany.

I thought the babyfaceness aspect was very interesting.

[Erin]

Wow, very interesting...have read stuff on this before.

However, it's kind of upsetting that they've found the ideal characteristics of beauty. Where's all the mystery now? And what if you're not born "beautiful"? Then this study is a direct slam. A good way to put down somebody's esteem if they're deemed to "lowly attractive."

Hmm....

[tealady]

I think they make a very good point that the more we see manipulated images (airbrushing, morphing, etc.) in the media, the more we will all feel inadequate.

Did you see the section on the Ideal Miss Germany? And don't those Miss Germany contestants look scary without make-up!!!

[Alejandro]

That sucks! for me, everyone has good looks, some just dont know where did they put it....

[shajopri]

I really hate the racist beauty standards. Not only is there a lot of Caucasian preference, but many ppl think that mixed ppl are the prettiest -- that's unfair. Beauty has nothing to do with race. There are stunning ppl of one race and stunning ppl of ten races. It seriously bothers me when a magazine a magazine (I think it was Elle) prints an article on why mixed people are scientifically prettier than others. It also bothers me when interracial couples say that not only does marriage between the races lead to peace, but prettier babies. Then again, it bothers me when cosmetics companies teach Asians to apply eyeshadow to create the appearance of a crease. We have to get to the point as a society where we realize, black as the night, pale as a star, five races, biracial, Native American whatever -- beauty has nothing to do with race.

[mxtine]

I know I have my own ideas of who is beautiful and who is not, but I would not be able to explain it.

[Seamless]

I don't think you have to be typically beauiful anymore, people are sick of seeing perfect faces.

[Lena]

Originally posted by Seamless@Nov 2nd, 2003 - 10:27 pm
I don't think you have to be typically beauiful anymore, people are sick of seeing perfect faces.

so true

i like 'beatiful' but i prefer 'stylish'
some of the most striking people are not beautiful
in a strict sense, they just know how to 'curry' themselves
it takes more than typical beauty to create an 'atmosphere'
around you

great topic tea*

[Spacemiu]

Originally posted by Lena+Nov 2nd, 2003 - 1:31 pm--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lena @ Nov 2nd, 2003 - 1:31 pm)</div><div class='quotemain'> <!--QuoteBegin-Seamless@Nov 2nd, 2003 - 10:27 pm
I don't think you have to be typically beauiful anymore, people are sick of seeing perfect faces.

so true

i like 'beatiful' but i prefer 'stylish'
some of the most striking people are not beautiful
in a strict sense, they just know how to 'curry' themselves
it takes more than typical beauty to create an 'atmosphere'
around you

great topic tea* [/b][/quote]
very true!

[leyla m.]

2 things that i have noticed make a person beautiful/more attractive:

1) CONFIDENCE
2) SELF RESPECT

[Lena]

Originally posted by leyla m.@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 12:57 am
2 things that i have noticed make a person beautiful/more attractive:

1) CONFIDENCE
2) SELF RESPECT

those and personality too
not looking as an editorial page or
like 'everyone' else is very important in my book

[asta]

i really believe that personality really defines a person's beauty.