What is beauty?

[Netbattler11]

My sociology class is doing a project on beauty. Namely, get the reactions of lots of different people. I think on here is as good as any to find lots of different demographics, so I'm posing the question to you guys. I plan to share this thread with my class, so don't post anything you don't want 15 high schoolers seeing. Anyway...

 

What is beauty?

[_CLOUD]

It's really cliche but beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. 

 

Hello Maw's class! *waves*  

[Songstress]

A quality that attracts - it doesn't necessarily have to be physical.

[LedZepMan]

Scenery that moves you. For me its the rugged nature of the rocky mountains

[Smiley73]

A quality that attracts - it doesn't necessarily have to be physical.

 

well, we're done here

 

[Aiel Heart]

Beauty is something which we find awing or inspiring, and moves our heart on a deep and emotional level.

 

I've found that in a lot of cases, we find beauty in things that we admire but lack. For example, I am bouncy and hyper. I find beauty in peaceful scenes, such as gentle sunsets, mountains and stars. My friend is a bit of a quiet person, and she likes bold patterns and flowers and very bright and vibrant scenes.

Likewise, when seeing beauty in other people, I feel like we often look for people who we think can make us better, who have some quality that we feel we lack but want to have

[Elan Sedai]

Beauty is simply a thrilling experience from one of your senses, often combined with a deep emotional feeling.

[dapianoplay3r]

Noun

A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, esp. the sight.

A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.

[Leyrann]

(...) I plan to share this thread with my class, so don't post anything you don't want 15 high schoolers seeing. Anyway...

 

(...)

 

Why are you taking all answers I would maybe give from me?

 

Also I guess we can't let this thread derail then?

[Talya]

I'll go with Cloud...It'sin the eye of the beholder, each person will have their own idea of what beauty is and how it affects them!

[Nikonis]

As has been said here a few times; Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Expanding upon that concept; one's perception of beauty also, generally speaking, changes with time. Many younger people, and some older ones, will tell you that beauty is what you look like or is only skin deep. While that may, in their eyes, be true most people, once grown into maturity, will be able to tell you that beauty is not only skin deep but also depends on what a person does and how they treat others. Just as with life the definition of beauty should be constantly evolving and deepening with age.

[Leyrann]

I've always seen beauty as something mainly coming from the inside... And I'm 16.

[Smiley73]

oh wow, I've just realised I might have something to add.

 

Matric room conversation have in a round-about way touched on this subject, quite specifically on what people find physically attractive - so more superficial than beauty but I think the idea is analogous to some extent. It really does depend on a whole lot of things, the idea of beauty. From what I've seen I think it's actually quite likely that people decide on their idea of beauty by adolescence and what they find beautiful is what they've been exposed to as beautiful.

 

In this way you might get some interesting case studies on trans-generation ideals of beauty, for example in an African culture an older generation may hold with the idea of a traditional women's body being beautiful while newer generations exposed to worldwide influences may have that changed.

 

I'm rather happy with how smart this post seems to sound

[Netbattler11]

Thanks to all those who participated. I will probably continue to use this site as a sociological testing ground because honestly its perfect for one.

[Talya]

I like a bit of testing...

[Leyrann]

Hmm... Are they still going to read it or can we already have fun with our crazyness, Maw?

[Netbattler11]

I showed it already. Don't know why you would hold back crazyness though.

[Leyrann]

Hmm... Now I forgot what crazy thing I wanted to say...