Ken Hurley
I’m tired of all the nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That’s deep enough. What do you want — an adorable pancreas? – Jean Kerr
Oh, Helen of Troy — if only your ship launched a thousand faces like yours.
To chat about beauty is like asking, “What does it mean to be human?” Different perspectives give you differences. And, for me it is the differences that often create beauty. What‽ Beauty? How do we get it? And if we do, can we keep it? These thoughts have been with us long before people began tattooing their eyebrows. Beauty in all forms is an enticing lure that has launched fleets, inspired symphonies, prompted philosophical debates, driven scientific inquiry, and changed the world.
Yet, despite its omnipresence in our lives, beauty remains remarkably difficult to define. There is an ancient Greek proverb that says, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” True. However, sometimes the beholder needs new glasses. What one finds alluring, another might find entirely unremarkable. To relegate beauty entirely to individual preference is to ignore the deep, universal patterns that govern our attraction to certain forms, ideas, and behaviors.
Let’s strip beauty of its mystical aura and examine it as a deeply ingrained biological imperative. Oh yes, lots of biology in beauty. Then, we might see that beauty is not merely a superficial preference but a crucial cultural evolutionary adaptation designed to ensure the propagation of humans. Biology! I suspect there are physical traits that are identified as beautiful across a variety of cultures. Typically, the universe likes symmetry. So do humans. Whether it’s a peacock’s plumage or the structure of a human face, I’ll wager they are universally recognized by a majority of human brains as aesthetically pleasing. Hey, even the human brain has symmetry! Symmetry is an indicator of genetic health and developmental stability. It signals to potential mates that an organism has successfully resisted disease and environmental stress during its development. Yay symmetry. Features such as clear skin, bright eyes, a nose in the right place, and specific waist-to-hip ratios are interpreted by our primal instincts as markers of youth, vitality, and fertility. During the ongoing Darwinian evolution, physical beauty is essentially a biological billboard advertising reproductive fitness.
Beauty extends far beyond mere mate selection. Somewhere, some scientists are trying to understand how the brain processes beautiful stimuli. Science, a beautiful thing, right? Will they prove the tried-and-true adage that our appreciation for beauty is “hard wired”? When humans observe a beautiful painting, listen to a moving piece of music, or even contemplate an elegant mathematical equation, (Sure! Math can be elegant.) researchers have observed a surge of blood flow to many parts of the body, especially, the medial orbitofrontal cortex — the area of the brain associated with reward and pleasure. This release of dopamine suggests that we are biologically rewarded for seeking out and appreciating aesthetically pleasing things. Epicurean was onto something.
I suppose we can find a sense of beauty in the fundamental laws of the universe as we know them. Beauty is often synonymous with elegance, simplicity, and scientific truth. For example, you probably have heard of a mathematical proportion known as the “Golden Ratio.” We see it applied in the spirals of galaxies, the arrangement of leaves on a stem, and the architecture of the Parthenon. See! Math can be elegant. Perhaps, beauty is the harmonious order underlying the chaos of the universe.
Do you remember having to read the English romantic poet, John Keats? His “Ode on a Grecian Urn” with the lines: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty / that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” Mr. Keats, that is quite a conclusion. Truth is beauty and beauty is truth. That’s all folks. While Woody Allen concluded, “Beauty is Edna playing the saxophone.” For Keats and many of his contemporaries, beauty was not merely an aesthetic quality but an ontological reality. It was found in the authenticity of human emotion and the enduring power of art. Hmm . . . is beauty power too?
Here’s some more beauty popularized by those raucous romantics that includes the power of nature, terror, and awe, commonly known as the sublime. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the majestic, icy desolation of the Swiss Alps provided a sublime backdrop that mirrors the isolation and tragic beauty of the creature’s existence. Here, beauty is not safe or comforting. It is vast and dangerous, yet deeply moving.
Then there’s that Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, who offered a more redemptive, spiritual interpretation of beauty in his novel, The Idiot. (No relation.) The character Myshkin declares that “beauty will save the world.” And if that’s true, we sure could use some more beauty right now. Dostoevsky was not referring to cosmetic attractiveness, but rather to a spiritual and moral beauty — an empathy, innocence, and capacity for love that contrasts with the corruption of society.
The many interpretations of beauty are actively constructed, deconstructed, enforced, and dismantled by humans. Beauty dismantled — look at the East Wing. The concept of beauty often undergoes radical public metamorphosis, driven by social movements, digital technology, and maniacal leaders, and often creates a greater inclusivity.
The dominant cultural narrative of beauty in America has been narrowly defined, which often prioritizes youth, thinness, hair color, and fit bodies. This standard was largely dictated by the fashion industry, Hollywood, and the makeup industry. All reinforced by media advertisements. Of course, you can’t have trends without counter-trends. Wouldn’t be proper. The Body Positivity and Body Neutrality movements have gained massive traction. As they should. They challenge the notion that beauty is inextricably linked to a specific size or shape. The plus-size, transgender, and disabled models on the runways of major fashion weeks proves the point that aesthetic value is not the exclusive domain of a privileged few.
But then enter technology, again. Do you like those face filters on Zoom that can hide blemishes? Instagram and TikTok have hyper-curated, algorithmic beauty by their use of reality face filters. The “Instagram Face” — a homogenized, mathematically perfect aesthetic featuring poreless skin, enlarged eyes, and plumped lips. You can do it too! If your lips are too plump now, they can be digitally deplumped. This phenomenon has sparked widespread concern among those who scoff. “Pfft!” It creates an unattainable standard of beauty that has been linked to rising rates of body dysmorphia and anxiety, particularly among youth. The tension between the push for authentic, diverse representation, and the pull of algorithmically perfected, homogenized beauty is one of the defining cultural conflicts created by humans who can and prefer to digitally create a new version of themselves during their face time on social media.
Beauty can also be found during global crises. As climate change looms, there is a renewed appreciation for the fragile beauty of the natural world. As wars dominate our headlines, peaceful protest is a thing of beauty. In the face of geopolitical conflict and social injustice, we increasingly identify beauty as acts of human solidarity, kindness, and courage.
Here’s a partial list of things that I find have beauty (corny as it may be): Corn, and all good food; The sunrise, preferred over sunsets; Babies and children, their innocence; The elderly, a life well lived; Works of art, human creativity; Flowers, especially lavender, lilacs, and roses; Music that evokes deep emotion or makes you want to dance; Smiles, a universal human expression that connects and uplifts; Authentic emotions, especially gratitude, empathy, and joy; The sky, day or night, it’s a forever changing pallette; Sensory experiences that evoke good memories; Escapism, a good book, good movie, and travel; The human form; Water, rapids, waterfalls, rain (water is also my favorite drink); Functionally useful simple designs; Effective communication; Mountains and beaches; Cities with great architecture and culture; Coral reefs; Awe; Humor; Success; Learning; A well-placed comma; And finally, Good hugs, affection, and connection.
Your turn.
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