What is Beauty?
When I was in eighth grade, I was on the debating team. My very first debate was on the topic: ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ I can remember that we won the debate, and I was the highest-scoring speaker, but for the life of me, I cannot remember whether we had to argue for the negative or affirmative team. But none of that really matters, as I’ve gone through adolescence, gone to university, had several serious relationships, and changed careers a few times, so my whole concept of beauty has been constantly shifting. But I thought that I would attempt a ‘high school debate-style’ argument on this very topic because I now see that it affects my clients, who often doubt their self-worth, think they’re ugly, or strive for manifestly manufactured ideals that are hardly attainable by any human being on this planet (and that is the way the evil marriage of social media and aesthetic-based commerce wants it).
I want to change these dangerous perceptions for people, even if it has to be one at a time. I will ‘do my bit’.
Beauty has been a shifting concept for many thousands of years, and the popular phrase ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ emphasises the subjective element of beauty. This suggests that beauty is a subjective perception that varies from person to person, rather than a measured or established property. Cultural influences have an impact on how people perceive beauty…
