Beauty Analysis

PERSONAL PREFERENCE

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 // 3:47 PM

People are always quick to point out about the topic of beauty that it is subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, everyone's views are different from the next. And, for the most part, that is true. However, there is a bit more to it than that.

When we are born, although it is in our genes to like a certain look [golden ratio], we aren't born with the intent of preferring larger lips than those that fit the golden ratio mask. We aren't born with the intent to like blue eyes, or an olive skin tone. Where do we get those "extra" ideas of what is physically attractive? Does it have to do with the way we are raised? What we're surrounded by? What our friends and family look like? What we look like?

Maybe it's a mixture of all of those reasons.
The way we grow up can greatly affect what we define as beauty. We may see something we like now, and associate it to something lovable in the past.

For example, you might have been very close with your mother when you grew up. You told her everything, she was always there for you, etc. But, she also happened to have blue eyes. They were your favorite aspect of her, so now as you're older, one of your favorite features on a person is their blues eyes for they make you think of happy memories and such.

Also, when people have a certain feature themselves, they tend to be more lenient towards others who have that feature. Even if they personally don't like it, it's almost a tactic to make a person feel better about themselves. If someone has a large nose, they will like others who have a large nose as well. Or at least if they do not like their large nose, they will at least be a bit more lenient to someone who has a large nose when they "judge" the person's physical appearance.

Then there are some people where you just don't know why their view of beauty matches nowhere to the standards set by society, their past, or even their present. For example, there are men referred to as "chubby chasers" who prefer larger women. This is not shown in the media or preferred by the majority of society. Possibly some men may have had larger women in their past, but many do not. Why they think the way they do, no one truly knows. Not even them.

But, where personal preference truly lies is unknown. The way one is raised, what surrounds them, all affect how one manipulates their views. Personal preference is like a clean slate; more is added as more information is gained and more opinions are formed. Families, friends, media, and society all play a part as to one's personal tastes.