Definition of Beauty

[Elleigh]

My grandma always used to tell me that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder'.  Recent come to the forefront of my mind, as occasionally I catch a glimpse of a Channel4 programme called something like 'The Beautiful Lair', where self appointed beautiful people compete against each other to be nominated the most beautiful.  I wouldn't call many of these people beautiful; although I would have to admit that I find many visually attractive.

For me beauty is more than appearance; beauty is encapsulated by a person's kindness to other, tolerance to differences, patience, sense of humour, and how they use their experiences in life.

So what is your definition of beauty?

[Polar Bear]

For me you have encapsulated it almost perfectly there Elleigh.   I don't believe that beauty is at all physical.  For me physical attraction is not beauty, it is somehting that I cannot really describe.

There is a lady that I deeply love.  She is no 'stunner' by any convention that our modern western media-hyped world chucks at us through the various channels, but she is a stunningly beautiful person.   

As a person ages and changes, if their inner beauty still shines through it will be apparent for all to see.

[Gus]

I'm with you here.

I see it  as two types of beauty, inner and outer.
You can look good, but have no inner beauty and the total opposite.

To bad the television only seems  to want physical attractiveness 

G

[alchemy]

"For me beauty is more than appearance; beauty is encapsulated by a person's kindness to other, tolerance to differences, patience, sense of humour, and how they use their experiences in life. "

This sums it up for me too. From the purely physical point of view, what I find most attractive is a certain innate style and elegance that shines through, no matter how the lady (from my male POV) looks, or what she wears. But it's just a tiny portion of the overall package.

Confidence, how someone treats and tolerates others etc is beauty, and far more important IMO.

Sorry, this isn't very eloquent, I hope you understand what I'm trying to say

[Elleigh]

OK so what one characteristic (physical or otherwise) do you find most beautiful about another person?

[Polar Bear]

Kindness, pure consideration for another.

[diapsaon0]

The light of love and joy of living in her face: someone who listens and cares for others.

[Really Ancien]

What is repulsive about the programme described is the objectification of personal attractiveness. An interesting way of reversing this would be to ask what is the most beautiful object you have seen and to ask if that has any characteristics which give an insight into the nature of physical beauty. We could start with cars for instance, the phallic nature of a Ferrari Daytona versus the curves of a Lamborghini Miura. With buildings the Gherkin versus St Pauls. I'll stick my neck out and nominate the Millau Bridge as a beautiful object.


Damon.

[alchemy]

OK so what one characteristic (physical or otherwise) do you find most beautiful about another person?

Kindness and respect for others

[andygates]

Confidence, humility, intelligence, humour, good posture and abs.  I'm easily pleased. 

Srsly, my definition changes with the wind.  There's no formula. 

[bobb]

A typical morning at the train station as hundreds of females get off the train might go something like: " Yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, probably, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, if I was drunk enough, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, that's probably illegal, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, bit old but yeah, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup, yup......"

The physical attraction is still there, but personality counts for way more AFAIC...

[Fixedwheelnut]

 I think it is a combination of looks, personality and scent as in furrymoans pheremones.

 Looks can initially attract or get your attention, especially the eyes.

 It then takes a personality [inner beauty] to keep it going and then the pheremones really kick it off 

 I added the last one because in the past some women who have not at first grabbed my attention once in close proximity just really turn me on and that is all I can put it down to because it is not as if we really had much in common personality wise but it was great 

 I also think that can change with a monthly cycle as some work colleagues who don't get the second look can at times in the month suddenly get that whoah what is it about you today.

[Flying_Monkey]

All of that is true, but let's be honest here - you can find someone beautiful without even knowing them, so all the stuff about compassion and caring for small fluffy animals is, well, at least a little disingenuous, no? 

You can see this in portraits - you don't know the person, but you imagine based on the purely physical. However, for me, that kind of beauty requires something not mundane, even flawed. The only thing that is not beautiful is the 'standard' airbrushed, nipped and tucked, surgically enhanced media ideal*.

*Oh, and Sarah Jessica Parker - I have a totally visceral and synaesthetic reaction to her that she smells bad. No idea why. She is probably as fragrant and lovely as Elleigh. 

[andygates]

All of that is true, but let's be honest here - you can find someone beautiful without even knowing them, so all the stuff about compassion and caring for small fluffy animals is, well, at least a little disingenuous, no? 

The first assessment has to be visual unless they've got their CV on a stick.  Being physically attractive gets your foot in the door - except in places like this (where my weird smells don't scare off the laydeez).

[numbnuts]

We all see beauty in different ways or else there would be more single ugly people

[Elleigh]

We all see beauty in different ways or else there would be more single ugly people

So what would is 'beauty' for you?  What attracts you to a person?  Does the initial attraction factor last or is it over taken by something else?

[Elleigh]

So, what is unattractive, or what you consider ugly?

[Polar Bear]

All of that is true, but let's be honest here - you can find someone beautiful without even knowing them, so all the stuff about compassion and caring for small fluffy animals is, well, at least a little disingenuous, no? 

You can see this in portraits - you don't know the person, but you imagine based on the purely physical. However, for me, that kind of beauty requires something not mundane, even flawed. The only thing that is not beautiful is the 'standard' airbrushed, nipped and tucked, surgically enhanced media ideal*.

*Oh, and Sarah Jessica Parker - I have a totally visceral and synaesthetic reaction to her that she smells bad. No idea why. She is probably as fragrant and lovely as Elleigh. 

Ah well, I think I may have the drop on you there.  Because of my sight I don't really see any detail until, well, about until about kissing distance      If I've got that far close then a visual shock could be a fright.  However, I find though that I tend to have my eyes closed at that proximity so it never really occurs to me.

[woollypigs]

So what is your definition of beauty?

Peli

[gonzo]

There is a scale that you can rate peple on. 0-10. No one has ever got to 10 on looks alone and I don't think there are many examples of a 0 through looks. Physical attractiveness gets you a starting score and from there you get modifiers.

Personally;
French accent +several
Smiling +
Consideration for others +
Being 'playful' + (opposite of taking everything too seriously)
Selfish -
etc.

Physical attractiveness is just a starting point, but ends up being mostly unimportant as more and more other factors are discovered.

Can you tell I've got a scientific mind?

The only good moment from 'Joey' (friends sequel) was their description of this system. You can aim for a person ±1 from your score. So if you were an 8, you could go for a 7,8 or 9. Alternatively, you could go for a threesome with 2x4s.

[diapsaon0]

So, what is unattractive, or what you consider ugly?

I'll probably be shot, but I'll say that smoking kills it for me.  Years ago, I finally got a date with a colleague I'd fancied for ages.  It all went very well until, after the meal, she lit up.  I'd never suspected before that she smoked.  Suffice to say, it was the first and last date 

N

[Polar Bear]

I guess as you get to know somebody better both their, and your personal habits and traits can be deal breakers.

But that is when you're past what is beautifull, no?

[Flying_Monkey]

We all see beauty in different ways or else there would be more single ugly people

I don't think that says anything about beauty. I think most people just put up with what and who they can get.

[border-rider]

So, what is unattractive, or what you consider ugly?

Cruelty
Thoughtlessness
Cultivated ignorance

[Polar Bear]

So, what is unattractive, or what you consider ugly?

Lack of consideration for others.