Beauty – An Idealized State of Being

Beauty is the evaluation of beauty based on the physical and psychological elements such as emotional appeal, physical appearance, or cultural norms. Beauty is also commonly defined as the aesthetic quality of certain objects, which makes these objects pleasant to see. Such objects may include sunsets, landscapes, art and beautiful works of art.

Beauty, along with individual personality, is the most important topic of aesthetics, among the major branches of psychology. Beauty is subjective and depends on the individual’s point of view. We all tend to look at things from our own perspectives. Thus, we all tend to see things from our own perspective and if you are a person who thinks that beauty is the most important feature in a human being, then you will find other people disagree with you. However, when we come to a common ground of views regarding beauty, the debate is merely academic.

The twentieth century has seen the appearance of two schools of thought on beauty. One school of thought believes that beauty is inherent in nature and is independent of human culture and society. According to this school of thought, what men see is beauty, regardless of culture and society. The other school of thought is that beauty is dependent upon the individual and is influenced by cultural patterns of beauty, acting as an indicator of the societal ideals of beauty which each individual pursues.

It must be noted that, from both these views, there are essential differences. On the one hand, one may argue that nature is full of natural beauty, while another may point out the contrast between the beauty of the sunset and the beauty of a person next to the river. From both perspectives, the key to feeling beautiful is one’s own perception.

From the perspective of beauty which is determined by the beholder, beauty is seen in terms of physical attributes such as skin tone, hair color, height, etc., while another may look at beauty as an emotional state. Beauty therefore, can be seen as a subjective state dependent upon the individual’s own opinion of beauty. From this perspective, beauty is seen as something which springs forth from one’s own mind and is independent of any external factors.

From an objective point of view, beauty is seen as a definite entity, independent of all other factors, which exists independent of gender, race, or social status. Beauty includes all physical attributes, such as body size, bone structure, facial features, and hair length. It also includes the mental attributes of mental health, ability to produce and understand language, and the attitudes we have towards beauty. Beauty therefore, is a unique, personal thing, which depends upon the personal perspectives and experiences of each and every individual.