Pulchritudo

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I think that I am a pretty person. Other people have told me I am too. But what determines beauty? I have heard that you are attracted to people that look like you. I have also heard once that you are attracted to people that look like your dad. I am not really sure if that is true as my girlfriend does not look anything like my dad. I guess she has dark brown hair and brown eyes like him. I heard in the Heathers musical that a symmetrical face is very important in determining beauty.

So what is considered beautiful?

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Beauty is different based on your culture, geography, ethnicity, age, and art. Beauty standards are different everywhere. Comparing Western beauty standards and Asian beauty standards, you could see how different they are.

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Your brain relies on three factors that determine beauty. These include averaging, symmetry, and the effects of hormones.

Averages contain the cultural tendencies of a group. Mixed people are much more attractive than inbred people in society,

Symmetry is an indicator of health. We may be looking for a healthy individual when looking for somebody attractive to date.

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In heterosexual norms, there is the effect of hormones. Estrogen produces features that make a woman fertile and that is what a male wants. He is looking for somebody to reproduce with so they are looking for women with large eyes, full lips, a narrow chin, and high cheekbones. In men, testosterone is prodcued. Testosterone gives “manly features” such as heavy eyebrows, thinner cheeks,, and bigger jaws that are squared off. And these features are what men usually go for.

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What happens to our brain when we see a beautiful person? Attractive faces activate parts in your brain in the visual cortex. They also activate parts of the brain that are our reward and pleasure centers. Our brain still responds to attractive faces even when we are not thinking about their attractiveness.

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Are we born determining what is attractive or are we nurtured into it? There was a research experiment in which three babies look at two photos of other babies. One of the babies was more attractive, so they tested which photo each baby looked at longer. The babies all ended up looking at the attractive one for a longer time. Meaning that we initially know what is attractive and aren’t nurtured into it.

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Does pretty privilege exist? And do attractive people have an easier life? Attractive people are more likely to get jobs, are paid more, and we tend to think that attractive people are friendlier and are smarter. The popular ones are always shifting gazes and are the ones who win class elections, crowned Miss and Most, and are the ones who seemed to collect all the trophies. Pretty privilege can give way to more popularity, better grades, more positive work reviews, and career advancement.

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I would say that I do experience pretty privilege. I do get my door held open for me all of the time. I did get nominated for prom and homecoming queen. I won my Vice President election for Student Council, as well as for the National Honors Society. Was it because I am pretty? Am I just a more likable person in all due to my attractiveness?

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Determining what is pretty is good to know, because looks do matter. A lot. Going along with pretty privilege, we see that if you are one of the lucky ones to be considered pretty, you then will have an easier life. It helps to see that this is real, and that pretty people will always “rule” the world.

If you have a crush, it is almost always first determined by looks. Both men and women believe that looks matter when dating. For example, on Tinder, you swipe right or left based on their photos and a short bio.

We see the use of beauty in advertisements, dating,entertainment, fashion, art, etc.

Could there ever be an ugly prom king? Or an ugly business associate? Power is deemed as attractive.