The concept of beauty seems to hold a lot of importance in our society. We see “beautiful” people in our magazines, TV shows, and fashion runways. Either you have it or you don’t. And if you don’t have it, there are plenty of plastic surgeons ready to give it to you.
Our chemical makeup is the first to determine what we find attractive. DNA, genetics, pheromones; they have the first say in whether we dig the smell of strawberries or are turned off by the sounds of a coffee machine. They trigger a reaction in us, telling us what we do and don’t like.
But sooner or later, we become influenced by outside forces. This includes family, friends, and the media telling us what shirt looks pretty on us, what color we should wear to bring out our eyes, etc. Our natural instincts on what we deem beautiful run through a filter, or even fuse with the perceptions of others.
With art, beauty is optional. An artist’s creation is his or hers alone; what is aesthetically appealing to one may not do it for another. But to respect an artist’s creation for what it is is beautiful in itself. The same goes for humans. Beauty can never be a necessary component in a human being. Its abstract, and brown eyes and freckles may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But depending on how much you take into account others’ ideas of beauty with your own, freckles may not be so bad after all…
