The Concept of Beauty - A Closer Look

From the earliest times, indeed from the times when primitive communication among humans held the ability to describe the things around them, the concept of beauty, if not the word itself, has likely existed; perhaps the bright blue sky or fragrant flowers sparked in the mind of primitive humans the realization that some things were just more desirable to the senses than others. While these simple examples are apparent enough, over time, the concept of beauty has become much more abstract. This essay will discuss the concept of beauty in more detail, from several points of view.

Is Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder?

An adage, whose originator is lost to the ages, once said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder- a catchy platitude to be sure, but it also raises the question as to whether the adage is true, and if not, are there objective criteria for the evaluation of beauty.

To be sure, there are some things that are considered the very embodiment of beauty within nature, whether it be the aforementioned blueness of the sky or the flowers and the trees- the handiwork of nature can usually be universally agreed to hold some element of beauty to one extent or another; likewise, there are attributes of the human form which would be universally accepted as being beautiful, which is to say that they possess elements of beauty (Lane). Beauty, it can be said, is something which occurs as a by-product of nature. In this case, one could say that beauty is objective, for few logical people would argue that some level of beauty exists in the calm of a spring morning or the calming effect of a late night snowfall in the woods. However, there are some levels of beauty that are more subjective, such as can be found in the artistic community; as an example, an abstract painting may be too complex for most people to comprehend, but found to be beautiful by only the smallest minority (Burke). This case is more indicative of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

Just as there are varying perceptions of beauty in the world, so too, outside influences can skew the perception of beauty for good or bad, which merits additional discussion and consideration.

Can Outside Influences Skew Our Perception of Beauty-for Good or Bad?

If the earliest recognitions of beauty were strictly hatched in the deepest recesses of the human mind, in time, outside influences surely began to skew the perception of beauty for better or for worse. One of the factors that may very well have created some skewing of the concepts of beauty came out of the realization of the presence of good and evil, sin and redemption, in the natural world (Gimlin).

As ancient religions began to develop, and with them the implied sense of morality among people, as well as the concepts of free will and the ability of the human being to do good or bad, and the associated benefits and consequences of same, indeed beauty was attached to those things that are good- such as the concept of angels robed in white in the Christian tradition, or conversely, the lack of beauty or even ugliness attached to those things thought to be sinful or evil- such as the universal interpretation of devils or beasts that were part beast and part human, displaying all of the negative connotations that one would attach to the very opposite of what would be considered beauty.

Varying forms of what could best be described as peer pressure have also led to the skewing of the perceptions of beauty over the ages; whether one is looking at the popular fads that have grabbed the attention (and wallets) of young people probably for as long as young people have gathered together in groups, or the adult ideas of beauty that spring from something such as nice clothing, a fine horse or in modern times a new vehicle with all of the best features, the influence of others has led people to follow a preconceived notion of beauty and the lack of beauty as well.

Can Morality be Attached to Beauty?

Just as cultural mores can and have led to perceptions of beauty or the lack of beauty for as long as the human race has existed, and the morality imposed on humans by the organized religions of the world, morality itself can be attached to beauty as shown by some remarkable modern day examples.

Academic studies have shown in terms of physical beauty, in the field of criminology for example, that when shown photographs of "beautiful people" who were in fact criminals, in comparison to innocent people who did not possess beauty, the more beautiful people were believed to be the innocent individuals, when in fact the exact opposite was true (Burke). In other words, in this instance, the concept of morality was automatically associated with the presence of beauty. For these individuals, beauty did in fact equate itself with purity and goodness, as well as the opposite case. Another example of this is the current culture obsessed with handsome or pretty celebrities to the point where it is inconceivable that these individuals could commit crimes or lead less than perfect lives, even when presented with irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

With specific examples being presented, there are some logical conclusions that could be made, and are made, about the association of morality and beauty. Those things or people that are pleasing to the eye or the senses are automatically deemed as beautiful, and this positive association gives them an implied air of morality, and in fact the opposite in many situations applies. This is as much to do with the ancient morality instilled in the human conscience as it is with today's image-conscious popular culture.

Conclusions

This essay has taken a close look at many facets of beauty and its associations to morality, senses and interpretations. In closing, there is one more important theory to consider- without the ideal of beauty to which to aspire, much of the motivation in the human heart- to create, to achieve, and to love others- may never exist. Without these ideals, the world as it is may never have existed, so finally, it may be fairly said that beauty is the essence of all that exists.

Works Cited

Burke, William. "A Note on the Relationship of Beauty and Peace." International Journal of Humanities and Peace 17.1 (2001): 53.

Gimlin, Debra L. Body Work: Beauty and Self-Image in American Culture. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2002.

Lane, Belden C. "Jonathan Edwards on Beauty, Desire and the Sensory World." Theological Studies 65.1 (2004): 44+.