The Grey Elf
Hithlum
Nov 11 2014, 1:34pm
Views: 1418
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SUMMARY of Current Opinions
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# The vote is unanimous that beauty and perfection are not the same thing and that beauty that is flawed is far preferable to behold than flawlessness. Personally, I agree with both opinions.
# The vote is split as to whether exterior beauty w/interior ugliness can still be considered beauty. I can understand both attitudes but for myself, I agree with the majority opinion here. Beauty is a quality that one experiences, not just sees. It is greater than the sum of its parts. Any presence of a repellant nature, such as inward ugliness, negates that quality and to me means it cannot exist. Arguments, anyone? 
# The majority of voters agree that beauty has value beyond art, commercial exploitation or playing a role in the multiplication of the species. I still have not formed my own opinion about this because it begs the question, just what is that value? Anyone who voted yes to this care to share an answer?
# Voters split evenly on whether or not physical beauty was just that if it was artificially created by the hand of man rather than the design of nature or God. I think perhaps those who think artificiality is not true beauty may because it is an act of will and has connotations of vanity. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me. For myself, I am still undecided. 
# The vast majority of voters feel that physical beauty is not solely a feminine domain. It's hard not to speculate how many of these voters are fangirls more than willing to offer up certain Middle-earth-connected gentlemen as proof. (I know I sure could!!)
I regret that I did not add a final pair of options which would ask the question: "Can you live a content life without physical beauty in some way part of it?"
I hope I can collect more votes, especially on those viewpoints where opinions are so divided. It could skew things in another direction or not. If I get sufficient additional votes from pollers, I will post another summary.
Thank you to everyone who has voted or posted in joining me in this Plato-esque consideration of an abstract idea that has a profound affect on us all.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?" HeforShe
(This post was edited by The Grey Elf on Nov 11 2014, 1:36pm)
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