December 14, 2024

The definition of beauty

The definitions of attributes like kindness, courage and loyalty have remained the same since the beginning of humankind. One attribute that has undergone a lot of revision is beauty.
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines beauty as “the quality of being pleasing, especially to look at, or someone or something that gives great pleasure, especially by being looked at.” This definition focuses on quality and appearance.

This archived article was written by: Benoni Sowah

The definitions of attributes like kindness, courage and loyalty have remained the same since the beginning of humankind. One attribute that has undergone a lot of revision is beauty.
Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines beauty as “the quality of being pleasing, especially to look at, or someone or something that gives great pleasure, especially by being looked at.” This definition focuses on quality and appearance.
As a foreigner to the American culture I was shocked and somewhat surprised to learn that beauty is more of look than quality. I could not believe how hard some females try to have a certain hair color, and weight so they feel beautiful. I have come to understand why anorexia and other eating disorders are predominating in a first-world country like America.
Almost every country or race defines this quality differently. In most countries of Africa and the Pacific Islands, a female who has some weight is adorable. She is the joy of her husband. Being overweight or short is not considered ugly. In fact her huge calf is a turn on. Men in these areas understand that the creation of God comes in varieties and so they adore whatever He has made.
In these cultures a beautiful woman cooks good food and takes care of her household. She knows how to treat a guest and how to guide her tongue. She is not someone who will bring shame to her husband and family. She is beautiful because of what she does and not so much of what she looks like.
I have had to console some females in America whose feeling have been hurt because guys will not ask them out because they are over weight. I have also related with guys who will not even want to hang out with overweight female even when she has great qualities like kindness and cleanliness.
And what is funny is that those who define what a person must look like cannot even create a strand of hair. How many of us would not change at least five features on our bodies if we had the chance to?
Cosmetic surgery is so common now because people desire to meet the modern day qualifications of beauty. But I can confidently say that beauty is more of what you are than what you look like. There are beautiful people with very bad characteristics
Although the media and technology have been great tools in this age, they have somewhat influenced this generation’s view of who a beautiful person is.
Computer software like Photoshop is used to enhance almost all celebrities on front covers of magazines. And we are made to believe that some of these stars look flawless. In actuality, some of them are chubby, have love sacks, acne and to be blunt are fat like us. This program is used to enhance their looks to give them smooth faces and even make them look better than they are in reality.
I am not advocating that you eat all the junk food or that you should not take good care of your body. If what you look like now is through your own making, please do what is humanly possible to enhance your looks naturally. Some nice clothes, good food, exercise and believing in you will make a great difference. Be who you are. Someone somewhere is admiring you or will find you attractive. Beauty, they say, lies in the eyes of the beholder. If what you are is no fault of yours, do not blame any one for it. Rather seek to express that beauty within you. Our maker has given each of us that quality.
I look forward to the day when Miss World would be a 220-pound female who has a good knowledge of world issues and a big heart to reach out and touch lives.
Being gloomy and sad will never change anything. Look for that thing that makes you and those around you happy. Do them all the time. Be yourself. You may not know this but someone may be wishing he or she was just like you.