The emphasis on beauty is nothing new. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) claimed that “Personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of reference.”
Helen of Troy, who represented the power of beauty, possessed “the face that launched a thousand ships.” Kidnapped repeatedly, she seemed oblivious to all the fuss made over her. Nothing much was written about her personality, as if it didn’t matter.
In the eighteen century, American women washed themselves in the urine of young boys in an attempt to erase their freckles.
Americans spend more money each year on beauty enhancements than they do on education.
According to a 2003 study in the U.K., a woman’s face is most beautiful and alluring when she is ovulating. Another study claims that women prefer masculine-looking men when they are ovulating, but other times of the month prefer men with softer features that symbolize social and caring behavior.
These tidbits are from “Looks,” a book by Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D.
Photo by RobW
