I appreciate when people recognize virtues for what they are and hold them up as a light to others. We certainly value certain virtues more than others! I do not however like when people mislabel virtues or try to rebrand them for their own purposes. The idea of inner beauty is perhaps the most egregious of these. Certainly when photographed externally in a way that looks a lot like the glorification of flaws it becomes about as treasonous to reason as can be. Beauty is a scientific external standard created by several factors. The first is averageness. If anybody had divergent parts and pieces they are less beautiful (eyes, nose, mouth, or lips et al. too large or small or too far to the right or left etc...) Of course our visual consumption defines our averages in that respect. This is scientific and beyond debate. Symmetry then becomes a part of the equation as do the ratios writ in our code. But our perception creates a subjectivity that isn't standard. If we see a beautiful person, get to know them and hate them, their visage then becomes an avatar for our feelings. The same thing happens with ugly people that become endeared to us and their visage becomes pleasant. People say "ahh he's so cute" when looking at the butt ugly dog because of the tender feelings they have for dogs in general and perhaps a literal underdog. So ultimately taste, as always, is subjective, but beauty is not. But being visual and using faces as our avatars by which to communicate and recognize each other, we often confuse the virtues we come to "see" in others through experience or projection and "see" such inferences as visual beauty. I believe this is exactly what your book is all about. Perhaps a more honest approach would be to actually associate the "beauty" to the corresponding virtue being projected? Show the woman that has become stronger and associate the image that illustrates that strength used in a positive way and the place of motivation that it came from. But don't just lump it into the abyss of "how beautiful are those who suffer!!!" Not all trial produces positive results. Beauty is a virtue, not all virtue is beauty.
Wow!
I appreciate when people recognize virtues for what they are and hold them up as a light to others. We certainly value certain virtues more than others!
I do not however like when people mislabel virtues or try to rebrand them for their own purposes. The idea of inner beauty is perhaps the most egregious of these. Certainly when photographed externally in a way that looks a lot like the glorification of flaws it becomes about as treasonous to reason as can be.
Beauty is a scientific external standard created by several factors. The first is averageness. If anybody had divergent parts and pieces they are less beautiful (eyes, nose, mouth, or lips et al. too large or small or too far to the right or left etc...) Of course our visual consumption defines our averages in that respect. This is scientific and beyond debate.
Symmetry then becomes a part of the equation as do the ratios writ in our code.
But our perception creates a subjectivity that isn't standard. If we see a beautiful person, get to know them and hate them, their visage then becomes an avatar for our feelings. The same thing happens with ugly people that become endeared to us and their visage becomes pleasant. People say "ahh he's so cute" when looking at the butt ugly dog because of the tender feelings they have for dogs in general and perhaps a literal underdog.
So ultimately taste, as always, is subjective, but beauty is not.
But being visual and using faces as our avatars by which to communicate and recognize each other, we often confuse the virtues we come to "see" in others through experience or projection and "see" such inferences as visual beauty. I believe this is exactly what your book is all about.
Perhaps a more honest approach would be to actually associate the "beauty" to the corresponding virtue being projected? Show the woman that has become stronger and associate the image that illustrates that strength used in a positive way and the place of motivation that it came from. But don't just lump it into the abyss of "how beautiful are those who suffer!!!" Not all trial produces positive results.
Beauty is a virtue, not all virtue is beauty.