Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Beauty?

What makes people attractive? In human sexuality we learned that people with perfect or nearly perfect symmetry on their faces were found to be the most attractive. There are cultures in Africa where women put rings around their neck to create an incrediblly long neck, thought to be desirable by men. Also, there are cultures that have women stretch out their lower lip (much like guages in ears) to create an incrediblly large lower lip, also thought to be desirable to men. Chinese women used to crush their feet, making them the size of a doll so men would find them desirable. Sound terrible and painful, right? But, is our culture any different? Women have breasts implants, lipo suction, develop eating disorders etc.. Furthermore, we wear makeup, high heels, tight clothes, dye our hair and paint our nails. WHY? Where did this come from? For me, I started really thinking about this the other day..I was in the bathroom getting ready for school. I was putting eyeliner on and planning on straightening my hair that day. Then, it just struck me: Why do women do this?? Why is it normal to put makeup on? Makeup is color. We are coloring our faces (much like little kids color in coloring books) to make our faces more desirable, to cover up our flaws. Why do we dye our hair? How did that idea even start? Why do straight haired people get perms? Why do curly haired people straighten their hair? Why do most (if not all) women turn away from their natural looks in hopes of looking better...even if it is simply an illusion and will all be washed away with soap and water?
What is beautiful? Think about this. Most people would say that the sunset is beautiful. I agree. But, why is the sunset beautiful? It is simply colors coming together with light. Dog poop is color and light coming together also. Is dog poop beautiful? NO. Yet, what is the difference? How is beauty defined? America says beauty is waif-like bodies with doe eyes, small nose, small feet, plumb lips and large breasts. A few would say there are many definitions of beauty yet, why do most women in America feel the need to look the same as other women, to change their appearance, in order to fit a "standard" type of beauty? Surely, beauty is more than symmetry and light and color. It has to be. What I want to know is this: why do we try to be something that we're not in order to attract men and to make other women nervous with competition? It's silly. Yet, I am guilty of it too. I have been wearing makeup and having a constant battle with my huge curly hair and weight since I was in sixth grade...all around the sametime I started caring whether or not boys liked me. It's pretty obvious to see if women dye their hair and wear makeup. So, if its obvious that you try to change your appearance, why is this STILL pretty? It's obvious that it's fake. Am I making sense here?
I know girls who have had eating disorders. I know girls that have always felt bad and insecure about their faces and bodies. I've had my moments where I've felt awful about my appearance. There is nothing wrong with the way these girls look. It's just that they didn't fit the "mold" of what America says is beautiful.
This is a rough description of what I think beauty is: basically, take a look at the important women in my life: my step-mom, aunt, Hallie, Tracy, and Sarah (adam's fiance)..they are all beautiful. They love Christ and love me. They are honest and warm and thoughtful and kind and funny and free thinkers and free spirits and they think for themselves...i could go on. What I also love about these women is that: all of them feel most comfortable and themselves when they have no makeup on, there hair is natural and they have sweatpants on. That is beauty to me...when you are comfortable with yourself, no matter appearance.
Now, I don't think its bad to wear makeup or change your hair or paint your nails. I just think it's funny that we do it at all.
Cheers to all the girls who, despite what soceity told them about their looks, developed a personality and developed magnificent inner beauty. Cheers to the girls who wear stained pj pants and no bras. Cheers. ...dedicated to Hallie Lambert.

Monday, September 17, 2007

The Blogger Revolution

I have a blog. This is a bit weird for me. I don't journal or jot down my thoughts much. But, after moving to Saint Louis and being in the classes I am and reading the books I have been reading, and having intellectual and spiritual conversations, I have had a lot of thoughts running through my head. I need an outlet for the jumbled mess inside of my brain. This will be the place for that. Read it if you would like, comment if so moved. If not, that is fine also. I just need a place to express thoughts.

This is just a taste of some of the things that have been controlling my mind lately:
- The question of quality: what makes something better than something else? Why do Picasso's paintings sell for more than Pollock's paintings? Deprive a person of water and he will be dead in a matter of days yet, water sells for less than a penny a gallon. Humans can get along perfectly well without gold yet, it sells for $400 an ounce. Is it the cost of production that makes something better than something else? Willingness to pay cannot be the whole story, can it?

- You go to elementary school to go to middle school to go to high school in order to get into college and graduate with a degree. You get a degree to get a job. You go to grad school in hopes of a better job. Well, what happens when all that is over? What happens when you graduate and get a job? Are you satisfied? Is the journey over? Do you feel a sense of fullfilment? I feel like I've been in school for a long time, simply waiting for "real life" to happen. For example, well, when I graduate then I can finally have that job that I've been working towards. What happens if the job you've been going to school for all these years isn't fullfilling? What if that isn't what you want? What is supposed to ultimately satisfy a person?

- not to mention questions about world hunger, the abundance of wealth compared to the abundance of poverty, divorce rates, cultural hate, corruption in government, how to truely live like Jesus, etc...
Where do you even start? How can I, as a full time college student with a part-time job try and make the world a better place? How can I contribute something?
I get overwhelmed just thinking about these things.