Beauty – The Search For An Ideal

Beauty is frequently defined as a subjective feature of things which makes these things pleasurable to see. Such objects can be nature, human works, landmarks and landscapes. Beauty, along with personal taste and aesthetic appreciation, is probably the most significant part of aesthetic studies, among the most important branches of art history. As such, it is used as the common point on which aesthetic comparisons are made between different artistic forms and mediums.

In fact, beauty is so important that humans often use beauty as a test of their physical fitness and mental stability. If a person finds himself or herself in a room with beautiful furniture, surroundings and people, he or she is more likely to feel better about the status quo, more positive, happier and healthier. The idea of beauty that many cultures and societies consider important is quite different from the idea of beauty that western men and women place high in their list of ideals. While both perspectives share some core elements, there are major differences between them that can mean serious complications for the individual whose ideals are placed above beauty, or who finds beauty in places that do not deserve it. This can result in serious psychological disorders such as depression and skin disease.

Dazed beauty refers to a condition where the individual notices beauty in all its forms, but does not derive any positive feeling from it. This kind of beauty, according to some aestheticians, can be the product of an aesthetic program such as meditation or NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). However, it can also be the product of a beauty regime that is out of control, such as the kind of beauty promoted by social media and beauty magazines. Some psychologists claim that beauty can change people’s moods, especially when beauty is associated with vanity. Whatever the case, dazed beauty is a dangerous and self-destructive state, since it can lead to depression and other mental health issues if it becomes too much for an individual to bear.