Can beauty be defined?

What is beauty? Some may say being fair is beauty, some may say being tall is and for some maybe it’s being short and dusky with the finest features. But the question is can beauty be defined by these words? Can we generalize beauty in these terms?

    People can have different perspectives on what is attractive, making the concept of beauty subjective. Therefore, what one individual finds perfect and alluring may be ordinary or unattractive to another. Everyone adores the beauty of things. Nature's beauty is fascinating. But what exactly constitutes beauty when it comes to people? How do we determine somebody is and is not attractive? Society is replete with information that tells us what is beautiful, but on what basis? For millennia, people have debated, examined, and discussed the subject of beauty. We are all familiar with the emotions that can arise when you hear a lovely music that makes you happy, stand in a field of flowers that makes your eyes sparkle, or look at a gorgeous face. We are all drawn to beauty as humans, but what exactly qualifies as beautiful?

 The contentious topic of beauty is that while some people think that true beauty is characterised by one's outward looks, others think that true beauty is something that one experiences via one's character. Humans have been looking for the key of beauty for thousands of years. The concept of generalism is very wrong as we can see every year  women of different skin tone, physical appearance winning world’s biggest beauty pageants. 

According to studies, some women and some men spend up to one-third of their salary on cosmetic treatments and goods. We glance in the mirror far too often, examining, questioning, stressing, and wishing we could change anything about ourselves. There are also examples of advertisements promoting fairness being banned. The India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has finalised an amendment that forbids marketing for fairness creams, health beverages that claim to increase children's height, and goods promoting anti-aging cures. Violators could face jail time. 

     

It is not beneficial to demonstrate that being fair will boost people's confidence and social acceptance. The colour of one's skin does not make one who they are. There is no way to define what beauty is. Is there? 

   Parilina Das

    First Semester