Self Entry 2: Beauty, As You See It

Four Students and two teachers from Philippine Science High School were interviewed on their views regarding beauty, both physical and not, and how they perceive it. The following questions were asked to all the subjects:
1. What is Beauty for you? Do you think it is truly quantitative or actually quantifiable? Give your own theory on Beauty.
2. Do you believe we humans have outgrown “Survival of the Fittest” when it comes to selecting partners?
3. Give 3 physical and 3 non-physical traits of the person/a person you find beautiful.

Teacher 1: (female, with companion) clue: knowledgeable in bio

Q1: Personally, subjective. Pwede naman kasing maganda yung tao, pero iba yung tingin, or iba yung preference. Parang depende kasi pano mo ba idedefine yung beauty? Kasi yung iba parang symmetry lang (quantifiable, left and right side of the body when divided laterally become equal).Tayo, mga Pilipino, maganda sa atin yung maputi, pero pag iba parang culture base lang siya. (influence of environment) Sa atin maganda yung, yung iba gusto yung chinito, pero yung iba diba, kunwari Japanese gusto nila malalaki naman yung mata. Pero parang depende lang, subjective lang talaga siya. Meron bang biological relation?

Q2: Kasi kung human, kasi diba tignan mo naman nakakapagasawa yung mga bulag, nakakapagasawa yung mga may polydactyly, parang di talaga. Pero sa animals, namimili sila ng parang diba sa birds, kung sino yung mas maganda yung colors. Pero kung sa humans. Humans eh. (agrees that we humans are in a sense “one-step” higher than other animals.
Q3: Malinis ang katawan, medyo chubby siya eh malambot (huggable), maganda yung lips niya (physical). Sweet tapos malambing siya eh di ako malambing, anu siya, family oriented (non-physical).


Teacher 2: (male, no companion daw) clue: impatient

Q1: My theory? Uhm maybe it’s quantifiable. Kasi uhm there have been studies that they claim that it’s just about the symmetry of the face and the correct position of the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, cheeks. So ayun. Probably it is, perhaps. Or there is a general trend that they did prove that if you have this set of these features, that you are beautiful to most people. Well, I do believe that, probably. But it depends on what type of beauty you’re asking, kasi nga if it’s physical uhm probably that is uhm, quanti, pero oo it is still subjective pero I do believe that it is roughly quantifiable.

Q2: Survival of the fittest? It depends on what you mean by survival of the fittest. Physical traits only? Well, no well, hmm complex question. Only physical traits, well probably yes, kasi kasi ano, kung survival of the fittest ng physical characteristics eh di dapat kung beneficial na matangkad ang tao bakit meron paring mga maliliit na tao. I mean given the structure of our society now di naman physical characteristics lang yung nagmamatter eh. Depends, there’s already the fact of money, pero they do say that yung mga matatangkad na tao raw naglaland ng leadership jobs. Pero probably ha.

Q3: (random comments). Uhm, mga kasingtangkad ko, mahaba ang buhok, at maganda yung mata (debates about the shape), almond eyes! Uhm non-physical, uhm matalino, kailangan nakakasustain kami ng conversation na hindi siya natatanga, mas matino kung ako yung mapapatanga, hmm, patient pero gusto ko ng makulit.


Student 1: (male, no companion) clue: mathboy

Q1: Theory ko uhm, ayun, quantifiable. (comments on how ugly a perfectly symmetrical face is). Mas trip ko exotic, pero no blondes! Why? Wala mas unique sila, (from own point of view).
Q2: Oo, kasi wala nang ibang mas mataas na hayop kaysa sa atin. I think that that game (survival of the fittest) is finished na!

Q3: mukhang kit, JOKE! Uh wala, matangkad, tapos yung goldilocks condition, just right not too big, not too enormous. Uhh, di siya skeletor (di siya kalansay). (non-physical) ano uh, friendly tapos uh parang optimistic tapos yung uhm mabagal din magalit.


Student 2: (male, with companion) clue: bubbles
Q1: uhm, feeling ko it’s subjective for me. Eh ayun, beauty depends on what we grow up with and what we perceive as beautiful. Or what we actually get used to. I think it’s pretty much the one we get used to (when asked which physical characteristics he preferred, new ones or old ones). Parang, ano eh, you’re gonna be forced on something new (for new). Pero syempre it also depends on what you want, what you think.

Q2: I think in some ways survival of the fittest parin, pero ano uhm, I don’t think we’ve outgrown it. Not necessarily that turn but it’s more of parang nag-iba yung perception natin. Nag-iba yung perception natin, instead of survival of the fittest, naging ano, parang we choose a certain type. Pero ano, yeah, I think you can still, well same concept pero iba na yung logic niya.

Q3: Hm, yung eyes niya diba, shape nung body and shape nung legs diba. Non physical? Way she laughs, way she smiles and well, way she moves.


Student 3: (female, with companion) clue: Double L

Q1: Quantifiable siya, kasi uhm parang yung man, may subconscious taste siya sa tao. Like sa girls for example, yung mga guys naaattract sila dahil sa waist hip ratio ng mga girls. Oo may subjective pero hindi subconsciously yung mga guys nasesense nila yung pheromones nung girls like how fertile they are so parang they’re attracted. Unless it’s a development thing, pero yeah pag first meeting usually ganun. Tapos meron pang something sa jawline thingy. Thesis namin to nung second year kaya alam ko. Ehehe

Q2: Hindi na survival of the fittest

Q3: deep brown eyes, mas matangkad sakin, pokable yung tiyan niya (physical). Lagi siya nandyan tapos napapatawa ako, tapos he plays basketball! (non-physical)


Student 4: (female, no companion) clue: I am

Q1: Beauty is uh, something that makes us attracted to one thing. something good and pleasant. I think that its qualitative and not quantifiable, I personally think that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" says enough already. I dunno like, I find more foreign guys attractive, though they’re all celebrities.

Q2: nope. because a lot of people still find guys with abs and muscular arms hot and attractive (i.e. taylor lautner)

Q3: physical: messy hair. cute smile. taller than me, non-physical - super nice. smart. fun to be around with


Analysis:

Q1:
It seems to many people, the idea that beauty is subjective is still more prevalent than all other theories. True, there have been studies involving the correlation of the measurements, ratio of parts, positioning and symmetry that give the “scientific estimate” of beauty but the fact remains that it is still mostly subjective. In a way the correct position and symmetry of parts provide the basis or the foundation for calling something beautiful, however the tiniest details such as color, shape, angle etc. give the defining characteristic of beauty. According to one subject, humans react to each other's pheromones which would mean that somehow, this concept of beauty is still heavily influenced by primal instincts and nature.

All the people I've asked agreed that the environment people grew up in heavily influences their definition of what is beautiful. For those who found natives more beautiful argued that this familiarity allowed them to like these features and get used to them, thus allowing acceptance. Those who argued that exotic features were better argued that the uniqueness of the appearance compared to their previous experience appealed to them greatly. In any other case, there does indeed seem to be a general preference for foreigners rather than own kind (among people I've asked).

Perhaps this can be attributed to man's purpose to reproduce with a varying gene pool, the more different, the more genetic variation. Or perhaps this is simply human mentality.

Q2:
Following the test subjects' answers, I can say that more people tend to believe that we humans do not follow survival of the fittest anymore. The most prevalent argument of this would be the presence of emotions and feelings which can overcome physical disabilities, physical preference and other characteristics involved in selection via survival of the fittest. True, handicapped people still get married even if they are deeemd to be unfit. In the animal kingdom, usually these weak ones will be unable to pass on their genes. The presence of many variations of both beneficial and non-beneficial traits prove that we humans do no strictly adhere to survival of the fittest. We are still however, influenced heavily by things such as pheromones, hormones and etc, proving that we are still bound by biological rules.