SoulPancake / Conversations / Why are we so concerned with appearances?

treeswithteeth

- 3 years ago

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Why are we so concerned with appearances?

Has anyone succesfully moved past the self-conciousness of physical appearances? I know many people who claim to have, but are still stuck, including myself. What is it? Is it the media that bombards us constantly with the ideal 'beauty'?

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It's easier to make and keep ourselves beautiful on the outside; so we do that instead of having to deal with what's on the inside. Plus an easy ticket through life has been provided by society for good-looking people more so than good-hearted people. To change this behavior, first one must change their perception of beauty.

because no matter what anyone may say, everyone wants to look good and be perceived favorably. fact of life. appearances shouldn't ever consume us, but they are a part of who we are.

Because we're so concerned with perceptions.

If you make a habit of telling yourself that your 'self judgments' are likely incorrect, you will find that most of the time you are right! for the most part, i'm more comfortable around "ugly" people... because they just don't worry about this kind of thing.. and neither do I

Perhaps because we ourselves are prone to judge by appearances, and know that we are most likely judged in the same manner we judge others! But this "logic" sort of goes out the window if we would find ourselves dealing with someone who doesn't judge by outward appearances but rather according to what is in the heart of our heart.

I agree with @macdoodle that it's probably 50-50 genetics and culture. For instance, one wouldn't want to mate with a nasty-looking person (usually) simply because your body says, "he/she is unhealthy and won't bear viable children." Big breasts and hips on women? They're signs of fertility. Then again, culture can change things: slightly overweight, pale women were attractive in Victorian England (for instance) because those were signs she could afford to eat well and be inside all day. Me? I like to look good so as to remove that barrier to entry. If your appearance is nice people don't have that to hold against you and you can interact on a deeper level. If I'm going to interview for a big job and I look like a hobo, it doesn't much matter what my resume and credentials say, does it?

It's just the outside of you and that's all people see some don't bother to look inside.

I have always had a poor body image and still do. I must say that now that I'm in my late twenties, my hang ups on my body, or at least my obsession about it has diminished somewhat. I still think I need to lose a few pounds and tone up, eat better all that. I wish that I could afford to go shopping and buy stuff, but in the end, I know it isn't that stuff that really matters. I know that it is about what is inside, and how you treat others that makes up beautiful or ugly.

I have been blessed with vitiligo (Michael Jackson had this skin condition. My condition has made me see beyond appearances. It has given me another perspective on how I see people too. Love yourself.

When you meet people the only thing you can see is their appearance, it is the only thing you can form an opinion about at that time (although we regret this sometimes) Our instincts tell us that someone with a smooth skin is healthy and because of that can produce healthy children. Of course we can say nowadays that if someone has acne, it doesn't mean they aren't healthy. Still I believe that our primitive instincts still play a big part in forming an opinion about people together with the present trends. Everybody wants to make a good first and lasting impression...

I think its a sign of intelligence. If a horse started decorating itself, we would think, "Oh, what a smart horse". As we evolved from just another animal into this "intelligent" one we are now, I'm assuming there was this desire to do something. Put mud on our face, or wear a vine around our neck, or something. As we evolved, we discovered new ways to meet this desire to decorate ourselves. And so on and so on. Now we don't know how to live without it.

I think that the ideology of the first impression is the last impression. Rather than the first impression needs improvement. Or to say the least, to show that we have a good child up-bringing, which our parent raise us well and very groomy.

I don't think I care too much about fashion, I never really have. I do care about my body, but I think that has more to do with wanting to live as long as I can, and with providing my wife with someone that looks good naked than anything. Maybe this isn't a question for married people, but people in the dating scene.

i don't think anyone ever moves past self-consciousness but they can change their level of it. People can suddenly become intensely superficial and they can also become much more "down-to-earth". i wish i didn't have to worry about my appearance but i noticed that people noticeably treat me better when i look better (thinner and better dressed). i do this for my own survival i suppose. it's all relative cause seriously even the blind shower and comb their hair.

A humans dominate sense is the sense of sight. I think its natural (although not neccessairly a good thing) that we judge based on appearances. There for its also natural that we should want to present ourselves visually in the best possible light. (haha that was kind of a pun)

PART MEDIA PART SURVIVAL- looks healthy- good genes- INSTINCT WIRED IN - but please notice how beautiful women marry rich or powerful but ugly men - and love them. hmmmmmmm.

SoulPancake

treeswithteeth

Why are we so concerned with appearances?

MartianDreamer

painmakeyourway

because no matter what anyone may say, everyone wants to look good and be perceived favorably. fact of life. appearances shouldn't ever consume us, but they are a part of who we are.

applegrass

Because we're so concerned with perceptions.

calholli

If you make a habit of telling yourself that your 'self judgments' are likely incorrect, you will find that most of the time you are right! for the most part, i'm more comfortable around "ugly" people... because they just don't worry about this kind of thing.. and neither do I

Griz

krillinhazuki

Mymy12

It's just the outside of you and that's all people see some don't bother to look inside.

jehannie

belly1shimmy

I have been blessed with vitiligo (Michael Jackson had this skin condition. My condition has made me see beyond appearances. It has given me another perspective on how I see people too. Love yourself.

VthatsME

feriscool

licplat

I think that the ideology of the first impression is the last impression. Rather than the first impression needs improvement. Or to say the least, to show that we have a good child up-bringing, which our parent raise us well and very groomy.

zamfir

asprincocktail

Hayley

A humans dominate sense is the sense of sight. I think its natural (although not neccessairly a good thing) that we judge based on appearances. There for its also natural that we should want to present ourselves visually in the best possible light. (haha that was kind of a pun)

macdoodle

PART MEDIA PART SURVIVAL- looks healthy- good genes- INSTINCT WIRED IN - but please notice how beautiful women marry rich or powerful but ugly men - and love them. hmmmmmmm.

Why are we so concerned with appearances?

because no matter what anyone may say, everyone wants to look good and be perceived favorably. fact of life. appearances shouldn't ever consume us, but they are a part of who we are.

Because we're so concerned with perceptions.

If you make a habit of telling yourself that your 'self judgments' are likely incorrect, you will find that most of the time you are right! for the most part, i'm more comfortable around "ugly" people... because they just don't worry about this kind of thing.. and neither do I

It's just the outside of you and that's all people see some don't bother to look inside.

I have been blessed with vitiligo (Michael Jackson had this skin condition. My condition has made me see beyond appearances. It has given me another perspective on how I see people too. Love yourself.

I think that the ideology of the first impression is the last impression. Rather than the first impression needs improvement. Or to say the least, to show that we have a good child up-bringing, which our parent raise us well and very groomy.

A humans dominate sense is the sense of sight. I think its natural (although not neccessairly a good thing) that we judge based on appearances. There for its also natural that we should want to present ourselves visually in the best possible light. (haha that was kind of a pun)

PART MEDIA PART SURVIVAL- looks healthy- good genes- INSTINCT WIRED IN - but please notice how beautiful women marry rich or powerful but ugly men - and love them. hmmmmmmm.

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