The Science of Beauty aka Unhelpful Areas of Research

While I am a huge fan of science and appreciate the benefits of scientific research and discovery, I find the line of research regarding what makes a person physically attractive to be unnecessary at best and seriously damaging at worst.  What set me to write this little rant are stories that, ironically, both came from HuffingtonPost.

The first article and others like it on the "science of beauty" are exactly the things that lead to people ending up feeling they are not pretty enough (touched on in the second link), a much more serious and destructive issue than, I think, some people realize.

Short video on the science of beauty (just one of far too many available on the subject)

Other HuffingtonPost 'article', this one on how "outrageous" it is that someone would tell another person they are not pretty enough

So how about this, big "thinkers" and researchers, instead of trying to track down and limit by strict definition how we process and define beauty, why don't you work on how to expand the horizons of people's definitions of beauty.  I'm really tired of reading about how this feature or measurement is ideal and this is not.  It's not a healthy barometer.  Let's do more research on what makes some people have a much broader spectrum of perceived beauty and how to help others expand theirs.  If you start now, by the time my daughters are old enough to read/listen to this type of research there will be things on the topic of beauty worth reading and hearing.

And in the meantime, I will work on teaching my daughters that human value and real beauty cannot actually be measured by a ruler or color chart.

Jen Tress's website. Read the shared stories and see how damaging these superficial measurements can be. And how strong people can be.

September 11, 2013

As I walked to airport security this morning, I couldn't help but notice the extra police presence. 

Oddly, I rather like flying in this solemn anniversary.  It's my little nonviolent response to the terrorists--you can't stop us from living our lives. We are stronger than you know. 

God bless the survivors and the families and friends of the lost. Let them know we have not forgotten. 

That was my Facebook status update this morning.  I still remember every detail of that day--the instant message conversation I had with my friend and coworker who, working from home in Toronto, had on CNN and started giving me the play by play.  I remember, at first, thinking it was a terrible accident with a small plane. And my heart still hurts recalling the moment when we realized it wasn't an accident.  I remember being sick with fear for my father who could've easily been at the Pentagon and for my stepmother who worked in DC.  I remember all the emails from family and friends asking me for assurance that I was not flying that day. I remember sending emails asking for the same thing from friends who lived and/or worked in New York. I remember the relief upon hearing none of our road warriors were on those flights, and the loosening of some of the knots in my stomach when I finally heard from my father, stepmother and friends who lived and worked in Arlington and New York (though it took a few days before I heard from all my NY friends).  And I remember my heart breaking again upon hearing about the passengers on flight 93, who took on the terrorists and saved lives while losing theirs. 

Living so close to Washington Dulles Airport, I found it surreal not to hear or see planes.  Watching the news and the brave first responders, I kept wanting to wake up and find it was all a terrible dream. And even with sadness and fear that filled me, I wanted to get on a plane. I, immediately, wanted to defy the terrorists.

With all those vivid memories that still bring tears to my eyes and tightness to my chest, I was so happy today to see all of my friends celebrating their children born on September 11th in the years following the saddest of days in 2001. Children are born, giving the world new hope with their potential and giving us a reason to smile and cheer, even on this sad anniversary.  We go on living our lives. We are stronger than we know. And if we live our lives with gratitude and love, the terrorists can never prevail.