I want to talk a bit about beauty.
There exists an interesting theory that beauty is simply the optimal biological adaptation of the body to the environment. According to this theory, we are perpetually evaluating our fellow human beings in terms of potential mating, looking for the right combination of heath and genetics, and that's what governs our sexual preferences.
A thick, muscular neck is sexy on a man, because men, by their biological function, fight more often than women. A long lean neck is sexy on a woman because she is the look-out rather than a fighter. A thin waist of a woman compensates for her hips by adding mobility to her body. Heavy muscular development of the male pectorals is indicative of the great strength.
As our civilization develops, we choose to accentuate certain attributes. Corsets show of the narrow waist. Spikes heels lengthen the calf - the longer the legs, the better is the runner. Jackets develop padded shoulders. Even our cosmetics are tailored to improve our mating chances: foundation hides evidence of a lousy immune system, blush falsifies healthy circulation, eyeliner creates an illusion of larger eyes and therefore bigger field of vision.
Broken down like that, beauty seems just a sum of optimal mutations. And if one were to sit down and put together a laundry list of beautiful traits, all of the descriptions of beautiful people would sound the same: large eyes, large mouth, chiseled cheekbones, lustrous hair… Boring.
Without personality, even the most detailed description will read like an old wad of used chewing gum.
It's the personality that makes us truly unique. The more I write, the more aware I am of how much of our seduction takes place on the intellectual level. I suppose that's why writers often try to marry personality with description. Honestly, it's a ton of work. That aspect of writing doesn’t come naturally to me. I end up wondering, well what is this particular woman see in this man? Is she looking for a protector? Does his intellect add to his allure? It is the capacity for violence that's pulling her in?
So I'd like to ask you, what do you guys find attractive?
A thick, muscular neck is sexy on a man, because men, by their biological function, fight more often than women. A long lean neck is sexy on a woman because she is the look-out rather than a fighter. A thin waist of a woman compensates for her hips by adding mobility to her body. Heavy muscular development of the male pectorals is indicative of the great strength.
As our civilization develops, we choose to accentuate certain attributes. Corsets show of the narrow waist. Spikes heels lengthen the calf - the longer the legs, the better is the runner. Jackets develop padded shoulders. Even our cosmetics are tailored to improve our mating chances: foundation hides evidence of a lousy immune system, blush falsifies healthy circulation, eyeliner creates an illusion of larger eyes and therefore bigger field of vision.
Broken down like that, beauty seems just a sum of optimal mutations. And if one were to sit down and put together a laundry list of beautiful traits, all of the descriptions of beautiful people would sound the same: large eyes, large mouth, chiseled cheekbones, lustrous hair… Boring.
Without personality, even the most detailed description will read like an old wad of used chewing gum.
It's the personality that makes us truly unique. The more I write, the more aware I am of how much of our seduction takes place on the intellectual level. I suppose that's why writers often try to marry personality with description. Honestly, it's a ton of work. That aspect of writing doesn’t come naturally to me. I end up wondering, well what is this particular woman see in this man? Is she looking for a protector? Does his intellect add to his allure? It is the capacity for violence that's pulling her in?
So I'd like to ask you, what do you guys find attractive?
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