The Beauty Mystique

 

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ABSTRACT

Physical beauty is symbolic, and a highly valued and powerful attribute, of the self. Yet it is also controversial-its value negated as a myth by many proverbs, religious authorities, and feminists alike. Here we explore some of the practices of beauty, from beauty competitions to cosmetic surgery, and also some of the thinking about beauty from Homer and Plato through Darwin and Freud to People magazine. The beauty mystique, defined here as the widespread equation of beauty with goodness, together with other virtues imputed to beauty, has the reverse application to ugliness. Both processes are evident in our literature, media, popular culture, and our attitudes and behaviors; both are applied primarily to the face-the principal locus of both beauty and character. The mystique and the myth have their value and their limits.

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1 Others arguing similar points of view include Baker, [30] Lakoff and Sher, [48] Finkelstein, [49] Rodin, [31] and Negrin. [50] Kathy Davis has offered a “guarded defence” of cosmetic surgery for some women under some circumstances, but has been attacked by Susan Bordo. [45] [46]

2 Albinos, or people with albinism, were portrayed as villains in Matrix Reloaded, Omega Man, Foul Play, Cold Mountain, and The Princess Bride. They do not seem to have been portrayed in positive or even neutral terms in any movies, ever. Which again says something about our values. [51]

3 More specialized works on the face include Twine, [52] McNeill, [53] Synnott, [23] Landau, [54] Liggett, [55] and Brophy.[56]

4 Apart from the ASAPS, these include the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the American Society for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Anthony SynnottPh.D. 

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Concordia University

1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. (H-1125-67)

Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada