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In what circumstances can human-designed beauty be unethical?

I mean beauty in the broadest sense - in human appearances, in how we breed animals, how we use plants, design and decoration, and architecture and arts.

Posted - October 1, 2018

Responses


  • Breeding animals comes to mind. Many pugs and dogs with similar faces have trouble breathing that's gotten worse as humans have purposefully exaggerated a defect that causes health problems through selective breeding. Same goes for hairless cats. Cuteness over well-being. 
      October 1, 2018 8:43 PM MDT
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  • 4631
    I so agree with you. :/
    Would love to see the day when breed-criteria change so that the prize-winning animals can only be ones with no characteristics that carry congenital health issues. I believe this has become the norm with some breed societies and with the Crufts dog show in the UK.
      October 1, 2018 8:48 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    Can it?  I guess if it causes harm or takes away from the lives of others.  Never thought of animal breeding as having anything to do with beauty.  But rather more commerce. 
      October 2, 2018 6:23 AM MDT
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  • 52905

     

      Many cosmetic companies use animals to test their products during the research and development stage, testing that often causes serious injuries, serious illnesses, or even deaths of those animals. The testing is sometimes so extensive in narrowing down a product that won’t do that same harm to humans that several animals are needed, and being a multi-million dollar or multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, they can afford to have hundreds of animals or thou of animals entrapped in their systems.

      I’m surprised that it’s an unknown problem to you.


    :(

      September 5, 2022 9:48 AM MDT
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  • 6098
    Never thought of that as a problem because I have no objection to animal testing.  I have discussed what I use on here in the past and if anyone has any strong objections to my using anything they are welcome to point them out to me. 
      November 1, 2022 8:22 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    none
      October 2, 2018 10:16 AM MDT
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  • 52905

    Beauty contests. They primarily and automatically exclude any and all people who are not of the demographic sought by their supporters, especially along ethic lines. 

    Sexiest Man Alive and Sexiest Woman Alive polls or surveys or lists also come to mind. They are decided by extremely small groups of people and only focus on the most narrow categories of entrants. With the vast number of living people on the globe, and in the name of fairness, why not include more potential applicants and include more votes. I always wonder “In whose opinion? Grrrrrrr.”


    :|

      September 5, 2022 3:27 AM MDT
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  • 10037
    You're really disgruntled that you've never been declared "Sexiest Man Alive", aren't you? 

      September 5, 2022 9:05 AM MDT
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  • 52905

     

      The other way around, Dearie: I’m disgruntled that I have been bestowed that dubious “honor”, several times in fact. It’s not fair because it exposes me to intrusive behavior from well-intentioned yet annoying fans, incessant harassment by paparazzi, invasions of privacy at even the most mundane of daily activities (as an example, just the other day I had to go ducking in and out of five or six different No-Tell Motels before I lost the snoops who followed me everywhere and I was able to get a room unchallenged; the young lady was quite frustrated with all the hubbub and only performed half of the repertoire that I usually require). I truly wish my name did not come up for consideration so often; others should have their chances too. Women keep nominating me though, and since it’s a numbers game, well, you know how that goes. Many of them confuse sexual prowess with outward manifestations of the contests’ requirements. (Sigh.) I have no choice but to put up with it. Grrrrrrr.


    ~

      September 5, 2022 9:40 AM MDT
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  • 10037
    Oh, of course that's it. My bad. 
      September 5, 2022 11:53 AM MDT
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  • 52905

     

      By the way, your name has been on several of the ballot envelopes nominating me for the position. You’re among the guilty.



    ~

      September 5, 2022 1:29 PM MDT
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  • 10037
    Lol! 

      September 5, 2022 4:25 PM MDT
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  • 52905
      September 5, 2022 7:44 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    Like those telephone surveys. When they find out my age they are not interested. 

    I don't know but those contests are open to anyone who wants to participate even if for one reason or another they chose to exclude their opinion. Like everything else in life.  

    Oh how about a poll or survey instead for the most sexual man and woman? 
      November 1, 2022 8:29 PM MDT
    1

  • 10037
    It's unethical for plastic surgeons to continue to do surgeries on people who have a psychological condition such as body dysmorphia. 
    Michael Jackson comes to mind.  
      September 5, 2022 9:08 AM MDT
    1

  • 16199
    By presenting impressionable young people with an unrealistic body image as the "ideal". Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia etc) are often the result.
    Marilyn Monroe was a size 14. The "heroin chic" look isn't beautiful, it's hideous. I'm certain that a sizeable proportion of fashion designers are paedos - why else would their catwalk models be women who look like prepubescent children?
      September 5, 2022 10:47 PM MDT
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