Outward beauty does open doors but at some point we have to justify ourselves with more than just that. OK I never really had any but I think I made up for it in terms of personality, being pleasant and efficient, following orders, and being able to take care of myself. If you are talking about in a work situation if you go to your male colleagues for help they will often be willing to show you the ropes and help you to fit in better.
What is beauty? The highlights and colours that flash on the surface of a soap bubble? How do we dissect it? Can it survive dissection?
If beauty is a combination of qualities that please the aesthetic senses, there are some things which may easily please many most people, such as the song of a North American Wood Thrush (I prefer the Australian Pied Butcherbird's song any day), the fragrance of jasmine or the feel of fine silk.
But "beauty" can also be culturally conditioned or a matter of personal taste; both of these are entirely subjective and therefore always and only in the eye (i.e., mind) of the beholder.
If we're talking about sexual attractiveness - a man who has no desire for a serious relationship will tend to prefer a woman who is physically beautiful, because as George Orwell put it, "a man's eyes are an erogenous zone". After all, if he's not in it for the relationship, why bother about her character?
In recent decades there has been a commercial trend to sexualise male beauty for women and gay men - but I don't know how effective it has been in changing women's real life choices.
An emotionally intelligent and functional person will prefer the same qualities in a potential life mate, because physical beauty fades long before death arrives, but beauty of character tends to grow richer and deeper.
Putting aside the effects of television, Hollywood films, fashion magazines, look at the couples we see in the streets. How many of them are beautiful? Or were beautiful when they first got together? What we see around us is the reality - not what the media serve us as entertainment.
A business would more likely employ a salesperson or front desk clerk who is attractive in appearance and manner. But the more the job requires high level qualifications, experience and the right qualities of character and integrity, the less appearances will matter.
Beauty must be in the eye of the beholder because when I get my picture taken I have to hold a puppy to help me look cute but my wife doesn't see that she sees a puppy that only looks cute because I'm holding it. Cheers!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has a different idea of who or what is "beautiful". Sometimes, it's physical beauty and sometimes ... having a great personality and a good sense of humor is the most beautiful of all IMO.
It's all sensory isn't it? Plus it makes sense that no two people are going to see exactly the same thing. So yes the concept of beauty is subjective to what a person is seeing. Personality of course makes up a huge part of how we see people. There is of course a surface level to everything but finding out what's on the inside has a way of warping what is seen on the outside.
Personality has only a fraction to do with inner beauty. Personality is a reflection of inner beauty. You can have a face like a pan of worms and be so beautiful inwardly that people seldom notice. Look at Mother Teresa. She was no beauty, but no one cared. She was a force of grace and love that the planet will long remember after her face is forgotten.
Then there are persons who have such ugly inside, they can have the best clothes and best surgeons and best connections are ugly as sin. Ivanka in 20 years.
Benedict Arnold 