The Human Experience : Beauty

Beauty is a visual scene that inspires a sense of wonder. This describes nature, people and things that are visually appealing. I remember sitting on a Boulder in the sunshine next to a river peering into the water to watch the flow of water and then I take my fingers and gently caress tracing my fingers across the top of the water just breaking the surface and I take notice to feel the coolness of the water.
Humans have an Innate sense of aesthetics that typically includes the concept of Beauty. As in the example for our appreciation of nature.
Perceptions of beauty are also influenced by culture such as traditions, media, advertising, fashion, music, art, film, and shared experiences. Subcultures can embrace their own precepts of beauty that aren’t shared by traditional cultures.
Humans have the capacity to think independently and have their own unique feelings and ideas about beauty.
As with all things, beauty is impermanent. As such, beauty can occur at a point in time and quickly fade away. For example, the blooming of cherry trees in the Spring where these delicate blossoms are easily swept away in the wind.
Beauty that is overly perfect can be negatively perceived as characterless or artificial. Attractive imperfections make things more beautiful by giving them character or uniqueness making them seemingly more interesting.
Beauty is much simulated and benefits from authenticity. For example, accepting the aging process and finding beauty in it. Likewise, the ability to be yourself in a world that is often superficial can be beautiful.
Beauty stands out and is often based on some sense of originality and style.
Balance is the sense that both sides of something are equal. It is incorrect to think that beauty is based on symmetry when it is actually based on balance. Balance can be achieved with asymmetry and this tends to be more visually commanding.
Humans find color to be visually stimulating such that it is an essential element of beauty. For this reason, a black and white photograph may be stylish but doesn’t convey the beauty of the world as well as a color photo or colorful painting.
In a photograph, beauty is entirely visual. In reality, it is a result of the total presence of the entity. For example, the personal presence of a person can make them more beautiful.
Beauty is primarily used to describe visual aesthetics. However it can be used in an analogous way to describe emotions, character traits, experiences and non-visual expression such as music.
As beauty is an awe-inspiring emotion it often involves some element of mystery. This is particularly true of creative works such as painting, photography, and film where it is possible to make things mysterious. Nature and people can also inspire a sense of mysterious beauty.
Beauty can be a result of creative expression such as fashion, performance art, art, landscaping and any other type of visual or non- visual creativity.
Elegance is a beautiful refinement and sophistication. This isn’t a requirement for beauty as beauty can be fully uncultivated. However, elegance can be considered a type of beauty.
Cuteness is a visually appealing scene that inspires a desire to protect. For example, a cute animal that you feel like hugging. Beauty is more fearsome than cuteness and is more likely to trigger humility than protective instincts. Beauty stems from strengths where cuteness stems from vulnerability.
We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think if the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. Beauty is a privilege of the human condition.