Re: OT: What? the clean-shaven outnumber the bearded? "Yer Ugly Mug," etc.

Quoting Roger Mills <romilly@...>:

> Andreas Johansson wrote:
> > Well, there's supposed to be a set of features that are considered
> attractive
> > in all cultures, and therefore presumeably are "hardwired".
>
> I'm not even sure about that.  In Javanese culture, the "ideal man" is
> quite
> androgynous by our standards.  Muscularity is not favored (I suppose
> it
> suggests one has to do hard work).  In the Ramayana shadow-play, the
> Rama
> and Sita puppets are small, their movements are restrained and
> elegant.
> Ravana, the nasty king who abducts Sita, is big, and rather on the fat
> side.
> In other plays, demons are typically big and muscular, often hairy
> with
> prominently displayed teeth.
I've, of course, not done any research myself, and can so only report what I've
read in various popular science magazines et al. Symmetry is supposed to be the
cornerstone of attractivity everywhere, along with smooth skin of even colour*.
For women, in addition, soft facial features and a low waist-to-hips ratio. For
men, more angular facial features and broad shoulders. I might've expected good
teeth to creep into the list, but I've never seen it mention anywhere.

* This ought to make it relatively easier to be beautiful for the dark-skinned
races.

                                                       Andreas