Beauty
We all know beauty when we see it. Whether we are in a museum, looking into a shop window, watching a movie, or seeing a person’s face as we walk by… something stands out and we respond instinctively. But who can really define beauty? How many of us take the time to think about it? What is it, what is it not, and who gets to decide.
So what is beauty?
The perception of beauty is a very subjective experience because what evokes one person’s emotions may not be the same as another’s. With different upbringings and experiences, people’s perceptions of beauty also change. We may all start out thinking that something is beautiful, but as we gain different experiences and influences, our initial notions of beauty seem to be shaken.
Confucius said that beauty and goodness are one. Plato and other philosophers also linked the two concepts in a similar way. Floris van der Ven, art historian and director of the Vanderven Oriental Art Gallery in the Netherlands, shared: “Beauty is the moment when you are attracted to an object or a painting. This feeling is stimulated by what you see, and this creates a very comfortable, pleasant, warm feeling. If something can create this feeling, then you have beauty”. Or Michelle Lian, a classical Chinese dancer, believes that what you see on the outside does not seem to be the essence of beauty: “Beauty is what creates positive emotions in others”.
The concept of beauty is very rich. However, the concepts of beauty all aim at the most common values for people to strive to enrich their aesthetic thinking.
Why is beauty related to our lives?
The great 19th century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote: “Beauty will save the world.” This quote has touched the hearts of people for generations and requires deep reflection. If you only read about war or poverty, immerse yourself in your own suffering or that of others, and do not want to change your way of thinking even a little, then you will hardly have the opportunity to experience the different colors of life. That is why we have museums, concerts, nature, hiking, traveling,… we have many ways to participate in something. Through the pursuit of beauty, we find both joy and solace for our sadness. Because beauty affirms a message that there are some things in life that are created to help you balance your emotions. In that way, true beauty helps us enjoy life better, uplift our spirits and establish better relationships with others, bringing hope to the world.
Human perception of everything changes over time, but beauty is always an essential part of life. Even though we may still have difficulty clearly defining “beauty” because, as Socrates said, “What is beautiful is difficult,” one thing is certain, it is something that brings good emotions to people. Whether you are a historian, geographer, artist or musician,… to have a more poetic life, proactively seek for yourself a “broader perspective” on beauty by wanting to see and enjoy everything whenever possible!
