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Philosophical Question #1

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To be choice #1 or #2?

Choice #1: Cute and Popular
2
11%
Choice #2: "Normal" with a good personality
16
89%
 
Total votes : 18
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Postby Psychokinetic Wannabe » Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:02 pm

Well, for me it's that while I realize my peers will judge me on my looks at least first impression wise, that just gives me the cue that they are not yet the kind of people that I'd want long term interactions with.

And frankly, I'd be lying to myself if I pretended like I'd gotten myself to the point where I genuinely don't care about other people's appearances. It's just that I realized a few years ago that it's unfair for me to do so and have since then been doing my best to rework that first-impression aspect of my thoughts. It's working, but it's slow going and it'll take a while.

You don't really sound vain. *Shrug* I liked your rant though. Now the bit about body as a temple - there's no reason for a temple's beauty to be that skin deep, I think. If you have other beauty, then it's a nice bonus, but ultimately I don't think it should be an objective. Heck, since I got confirmation from the Omni's here that I can hold my astral body in whatever shape I want to (Edit: Before that I just thought we were all dimensionless, and the best abstraction was as oscillating spheres or something - then I got a nice refreshing slap in the face that there's actual 'biology' to a soul, etc.), I've been willing to get myself to be in the default form of a sphere. I'm sure I might subconsciously still take form of what I look like physically, but to me, that's better. Edit: Actually, no, that's wrong. I usually don't care what my astral body has as a form - only in moments that I do find myself caring I briefly will myself to go into a spherical shape. It's already slime-mold/ameoba -like when it comes to behavior anyway. And if I'm being good and attentive, I should never have no tendrils out to probe things. But, if someone asked, I'd probably say sphere (well, unless LordArt asked. Then I'd say I keep my astral body in the form of Jabba the Hutt or the Swamp Monster, depending on which came to mind first). I guess I just meant I try to not keep it in a particularly 'beautiful' by human standards form.

At any rate, if there is a reason for disliking 'beauty' in the conventional sense it's, in my eyes, the fact that by pursuing it you're allowing the entire cluster of social phenomena that revolve around beauty to exist, most of which are biased. There's nothing really wrong with beauty or liking or perceiving it by itself, but in context of the whole of humanity right now, it seems to me better to do otherwise. So even without magic, I think I'd still hold my views. Yes, we have to live in this world on earth with a bunch of other humans, many of whom don't bother going beyond that first-impression-based-on-attractiveness stage. But given that we know that this kind of social norm causes undue suffering and bias against those who are less attractive, it seems to me that's something we should work to change, not leave to be the way it is just because that's the way things are.

At any rate, I think there's far better ways of viewing beauty than the current social norms for it. Like, when it comes to physical aesthetic - well, I can't vouch for other mages, but I certainly do have a physical aesthetic of sorts - one built around physical prowess, fitness, and ability - all of which is to me far more important then appearance per se. And frankly, when judging something as beautiful nowadays I tend to think about it in those terms more so than 'attractiveness' of the sort the human brain typically judges. Take slime molds, for instance. Beautiful to me. Not really pleasant to touch, sure, but there's a beauty to the chemical and biological intricacy which makes them function the way they do.

But that all being what it is, I can't really argue with you picking #1.
If a thing be really good, it can be shown to be such. If you cannot demonstrate its excellence, it may well be suspected that you are no proper judge of it.
- William Godwin
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Postby Thelynx » Fri Mar 19, 2010 5:04 am

To me Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. What I meant was that there are people who don't even like or care for their physical body. I'm not saying everyone has to be skinny or an athlete. You can be big and beautiful too. I just don't understand how people can have such distain for bodies because it's a "meat puppet". Isn't the body a manifestation of you. Why not cultivate it according to how you desire. Of course social expectations impact peoples views both positive and negative. But no matter what, people want to feel excepted. And physical judgements matter to everyone. A girl can have the best personality, but if the guy she likes only likes big girls and she is skinny, he probably won't give her the time of day. Of course this creates divides people which are horrible. But at least everyone should love themselves to an extent. Personal beauty and love for ones own body is what I meant.
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Postby Psychokinetic Wannabe » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:47 pm

Well, with that definition of beauty, fair enough. Though by now we're completely off the original premise lol. But that, of course, is more my fault than yours, so I'm not complaining.
If a thing be really good, it can be shown to be such. If you cannot demonstrate its excellence, it may well be suspected that you are no proper judge of it.
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Re: Philosophical Question #1

Postby microbe » Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:10 am

So this will be a little rambly and I apologize for that. I've already had a long weekend and haven't quite completely reintegrated from Burning Flipside. (Look it up. http://www.burningflipside.com ) However, I really wanted to respond to this as a friend of mine and I were JUST talking along the lines of this subject an hour ago (before I looked at the board).

Speaking as a pansexual, these statements are a little biased towards heterosexuality. It's one of the reasons I'm abstaining from voting in the poll.

The other reason I'm abstaining is because I've been on both sides of these statements. At the same time. In fact, I'm still on both sides of these statements.

I used to be the 'normal' (what is normal anyway?) guy that no-one really desired. I still am really. I know what true friendship means and what loyalty really is about. It's hard to find these days. At the same time, I'm also the cute and popular guy. I have lots of 'friends' that are really more acquaintances than anything else. However, it's my personality that makes me as cute and popular as I am. I'm known as the guy that's safe to be around, no matter who you are, what you are, what you do. I can also get away with most anything. I've had nights where I've walked around grabbing breasts with no regard nor any complaints. A shocked look here and there, but only for a second while they figure out that it's me. I've stuck my tongue in guys' mouths and they haven't cared beyond the "that was unexpected". Again, I'm safe. And everyone loves me for it. I'm the guy you turn to when you are having problems in your life. I'm the guy that will ease your suffering. I'm the guy that will do my best to help you out when you're struggling. It's who I am and who my personality is. But I still don't really have a lot of friends. At least, not the true ones.

Connecting to people is a challenge. I have all the friends in the world, but I still don't really feel connected to them. I fall more into choice two, but I still feel all the repercussions of choice one. And it sucks.

As to what I'd rather be? My vote is neither. Both options suck. I propose a third option where I am who I am, and I am loved. Unconditionally. As I do everyone else.

-Gautam
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Re: Philosophical Question #1

Postby 4min33sec » Sat Jun 04, 2011 3:16 pm

I have to go for option #2 due to considerations of loyalty, which you're obviously not going to get from anyone if you're alone.
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