Survival of the Prettiest - Nancy Etcoff

I think most of the people who post on any of these boards would be interested in this book. It's not about hair or beauty per se, but more about the science of looks, human reactions to beauty and hardwired concepts of what is attractive. I found it incredibly interesting, although I experienced a marked desire to not eat after reading the section on attractive bodies. Heheheheh.

Thanks for the intro, GadgetMouse.

I've spent a little time on http://www.beautyworlds.com trying to understand the biological imperative for humans to beautify themselves in a way that appeals to the mass of society.

It all boils down to genetic selection of the "most likely to survive" qualities.
Unfortunately, the appearance of health can now be mimiced by cosmetics, surgery, etc....so humanity appears to be finding ways around the natural laws of selection (if you subscribe to that view-point).

Guess our species may suffer in the long run by breeding less healthy offspring.

Will be sure to look up the book.

Thanks.

It seems to me just looking around at people, that the majority of people wherever I have been are not that great looking or pretty or handsome. Truly beautiful people are not the majority of people, that is for sure!


I see some very homely people who seem to breed plenty with other homely people. Most of these people I am sure are healthy or they seem healthy. I don't think "prettiness" or "handsomeness" necessarily means healthy.

You can be downright butt-ugly and be a healthy specimen, or you could be attractive and unhealthy-(or attractive and healthy, and ugly and unhealthy.)-.

Also.
Beauty, at least to some degree, is in the eye of the beholder. Some of these really homely people who are married to each other and have kids may actually find each other attractive-(who knows how?)-

I know many stupid people breed too. In fact to me that is the bigger problem. Not that ugly people breed but that so many stupid boring people breed!!!!! And so many of them are terrible drivers on the road! Real idiots!

I read this book also and found it utterly fascinating! It contradicts most of the book, The Beauty Myth, if I am remembering that book correctly. (which was an interesting book also....)

EN