1. What is beautiful to you? I'm assuming from the rest of the questions that you're primarily talking about beauty in the context of human physical beauty, although you are inviting and sometimes leaning towards a broader definition of the term. As far as human physical beauty goes, I'm generally attracted to the aspects that make an individual unique. These can be inherent physical features or intentional groomed features, and there are few aspects or qualities that I find universally unique, although I do tend to dislike mainstream standards of intentionally groomed beauty (like highlighted hair, tans, breast enlargements, etc.).
My broader, non-physical definition of human beauty is similar: I find unique humans attractive and beautiful. I have a definitely preference towards what I consider positive traits (like intelligence, creativity, strong opinions) but again what I find beautiful in a person is that which makes them unique and compelling. I don't think I can tackle a broader, non-human definition of beautyI wouldn't say it's defined by that same attraction to that which is unique, although I certainly find unique things beautiful; honestly, I think there are too many potential things in existence to lay down a general rule about how and why I may find them beautiful.
2. What do you find beautiful about yourself? My intelligence, creativity, opinions, empathy; my hair, skin tone, hands, and I have a love/hate relationship with my general body shape. These are not all unique, remarkable traits that make me uniquely meon the whole, I don't apply the same standards of attraction/beauty to others as I do to myself; I think it's also fair to say that I don't see in myself too many remarkable or unique aspects, and so there's not much about myself that I would find very beautiful.
3. Do you think your definition of "beauty" will/has stayed the same throughout your life? As I've matured, I've developed a better understanding and explanation of my concept of beauty and attraction, which I believe has cemented that way of seeing the world. However, I think I've always had approximately the same way of viewing the world and judging beauty, and I imagine that the underlying understanding will stay the same. I hope my definition and understanding of it will continue to undergo improvement. I'd add, too, that what I've learned and been exposed to has broadened my definition of beauty primarily because I've been exposed to more unique and remarkable human aspectsaspects which I can then consider beautiful.
4. According to you, and your idea of what beauty is, who do you think is the most beautiful person you know? (I'll have to change names when I write up my findings) Because I tend to focus on remarkable aspects that create remarkable features, my current choice for most beautiful person tends to be ever-changingI'm constantly discovering a new remarkable trait and individual, and I'm easily overwhelmed by new discoveries: those new traits are haven't been normalized or deadened by familiarity, and so they seem even more beautiful. In other words: I really couldn't tell you, because I don't have a single most beautiful person or even a top ten list. It just depends on what's caught my eye most recently.
5. Do you look like your parents/family? Are they beautiful? Are you? I'm a genetic throwback, but the resemblance is there if you look for it: my coloring is completely different from anyone in my immediate family (although I'm look much more similar to my cousins and grandfather), my body type and height is slightly different, but I have my father's nose and mother's family's genetics and so the resemblance isn't entirely lost. I think my father is handsome, and I think my sister is beautiful but too often distracts from her own unique beauty by following the cultural herd, but on the whole I'm too close to my family to be able to see them objectively, as beautiful or otherwise. The same could be said of my view of myself.
6. Name a beautiful person who is famous. Why did you choose them? "Beautiful" tends to carry connotations of feminine and physical; beautiful famous person immediately makes me think of people who are popularly considered beautiful, rather than just living up to my own personal standards. I also don't know the real personalities of famous people, and so I'm again limited primarily to physical aspects. Those elements certainly influence my choice. Off the top of my head, the name that comes to mind is Monica Bellucci. She's pretty much universally considered beautiful, but I also find her personally attractive both because, however generally accepted she is, her features (her mouth in particular) are still unique, and because she has a distinctive and attractive carriage or, more generally speaking, self-presentation: she appears powerful, confident, and playful in the way she carries herself and acts, and I find that remarkable and attractive.
7. Which is more beautiful? etc. I find the second, less popular image more beautifulin part because in those particular copies of each image, the second is higher quality with richer colors and a better light balance, which beautifully (no redundancy intended) compliments the subject and technique; in part because, as I mentioned before, I familiarity can dull that sense of uniqueness and I am more familiar with the first picture while the second is less familiar, and therefore newer and more interestingand so I consider it more beautiful.
8. Do you find tattoos/piercings beautiful? Absolutely. They can easily be unique aspects, and so they are often right up my alley. I do tend to judge tattoos based on art quality (as well as selection, and how it compliments the individual, and so forth) and I think not all piercings flatter all peoplethe body modification itself is not inherently attractive. However, because it can make someone quite unique, it certainly has the potential to be.
9. Do you find someone who is smart beautiful? Absolutely. Intelligence is one of the personality traits that doesn't have to be unique to be beautiful: I have a bias towards smart on a general basis. It is not guaranteed to be universally attractive: people who are intelligent but otherwise insufferable probably aren't beautiful in my eyes. But either because I find intelligence itself generally attractive, or because intelligence can act to polish other personality traits to a shine, smarts can be and are beautiful.
10. Do you think "beauty" is the same world wide or is it culture specific? It's culture specific. It varies from person to person, certainlybut it's also highly dependent on culture, and that cultural definition impacts and shapes personal definitions. I think that I know enough about world cultural to pull out specific examples, however.
I'm assuming from the rest of the questions that you're primarily talking about beauty in the context of human physical beauty, although you are inviting and sometimes leaning towards a broader definition of the term. As far as human physical beauty goes, I'm generally attracted to the aspects that make an individual unique. These can be inherent physical features or intentional groomed features, and there are few aspects or qualities that I find universally unique, although I do tend to dislike mainstream standards of intentionally groomed beauty (like highlighted hair, tans, breast enlargements, etc.).
My broader, non-physical definition of human beauty is similar: I find unique humans attractive and beautiful. I have a definitely preference towards what I consider positive traits (like intelligence, creativity, strong opinions) but again what I find beautiful in a person is that which makes them unique and compelling. I don't think I can tackle a broader, non-human definition of beautyI wouldn't say it's defined by that same attraction to that which is unique, although I certainly find unique things beautiful; honestly, I think there are too many potential things in existence to lay down a general rule about how and why I may find them beautiful.
2. What do you find beautiful about yourself?
My intelligence, creativity, opinions, empathy; my hair, skin tone, hands, and I have a love/hate relationship with my general body shape. These are not all unique, remarkable traits that make me uniquely meon the whole, I don't apply the same standards of attraction/beauty to others as I do to myself; I think it's also fair to say that I don't see in myself too many remarkable or unique aspects, and so there's not much about myself that I would find very beautiful.
3. Do you think your definition of "beauty" will/has stayed the same throughout your life?
As I've matured, I've developed a better understanding and explanation of my concept of beauty and attraction, which I believe has cemented that way of seeing the world. However, I think I've always had approximately the same way of viewing the world and judging beauty, and I imagine that the underlying understanding will stay the same. I hope my definition and understanding of it will continue to undergo improvement. I'd add, too, that what I've learned and been exposed to has broadened my definition of beauty primarily because I've been exposed to more unique and remarkable human aspectsaspects which I can then consider beautiful.
4. According to you, and your idea of what beauty is, who do you think is the most beautiful person you know? (I'll have to change names when I write up my findings)
Because I tend to focus on remarkable aspects that create remarkable features, my current choice for most beautiful person tends to be ever-changingI'm constantly discovering a new remarkable trait and individual, and I'm easily overwhelmed by new discoveries: those new traits are haven't been normalized or deadened by familiarity, and so they seem even more beautiful. In other words: I really couldn't tell you, because I don't have a single most beautiful person or even a top ten list. It just depends on what's caught my eye most recently.
5. Do you look like your parents/family? Are they beautiful? Are you?
I'm a genetic throwback, but the resemblance is there if you look for it: my coloring is completely different from anyone in my immediate family (although I'm look much more similar to my cousins and grandfather), my body type and height is slightly different, but I have my father's nose and mother's family's genetics and so the resemblance isn't entirely lost. I think my father is handsome, and I think my sister is beautiful but too often distracts from her own unique beauty by following the cultural herd, but on the whole I'm too close to my family to be able to see them objectively, as beautiful or otherwise. The same could be said of my view of myself.
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"Beautiful" tends to carry connotations of feminine and physical; beautiful famous person immediately makes me think of people who are popularly considered beautiful, rather than just living up to my own personal standards. I also don't know the real personalities of famous people, and so I'm again limited primarily to physical aspects. Those elements certainly influence my choice. Off the top of my head, the name that comes to mind is Monica Bellucci. She's pretty much universally considered beautiful, but I also find her personally attractive both because, however generally accepted she is, her features (her mouth in particular) are still unique, and because she has a distinctive and attractive carriage or, more generally speaking, self-presentation: she appears powerful, confident, and playful in the way she carries herself and acts, and I find that remarkable and attractive.
7. Which is more beautiful? etc.
I find the second, less popular image more beautifulin part because in those particular copies of each image, the second is higher quality with richer colors and a better light balance, which beautifully (no redundancy intended) compliments the subject and technique; in part because, as I mentioned before, I familiarity can dull that sense of uniqueness and I am more familiar with the first picture while the second is less familiar, and therefore newer and more interestingand so I consider it more beautiful.
8. Do you find tattoos/piercings beautiful?
Absolutely. They can easily be unique aspects, and so they are often right up my alley. I do tend to judge tattoos based on art quality (as well as selection, and how it compliments the individual, and so forth) and I think not all piercings flatter all peoplethe body modification itself is not inherently attractive. However, because it can make someone quite unique, it certainly has the potential to be.
9. Do you find someone who is smart beautiful?
Absolutely. Intelligence is one of the personality traits that doesn't have to be unique to be beautiful: I have a bias towards smart on a general basis. It is not guaranteed to be universally attractive: people who are intelligent but otherwise insufferable probably aren't beautiful in my eyes. But either because I find intelligence itself generally attractive, or because intelligence can act to polish other personality traits to a shine, smarts can be and are beautiful.
10. Do you think "beauty" is the same world wide or is it culture specific?
It's culture specific. It varies from person to person, certainlybut it's also highly dependent on culture, and that cultural definition impacts and shapes personal definitions. I think that I know enough about world cultural to pull out specific examples, however.
Good luck with the project!
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