So what leads people to decide to date "below their potential". Almost every story we've read thus far ends with two virtuous GOOD LOOKING people together. Maybe since fairytales were first written (or told) we've realized there are more important things than the appearance of our significant other. But isn't this counterintuitive to the general public opinion that too much emphasis is placed on physical appearance? So which is it? Do you think we care more or less about looks today?
Monday, February 15, 2010
The "Who got the better end of the deal?" Game
Also known as the Beauty and the Beast game. We all do it subconsciously. Joe Jackson's refrain "Is she really going out with him?" hits it on the head (though sometimes it's the other way around). While we generally think a cute girl ends up with the studly guy, this isn't always the case. I could point out some pairs at Notre Dame, but to avoid controversy i'll stick to celebrity couples. Beyonce and Jay-Z immediately come to mind. I love Hova, but Beyonce is at another level. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas fit the bill as well. And perhaps the "King" of the beasts is Hugh Hefner, but I suppose there are other things at play in that situation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yes, through magical means our "beastly bride/groom" has usually been transformed into a beauty by the end of the fairy tale. But there is a compelling reason to make the marriage while s/he is a beast, and that reason is usually for wealth or power (of course, not for the BRIDE, but for her father).
ReplyDeleteHow different is that than a modern person overlooking physical flaws to enjoy the financial comfort of a rich spouse? Barring plastic surgery, we know there are no real-life magical transformations...
I think it’s less of a question of what we care about today, but rather, what intuitively matters to women and men? Studies have shown that women are more attracted to someone when an emotional response is invoked, whereas men are more so attracted by the physical senses (sight, for one). This is why women are more willing to settle with a less attractive man, as long as he is “sensitive” or “can relate to them.” This is not to say that everyone fits into these categories, as there are plenty of examples that deviate from the norm.
ReplyDeleteWhat troubles me more about fairy tales is that the male usually assumes the role of the active seeker, while the female passively waits for her prince to find her. I’m guessing the story would be a little different if Rapunzel climbed the castle wall to save her helpless prince, or if Snow White was the one who rode in on a white horse to wake the prince from his spell. Furthermore, I agree that it’s troubling that in fairy tales, attractive people always end up with attractive people, but to me, it is much more troubling that everyone is strikingly beautiful, and we all know that’s just not how it really is. I suppose fairy tales, like movies in our culture today, were meant to represent idealized forms of life, and since everyone wants to be beautiful and happy, it makes sense that the characters fit that build.