Saturday, April 25, 2009

Hot Topic 1 - What is Beauty?

Hi There!

I'm Eli, host of this section: Hot Topic.

As I could see from your comments for us, some of you suggested a room for sharing your thoughts about a topic you concern. Thus, English I decided to save this section for you: Hot Topic - your channel, your voice. The topic opened for discussion will be both academic and social ones.

Feel free to post your opinions about a weekly topic or even suggest your own topic for the next discussion. All of your ideas will be warmly welcomed.


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Okay, as I can see your anxiety to speak up, I will go straight to our topic today.
A few minutes ago, I came across some videos about beauty, and I think this could open Hot Topic this week. Now first, let's enjoy the following clips:






Amazing huh? So far, beauty contests have arised by the thousands all over the world. However, can we be sure that we have found out the most beautiful candidate in the contest? I think none of us will bet on that.

So now comes the time to share your thoughts.
1. How do you define beauty?
2. How important it is to have beauty in our life?
3. What do you think is/are the most beautiful thing/things in this life? Have you posessed it?
4. Can you tell us something about your beauty and how did you build it?

Of course, you can expand the topic as freely as you like.
Click on the "comment" button below to start raising your voice.
Posted by Eli at 6:00 AM
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21 Comment or Q&A:

  1. 1. In narrow sense beauty refers to appearance, which has similar meaning as pretty but perhaps higher level.
    In broad sense beauty refers to the inner beauty, to the mind and soul of that person. In this sense, a girl may be pretty but not beautiful. Also, a girl may be ugly (in appearance) yet beautiful (in her soul) at the same time.

    2. Importance of beauty? In both senses it is highly important but the later is more essential. Let's say, a girl coming to a club looking for Mr.Right. If she's pretty, she has more chances of attracting guys and thus more options in selecting partner. If she doesn't have appearance advantages, she simply has fewer chances. Believe it or not, first impression is very important. As for the later, we all know that "handsome is as handsome does", so no need for further elaboration.

    3. The most beautiful thing in life? Well, to me it is benevolence/altruism. Why? Because I've seen so many cases when righteouness and generosity converted a tainted heart into a good one. Do I possess it? I think I'm generally kind but I'm training myself to be more forgiving.

    4. My beauty? :-? Tough question. I think I have a set of rules that govern all of my decisions and behaviors. The rules are basically constructed on my understanding & practice of Buddhism combined with certain American values. Not black nor white, not right nor left - I prefer being in the middle ;)
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  2. Beauty lies in both your surface face and your hidden mind!
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  3. 1. For this question, I agree with the idea of Hoa Pham. At my point of view, beauty contest is one of the most wasteful and silliest contests in the world. Why don't people use these money to help the poor people instead heightening the size of body or how a girl look like ?
    2.It's important, I have to admit. But it's not the most. People often be impressible by the appearance at the first time, but it doesn't work sometimes. A very cool,handsome, intelligent....boy may fall in love with a girl who is so-so yet cute in his eyes. (sounds odd, huh ^^)
    3. The most important thing....erm...I don't like this kind of questions like that. What is the most/ what is the best...? Are u sure that you will never change? How can we compare? Yet one thing I know it's not the beauty.
    4. I don't know...urm...Iam so-so. A very so-so girl :)) But not ordinary. I'm unique and my beloved ones think abt me as a special in this world. That's enough rite ^^ i'm happy with my appearance though a little bit short, fat...sometimes :P

    5. I find this section is interesting. Thank you Mr Viet and you too, Eli ( can u introduce abt urself?)

    Zetx
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  4. @ Hoa and ZETX and someone named anonymous there: Yeah, I am in agreement with your opinions that beauty comes from both appearance and soul and that beauty does help you in some aspects and some situations in life.

    And yes, the reason why I asked the last question is that I wanted to know whether you guys have found your true beauty or not. In other words, I found some people who lost confidence in themselves, always being pesimistic about their identity. No matter how hard I tried to encourage those by emphasizing the inner beauty, they still look down on themselves and lose motivation to try to achieve something in their life.

    What would you do if you were me in such sitution? What to do to get them be on the go, ignoring their outlook weaknesses?
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  5. 1. How do you define beauty? Well, this question was raised for a long time. I think beauty is in the eye of beholder. Each person and each country, each country has their own definition about beauty. However, in the end, everyone has to agree that beauty is something from the inside of people. We cannot deny that beauty in appearance is great, yet in my opinion, i really appreciate those who are not pretty but kind- hearted, lovely and optimistic.
    2. How importance it is to have beauty in our life? Definitely it's essential. there is no ugly woman but only woman who does not know how to be beautiful. And first impression is very important. sometimes i feel that if you have a good looking, you can get more points at interviews and communications with people.
    3. What do you think is/are the most beautiful thing/things in this life? Have you posessed it? Erm. Hard question. I reckon love is the most beautiful thing in life. Love exists when you are born, grow up and even when you leave the world. Everyone has love and i am not exceptional.
    4. Can you tell us something about your beauty and how did you build it? woa, this question is....erm. Well, i have so so looking and not very outstanding girl in terms of apperance:).Yet i try to look good and neat. Especially, i try to learn and be kind to other people coz i think that people will like to talk with a smart and kind girl rather than a beautiful girl with empty mind.
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  6. What's beauty?

    I'd like to quote a Russian writer (Pautovsky, if I'm not mistaken): a shining smile that radiates nice thoughts (một nụ cười bừng sáng với những ý nghĩ tốt đẹp).
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  7. 1.How do you define beauty? I think beauty is the smile on someone's face, the shining in someone's eyes .But in the heart there is more beauty than in a face. Every woman is already beautiful, and every woman can be even more beautiful
    2.How importance it is to have beauty in our life?
    It is important. It can make everything better and more worthwhile.
    3.The most beautiful thing in this life? I think the most beautiful thing in this life is the smile.No money, no love... because the smile thing all people even have. When you smile that is you make happy. And the mile bring people nearer with other one
    4.Can you tell us something about your beauty and how did you build it?
    uh.About my beautiful is the bright smile.I think this did not build because I have it since I was born
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  8. Hey cool!!! You got the idea of the smile there. I do think a smile is also a beauty. When you are desperate, people advise you to just smile. So that's it, beauty is not only to help yourself achieving something, but also help heal yourself. :)
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  9. @Huyen: Yeap. sometimes in my life, i still remember smiles from a kid or an old woman. They are like an angel. It is much more than beauty.
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  10. This is quite an interesting topic. Beauty?er..how to say...i'm a boy, and it does not really matters to me. however, i agree that it often refers to the appearance. A beautiful girl often has a cute face, nice body, attractive smiles, eyes, graceful, etc...but most importantly, in my point of view, is her characteristics. she must be a well-mannered one, gentle enough, kind-hearted, thoughtful...A lot of other inner aspects that matters to the beauty of a girl. The dream girls of almost men in this world are maybe both good in appearance and characteristics, in general, are perfect. But it's not easy to find such girls that meet those requirements. oh. this is a hard job to deal with. however, after all, i wanna say that:" beauty is only skin deep". The inner beauty of every person in general and every girl in particular is more important than the outer one. Therefore, if anyone is not blessed with a good appearance, don't worry! u should try to sharpen ur inner beauty. then u'll be as beautiful and fascinated. cheerio!
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  11. I don't have much to talk about this topic as I almost agree with guys commenting here. But I just have one thing to share with you about my interest-beauty contests, and here's my opinion:
    First, I must declare that I am big fan of beauty pageants and have recently devoted most of my time to reading about Miss Universe 2009, which is going to be held in the Bahamas this August. As what I've leant about this competition so far, it highlights the importance of "3B" in a woman. That is "Beauty" "Brain" and "Behavior". And withing my limited experience in this field, I,m still very happy and glad to see how these words are practically expressed by each titleholder over years. Record shows most of them did successfully represent the role of woman in the universe during their one-year reign. They are beautiful (though some many say the opposite, I guess), intelligent (hear what they did in interview and you'll realize that), and well-mannered. The winner may not be the most beautiful woman in the world but what she does graces the world. Despite the fact that there are occasionally some winners who couldn't fulfill their duty as promised for many a reason, the contest turns out a good source of inspiration for women worldwide to sense and admire.
    Therefore beauty contests, to me, are no way a waste of time as someone may say. Just look at what a miss beauty brings to the world and you will see it's kind of extreme bias to degrade her role and despise the pageants as a whole. A Miss makes donations, helps raise fund for charity, helps protect the environment, cares for the poor, joins a handful of social programs and most importantly, she sets a perfect example for women all around the globe to follow. She does much good and certainly deserves respect. And so does the pageant.
    One friend here say that the money spent on organizing beauty pageants should go to something worthier like donation for the poor and children, bla, bla.
    First, I agree with you that community should really care about disadvantaged people aound us. However, I truly think that holding a beauty contest is not that waste. It absolutely lives up to this merciful policy and proves itself even more effective than indivudually crying for everyone's contribution.
    Let me take you an example. If you try to raise maney for charity alone, there's a pretty high chance that you will end up voicing yourself in a sea of neglectful people who are too busy to listen to an anonymous person like you. But when a famous beauty attends the event and talks people into giving money, it will be more persuasive. She is renowned and beautiful and her words carries much weight. Huge organizations and corporations will take notice and willingly to give money. The miss beauty often has her voice heard more easily in this case (of course, if she is able to achieve public interest).
    So you can see the benefit of beauty contests over pitfalls people said on its popularity. I am a loyal fan so I may sound quite protective of it, but if you guys think a little bit bigger, you will see me right.
    P/S: I think everyoe is beautiful in their own way and one is the most beautiful one they are confident, and confident that they are beautiful. ^^
    Lemonkhoa with love!
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  12. The real beauty is what you feel from inside. You can't see it but you absolutely feel it....Time will help you to discover what is beauty....
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  14. every one wishes they would be more beautiful or more atractive.But a lot of people are unlucky they can not have a beauty they wish.but I think that appearance is not too much important.your knowlege is more important than your beauty.ofcourse having a fefect beauty is best but if you can not have boths you can make yourself better by making up hi hi there are no ugly women unless you are not make up yourself
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  15. I'm very confident about my appearance
    it's ok
    but sometime, I still feel I have to change something
    Your mind, your appearance both make your beautiful!
    Thankyou.
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  16. beauty contents of all the things. In the world, there is no one who is bad....
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  17. I feel that my own iea is not interesting enough so I will show you another's from her blog"life is a journey":

    "Looking perfect and nice has always been a duty for women and men. The importance of feeling confident by showing a good image is very important for a person´s character. Nevertheless, problems arise when our image is distorted, and we start to think that our body is not perfect and the need for a change becomes an obsession. When this happens, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia appear. These two mental diseases have become very popular in societies around the world. They have to do with a wrong perception of the body that can lead to eating disorders and several physical damage. They can even cause death if they are not treated in time.
    The question is who is to blame on this issue? I mean, whose fault is it? Is society oblishing women and men towards perfection in order to belong to it? or Is it just an internal obligation?
    The truth is that both are connected. In the modern world, sometimes happens that an employee is not only given a job for his or her qualifications, but because he or she looks extremely sexy, or has a good looking body. Studying in the best universities is not always a chance for success in business. Something else is needed.
    On the other hand, Television and its programmes have a powerful effect on this issue too. TV programmes are filled with acrtors and actresses who have the "perfect body, the perfect face" which are not very common for the rest of the population. And viewers tend to imitate their appearences. As if this was easy. How come that on MTV there is a programme that helps the viewers have plastic surgeries in order to have the face of their favourite celebrity. Are they crazy or what? What are we doing to our teenagers?
    Tenagers are in their search for identity. For this reason, they tend to feel identify with these fake "idols" that appear on their favourite soup operas. But they are not "real" characters. It is all a matter of a lot of makeup and some plastic interventions. The human body, as time passes, suffers changes and they are normal. Not all of us have the body of a super model, but it is our body and that makes it special. We are unique. And that makes the difference. We have to accept our body because is the only one we have. Not matter how bad it looks.
    After all, it is somebody else´s creation."
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  18. there is a statement i like best " none has allthings in their life and noone has everything lost since they were born"
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  19. for me, beauty...it is simple that you are confident, always smiling with others!
    ok?
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  20. Beauty? Where is it? Whether it is in the ways we behave with other people, I suppose that.
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  21. 1.How can I define beauty? I think beauty consists of two parts outside and inside beauty,your appearence and your soul. you may have a good looking but you can't be considered to be a beautiful one and you might be ugly but everyone likes you, calls you beautiful and kind girl. I, therefore, want to say that real beauty comes from your soul,be kind and optimistic one is always the most beautiful girl in other eyes.
    2. Having your beauty is your own power to be successful in your life
    3. The most beautiful thing in my life I desire to have is a good heath to do many things to help myself and others who are in need.
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