Beauty (also called prettiness, loveliness or comeliness) is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture. An "ideal beauty" is an entity which is admired, or possesses features widely attributed to beauty in a particular culture, for perfection.

The experience of "beauty" often involves the interpretation of some entity as being in balance and harmony with nature, which may lead to feelings of attraction and emotional well-being. Because this is a subjective experience, it is often said that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." In its most profound sense, beauty may engender a salient experience of positive reflection about the meaning of one's own existence. A subject of beauty is anything that resonates with personal meaning. The classical Greek noun for "beauty" was κάλλος, ''kallos'', and the adjective for "beautiful" was καλός, ''kalos''. The Koine Greek word for beautiful was ὡραῖος, ''hōraios'', an adjective etymologically coming from the word ὥρα, ''hōra'', meaning "hour." In Koine Greek, beauty was thus associated with "being of one's hour."

A ripe fruit (of its time) was considered beautiful, whereas a young woman trying to appear older or an older woman trying to appear younger would not be considered beautiful. In Attic Greek, ''hōraios'' had many meanings, including "youthful" and "ripe old age." Symmetry is also important because it suggests the absence of genetic or acquired defects.

Although style and fashion vary widely, cross-cultural research has found a variety of commonalities in people's perception of beauty. The earliest Western theory of beauty can be found in the works of early Greek philosophers from the pre-Socratic period, such as Pythagoras. The Pythagorean school saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty. In particular, they noted that objects proportioned according to the golden ratio seemed more attractive. Ancient Greek architecture is based on this view of symmetry and proportion.

Plato considered beauty to be the Idea (Form) above all other Ideas. Aristotle saw a relationship between the beautiful (''to kalon'') and virtue, arguing that "Virtue aims at the beautiful." Classical philosophy and sculptures of men and women produced according to these philosophers' tenets of ideal human beauty were rediscovered in Renaissance Europe, leading to a re-adoption of what became known as a "classical ideal". In terms of female human beauty, a woman whose appearance conforms to these tenets is still called a "classical beauty" or said to possess a "classical beauty", whilst the foundations laid by Greek and Roman artists have also supplied the standard for male beauty in western civilization. During the gothic era, the classical aesthetical canon of beauty was rejected as sinful. Only God is beautiful and perfect, and man is flawed by the original sin and can achieve no beauty in his life if not through God. Later, the Renaissance and the Humanism rejected this view, and considered beauty as a product of rational order and harmony of proportions. Renaissance artists and architect (such as Giorgio Vasari in his "lives of artists") criticised the gothic period as irrational and barbarian. This point of view over gothic art lasted until Romanticism, in the 19th century.

The Age of Reason saw a rise in an interest in beauty as a philosophical subject. For example, Scottish philosopher Francis Hutcheson argued that beauty is "unity in variety and variety in unity". The Romantic poets, too, became highly concerned with the nature of beauty, with John Keats arguing in "Ode on a Grecian Urn" that

: Beauty is truth, truth beauty ,—that is all. : Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

In the Romantic period, Edmund Burke pointed out the differences between beauty in its classical meaning and Sublime. The concept of the Sublime by Burke and Kant permitted us to understand that even if Gothic art and architecture are not always "symmetrical" or adherent to classical standard of beauty as the other style, gothic art is by no mean "ugly" or irrational: it's just another aesthetic category, the Sublime category. The 20th century saw an increasing rejection of beauty by artists and philosophers alike, culminating in postmodernism's anti-aesthietics. This is despite beauty being a central concern of one of postmodernism's main influences, Friedrich Nietzsche, who argued that the Will to Power was the Will to Beauty.

In the aftermath of postmodernism's rejection of beauty, thinkers such as Roger Scruton and Frederick Turner have returned to beauty as an important value. Elaine Scarry also argues that beauty is related to justice.

Human beauty

The characterization of a person as “beautiful”, whether on an individual basis or by community consensus, is often based on some combination of ''Inner Beauty'', which includes psychological factors such as personality, intelligence, grace, politeness, charisma, integrity, congruence and elegance, and ''Outer Beauty'' (i.e. physical attractiveness) which includes physical attributes which are valued on a subjective basis.

Standards of beauty have changed over time, based on changing cultural values. Historically, paintings show a wide range of different standards for beauty. However, humans who are relatively young, with smooth skin, well-proportioned bodies, and regular features, have traditionally been considered the most beautiful throughout history.

A strong indicator of physical beauty is "averageness", or "koinophilia". When images of human faces are averaged together to form a composite image, they become progressively closer to the "ideal" image and are perceived as more attractive. This was first noticed in 1883, when Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, overlaid photographic composite images of the faces of vegetarians and criminals to see if there was a typical facial appearance for each. When doing this, he noticed that the composite images were more attractive compared to any of the individual images.

Researchers have replicated the result under more controlled conditions and found that the computer generated, mathematical average of a series of faces is rated more favorably than individual faces. Evolutionarily it makes logical sense that sexual creatures should be attracted to mates who possess predominantly common or average features.

A feature of beautiful women that has been explored by researchers is a waist-to-hip ratio of approximately 0.70. Physiologists have shown that women with hourglass figures are more fertile than other women due to higher levels of certain female hormones, a fact that may subconsciously condition males choosing mates.

People are influenced by the images they see in the media to determine what is or is not beautiful. Feminists and doctors have suggested that the very thin models featured in magazines promote eating disorders, and others have argued that the predominance of white women featured in movies and advertising leads to a Eurocentric concept of beauty, feelings of inferiority in women of color, and internalized racism.

The black is beautiful cultural movement sought to dispel this notion. Mixed race children are often perceived to be more attractive than their parents because their genetic diversity protects them from the inherited errors of their individual parents.

The concept of beauty in men is known as 'bishōnen' in Japan. Bishōnen refers to males with distinctly feminine features, physical characteristics establishing the standard of beauty in Japan and typically exhibited in their pop culture idols. A multi-billion-dollar industry of Japanese Aesthetic Salons exists.

Effects on society

Beauty presents a standard of comparison, and it can cause resentment and dissatisfaction when not achieved. People who do not fit the "beauty ideal" may be ostracized within their communities. The television sitcom ''Ugly Betty'' portrays the life of a girl faced with hardships due to society's unwelcoming attitudes toward those they deem unattractive. However, a person may also be targeted for harassment because of their beauty. In ''Malèna'', a strikingly beautiful Italian woman is forced into poverty by the women of the community who refuse to give her work for fear that she may "woo" their husbands. The documentary ''Beauty in the Eyes of the Beheld'' explores both the societal blessings and curses of female beauty through interviews of women considered beautiful.

Researchers have found that good looking students get higher grades from their teachers than students with an ordinary appearance. Furthermore, attractive patients receive more personalized care from their doctors. Studies have even shown that handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less attractive convicts. Studies among teens and young adults, such as those of psychiatrist and self-help author, Eva Ritvo, show that skin conditions have a profound effect on social behavior and opportunity.

How much money a person earns may also be influenced by physical beauty. One study found that people low in physical attractiveness earn 5 to 10 percent less than ordinary looking people, who in turn earn 3 to 8 percent less than those who are considered good looking. Discrimination against others based on their appearance is known as lookism.

St. Augustine said of beauty "Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked."

Ugliness

Ugliness is a property of a person or thing that is unpleasant to look upon and results in a highly unfavorable evaluation. To be ugly is to be aesthetically unattractive, repulsive, or offensive. Like its opposite, beauty, ugliness involves a subjective judgment and is at least partly in the "eye of the beholder." Thus, the perception of ugliness can be mistaken or short-sighted, as in the story of ''The Ugly Duckling'' by Hans Christian Andersen.

People who appear ugly to others suffer well-documented discrimination, earning 10 to 15 percent less per year than similar workers, and are less likely to be hired for almost any job, but lack legal recourse to fight discrimination.

Although ugliness is normally viewed as a visible characteristic, it can also be an internal attribute. For example, an individual could be outwardly attractive but inwardly thoughtless and cruel. It is also possible to be in an "ugly mood," which is a temporary, internal state of unpleasantness, or may refer to the way one views themselves at the moment.

For some people, ugliness is a central aspect of their persona. Jean-Paul Sartre had a lazy eye and a bloated, asymmetrical face, and he attributed many of his philosophical ideas to his life-long struggle to come to terms with his self-described ugliness. Socrates also used his ugliness as a philosophical touch point, concluding that philosophy can save us from our outward ugliness. Famous in his own time for his perceived ugliness, Abraham Lincoln was described by a contemporary: "to say that he is ugly is nothing; to add that his figure is grotesque, is to convey no adequate impression." However, his looks proved to be an asset in his personal and political relationships, as his law partner William Herndon wrote, "He was not a pretty man by any means, nor was he an ugly one; he was a homely man, careless of his looks, plain-looking and plain-acting. He had no pomp, display, or dignity, so-called. He appeared simple in his carriage and bearing. He was a sad-looking man; his melancholy dripped from him as he walked. His apparent gloom impressed his friends, and created sympathy for him - one means of his great success."

See also

Adornment

Aesthetics

Beauty contest

Erotic capital

Fashion

Glamour (presentation)

Human physical appearance

Mathematical beauty

Nature (philosophy)

Processing fluency theory of aesthetic pleasure

Sexual attraction

References

External links

BBC Radio 4's In Our Time programme on Beauty (requires RealAudio)

''Dictionary of the History of Ideas'': Theories of Beauty to the Mid-Nineteenth Century

beautycheck.de/english Regensburg University - Characteristics of beautiful faces

Eli Siegel's "Is Beauty the Making One of Opposites?"

Category:Concepts in aesthetics

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Name	Sean Kingston
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Kisean Anderson
Born	February 03, 1990Miami, Florida, United States
Years active	2006–present
Label	Beluga Heights, Epic, TM3 Records, E1 Music
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, rapper, actor
Genre	Hip hop, R&B, reggae fusion
Website	}}

Sean Kingston (born Kisean Anderson; February 3, 1990) is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album ''Sean Kingston''.

Early life

Kingston was born on February 3, 1990, in Miami, Florida and moved to Kingston, Jamaica when he was six. He attended high school in Ocho Rios. His grandfather by marriage was the noted Jamaican reggae producer Lawrence Lindo, who worked under the stage name Jack Ruby. At age 11, Kingston spent 21 days in jail for breaking and entering, and Kingston lived in a car while his mother was incarcerated for identity theft.

Music career

2007–2008: ''Sean Kingston''

Sean Kingston was discovered through MySpace by Tommy Rotem at Beluga Heights, and signed to the label in a partnership deal with Sony. Beluga is a label notable for its focus on discovering and developing artists. In an interview with HitQuarters label head and producer J.R. Rotem described this process with regards to Kingston:

"Sean Kingston was a rapper when we found him and it was a development process to get him more melodic. At Beluga we essentially refine the talent so that it's more of a marketable product."

In a venture between Epic Records and Koch Records, Kingston recorded and released the single "Beautiful Girls" in May 2007. The single, based on the bass line and lyrical "association" of the 1961 hit "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King, reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for three weeks and topped the UK Singles Chart along with many other international charts. Similarly, the song "Me Love" samples the main hook out Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er", from their 1973 album ''Houses of the Holy''. The song also debuted at number one in Australia, where it knocked off Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry", which had been at number one for nine weeks. The song stayed on the Canadian Hot 100 number one spot for over six weeks before getting knocked down to third place by the Plain White T's. "Beautiful Girls" remained at number one in Canada longer than any other song in 2007. In 2007, Kingston was the opening act for Gwen Stefani's ''The Sweet Escape'' Tour and for select dates on Beyoncé's ''The Beyoncé Experience'' Tour. Since Sean is a Jamaican singer, he got his stage name "Kingston" from the capital of Jamaica called Kingston, Jamaica. Which lead him to having the stage name "Sean Kingston".

2009–2010: ''Tomorrow''

The album ''Tomorrow'' was released on September 22, 2009. Big-name producers involved in the album included former Fugee Wyclef Jean; RedOne (of recent Lady GaGa fame); plus Sean's original mentor, J.R. Rotem. So far, the singles "Fire Burning", and "Face Drop" have been released. Additionally, five promotional digital singles were released leading up to the album.

Kingston co-wrote Jason Derülo's "Whatcha Say". He also found the R&B-reggae singer Iyaz on MySpace and signed him to his record label. He also recorded the track "Miss Everything" for the UK girl-group Sugababes studio album Sweet 7 which was released March 15, 2010 in the UK. Kingston and DJ Khaled are being featured on Bow Wow's new single "For My Hood", from the upcoming movie, ''The Lottery Ticket''.

2010–present: Third studio album, King Of Kingz and other projects

According to Sean Kingston, he is already working on his next album. The lead single was confirmed to be "Dumb Love". The song's chorus samples 1957's, Come Go With Me by the Del Vikings. The song is also featured in a episode of ''The Suite Life on Deck'' which Kingston guest starred on. The album will also feature T-Pain, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Akon and Dr. Dre. The first single from the album is "Eenie Meenie" featuring Justin Bieber, released on March 23, 2010, which is also included on Bieber's ''My World 2.0'' album. This collaboration with the young star has been the source of much disapproval from the rap community. The second single from the album is "Letting Go (Dutty Love)", which features a verse from Nicki Minaj. It was released on iTunes August 3, while the third is "Dumb Love" and was released on iTunes September 8. Sean Kingston's new song "She Moves" samples Irena Cara's "What a Feeling" from the film ''Flashdance''. This has not been release as a single. A fourth single "Party All Night (Sleep All Day)" was released on December 21, 2010. The song leaked online in December 2010. The music video has already been shot. The video was released on December 23, 2010. Sean said this would be the song of the new year.

Kingston represented the continent of America to sing the Official Theme Song of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, ''Everyone''. He collaborated with four other international artists representing their continent, South African Jody Williams representing Africa, Singaporean Tabitha Nauser (Asia), British Steve Appleton (Europe), and Australian Jessica Mauboy representing (Oceania) However, Kingston was unable to attend, the Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 opening ceremony, due to passport mix ups. Sean was invited to featured on Cash Money Records/former So So Def member Bow Wow on his single "For My Hood". He performed it with him along with DJ Khaled on BET's television program 106 & Park the day after release.

Sean Released his first mixtape King Of Kingz on February 3, 2011 as a free Download only. The mixtape includes guest appearances by Akon, Flo-Rida, Soulja Boy, Justin Bieber, B.O.B and Tory Lanez.

Kingston will release a mixtape with pop star Justin Bieber, called ''Our World''. It will feature about 12–14 songs and includes their versions of songs like "Pretty Boy Swag" and "Billionaire". The mixtape is finished and Kingston showed his fans a preview on uStream on August, 19, 2010. The release date is yet to be confirmed. Kingston also went on to perform on first leg of Bieber's tour. On April 25, 2011, Kingston performed at Cross Roads Hotel in front of 2,000 people in Lilongwe, Malawi. Kingston was recently in Zimbabwe performing there and is scheduled to perform in Ghana in June 2011. He performed a street concert on April 29, 2011, at Utah State University.

Television appearances

For his 18th birthday, Kingston appeared on the US TV show ''My Super Sweet 16''. The show was memorable for Sean's elaborate entrance to his party, which involved Sean arriving at his party on a private yacht, wearing his own personalized white suit.

Sean appeared on the Nick Jr. Original Series ''Yo Gabba Gabba''.

He was also featured as a guest star on the 2009 remake of ''The Electric Company''.

He made appearances on the MTV reality show ''The Hills'' and ''MTV's Cribs''.

In 2010 he appeared in the "Party On!" episode of the Disney Channel series ''The Suite Life on Deck'' as himself and performed his latest single "Dumb Love"

In 2010 he appeared in Katy Brand vs. series on ITV2 in the United Kingdom

For his 21st birthday, Sean appeared on MTV's ''My Super Sweet 16''.

Activism

Kingston filmed a public service announcement with Do Something to encourage teens to become active in their communities by forming a Do Something club.

Miami Beach jet skiing accident

On May 29, 2011, Kingston was involved in a jet skiing accident in Miami Beach, Florida. Kingston and a female passenger were severely injured when their jet ski struck the bridge connecting Palm Island with the MacArthur Causeway at approximately 6 pm. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he was placed in the intensive care unit and listed in stable condition. He suffered a fractured wrist and broken jaw along with water in the lungs, but is expected to make a full recovery. As of June 24, Kingston has been discharged from hospital and is to continue his recovery at home.

Discography

;Studio albums

''Sean Kingston'' (2007)

''Tomorrow'' (2009)

'' TBA'' (2011/12)

;Official mixtapes

''King Of Kingz'' (2011)

''Our World'' (2011) (with Justin Bieber)

''Greatness'' (2011)

Awards/nominations

*2008, Outstanding New Artist (nominated)

MOBO Awards

*2007: Best Reggae Acts

Teen Choice Awards

*2007: Choice R&B Track "Beautiful Girls"

*2007: Choice Summer Track "Beautiful Girls" (nominated)

*2009: Choice Summer Song "Fire Burning" (nominated)

References

External links

Official UK website

Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:American emigrants to Jamaica Category:American male singers Category:American people of Jamaican descent Category:American pop singers Category:American rappers of Jamaican descent Category:American reggae musicians Category:Epic Records artists Category:Hip hop singers Category:Jamaican people of American descent Category:Jamaican male singers Category:Jamaican pop singers Category:Jamaican rappers Category:People from Kingston, Jamaica Category:People from Saint Ann Parish Category:Rappers from Miami, Florida Category:Reggae fusion artists

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