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it's always interesting to me the discrepancies in beauty standards and attractiveness in different cultures for both genders. Obviously this polling is done f
by upupandup 5y ago
it's always interesting to me the discrepancies in beauty standards and attractiveness in different cultures for both genders.
Obviously this polling is done from a Americana/Europa point of view but outside it, there's less emphasis on macho maleness, which seems to be what muscularity is alluding to, in fact it hurts you. Women are diverse and so are there preferences but its probably harder to see it in macho, male driven image in the American continent.
It appears that especially in the American/European continent, muscularity, the ability to exert physical violence, justified or not, is what is preferred, which tells you a bit about those societies, violence and fear appears to be a component of their culture, especially true in Americas compared to Western Europe for instance.
However, it's obvious that the new generation has a very different standards for male beauty. The popularity of BTS is a good example. It just shows you how much of an impact media has. Japanese women for the most part prefer the thin skinny androgyny according to polls, in fact androgyny in males is highly preferred over the macho masculinity or less threatening looking males, which says a bit about those societies which are far far safer and non-violent compared to North America. At the same time there is casual physical contact that is generally accepted but you don't walk in the streets at night in large cities and fear for your life.
- mattgreenrocks 5y agoIf beauty standards differ somewhat from culture to culture, doesn't that break the "we're just evolved animals" evo-psych idea that physical strength is the most important thing?
- goodpoint 5y agoMost "evolutionary psychology" that you find online is broscience if not worse.
- mattgreenrocks 5y agoAbsolutely, I'm just instilling some doubt in readers. :)
- at_a_remove 5y agoI have never seen anything in evolutionary psychology to suggest that strength was the most important thing.
- mattgreenrocks 5y agoThat doesn't answer the question: do cultural norms of beauty conflict with the evo-psych view of the primacy of men's physical strength in attractiveness?
- sparker72678 5y agoAs noted by another commenter, we're "social" animals. So consider "strength" in the context of the social dynamics of the mating group. That is, in some groups, literal physical strength is going to have benefits, and be sought after because of how it can be physically applied. In other groups, the aesthetic of being physically strong brings along social standing, which is attractive for its own reasons. Etc. The point being, cultural norms of beauty, whatever they are, correlate to the other desirable traits and outcomes (money, power, safety, stability, etc) that humans want, in that context.
- at_a_remove 5y agoOkay, I guess I need to reframe this in multiple ways: Evo-psych (actually called "evolutionary psychology") does NOT view men's physical strength as primary in attractiveness. Lifting big things is not number one hotness. Other things matter more to mate selection than muscles. People who call evolutionary psychology "evo-psych," well, that's a dog whistle of its own.
- frostwarrior 5y agoWe're evolved social* animals. Strength may matter, but a team of average hunters is far more successful than a strong but lone one.
- throw1239816 5y agonope. this is completely wrong media everywhere in the world has thin skinny androgyny artists and big atlethic artists. america has plenty of feminine males. have you seen the beauty industry or social media at all? its all skinny dudes this isnt about violence. most people are fat and never see any violence. women just prefer big strong alethic men everywhere in world when you look at who is having sex and not just some polls
- yodsanklai 5y ago> Obviously this polling is done from a Americana/Europa point of view but outside it, there's less emphasis on macho maleness, which seems to be what muscularity is alluding to, in fact it hurts you. I would say it is the same in Western Europe. At least in my circle, being artificially muscular is negatively correlated as being dumb. It seems that educated women invariably dislike American-style big muscles. That being said, Americans invariably export their lifestyles to us through movies and series, so I wouldn't be surprise if this big muscle trend eventually make its way to us.
- torginus 5y agoThis reminds me of a funny exchange in the Silicon Valley show: Dinesh: Well, when we were kids, I was the one getting good grades, I was the one who was planning for my future, I would bring gifts for my teachers cause they worked so hard, you know, cool stuff. He was getting in trouble, he got caught smoking opium in the toolshed, he crashed my uncle's motorbike. Gilfoyle: And you think you're the cool one? Dinesh: Yeah, it's different in Pakistan. Gilfoyle: I've never been but I know it isn't.
- nebula8804 5y agoEven reading the lines and re-playing it with their exact voices in my head, it still makes me laugh out loud to this day. Good writing stands the test of time. I wish I had the "knack" to get to this level of quality. Such an amazing skill. I find myself going back to old simpsons clips and just laughing as if I just saw them. For example, tell me if you get a laugh from this 1995(almost 27 years) clip [1]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdz4bc2LGMM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdz4bc2LGMM
- jjeaff 5y agoThere are certainly more benefits to muscles than being able to impart more physical violence. In fact, if women were more attracted to someone mostly because of the protection they could offer, a guy who walks around with a rifle slung over his back and a knife in his belt would be a rather attractive look.
- lupire 5y ago1. Physical strength is more practically useful than a rifle. 2. "Man in military uniform" is an archetypical attractive male.
- linspace 5y ago> It appears that especially in the American/European continent, muscularity, the ability to exert physical violence, justified or not, is what is preferred, which tells you a bit about those societies, violence and fear appears to be a component of their culture, especially true in Americas compared to Western Europe for instance. Because outside western culture the world is just peace and lollipops. Let me give an alternative explanation: females in western societies can indulge in casual sex
- upupandup 4y ago> females in western societies can indulge in casual sex So you think only western women indulge in casual sex? that is quite a myopic and old fashioned view. How old are you? When was the last time you took a trip?
- Consultant32452 5y agoWomen seem to universally be attracted to men who are capable of "protecting" them. I put that in quotes because it's kind of fuzzy as there's lots of different types of protection. Economic security is a type of protection. Physical protection is a type of protection. The androgynous men in Asia you're referring to are signaling economic protection, they don't have to work hard to support themselves. Somewhat related is that having a tan used to be a signal of low class, because you had to work outside, now having a nice tan is a luxury of the wealthy. Being overweight used to be attractive (signal of wealth) now having the time and money to go to the gym is a signal of wealth. The point is I think the underlying desires have stayed the same, but the context in which those desires manifest changes. And so over time, because the world has changed, different attributes signal different things.
- CapricornNoble 5y ago>>>Japanese women for the most part prefer the thin skinny androgyny according to polls What women say in polls != who women do in the bedroom. Any athletic or military guy who has spent more than 5 minutes in Asia knows this.
- upupandup 4y ago