Wednesday, June 17, 2009

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHEADED

This is something that has been on my mind lately. The idea is old and used up like a rotten corpse. It’s nothing profound, but it is written here nonetheless. I’ve noticed more and more how easily humans are rounded up and shoved down one-thought troughs. Specifically, at this point I’m thinking of beauty in both men and women. Health is one thing. It is important for us to get enough exercise and eat the right foods at the right proportions to maintain healthy bodies. But I’m talking about beauty beyond that.

We all have a personal ideal of what is beautiful (or at least we did at one point in our lives). That is what makes us all unique and paints our environment with individuality. It goes beyond the constant brainwashing of the Calvin Klein billboards. But when there is one world ideal of beauty that passes among the masses and it’s absorbed into their grey matter, this colorful world turns black and white. What we have is a bunch of beautiful people who all look the same and a bunch of not-so-beautiful people who all look the same.

Women and Men have both been victims of this control. Women, for decades have been encouraged to shave their legs and their pits. Now, a well-maintained yard goes beyond just those regions. The same is true now for men. The idea of beauty in a man is pre-pubescent bald from the neck down. There is one body shape that is beautiful, one preference for hair that is beautiful, one type of skin, one tone in muscle and one style of wardrobe. In order to be beautiful we must all squeeze into the same mold. There are the few that fight this control and hold onto individuality.

I pretty much have three turn-ons in women. 1) I love stockings. Not necessarily nylons (although I don’t oppose them) but my Tex Avery wolf is aroused over striped, argyle, skeletal print, wool, fishnet…pretty much any type of expressive stocking. 2) Glasses. I love a woman in glasses. Maybe, not all glasses. My smokestack doesn’t blow for the old 70s Owl eyed spectacles. But a woman in attractive frames will get a double take. Whether it is true or not, glasses reflect a since of maturity and intellect as well as independent thought. 3) Hair pulled back or up is always hot. I’m not saying I have a thing for Amish women, but the sophistication of pulled up hair revs my motor.

Okay enough about my fetishes. But I do have a point. Pretty much two of these things are constantly hammered into the not-so-attractive plank of wood. In the 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep, Humphrey Bogart’s character insinuates to a librarian to remove her glasses. It isn’t until she does so and drops her hair that he finds her as an object of attraction. This is an age-old perspective that gave rise to the eye contact and hair straightener corporations that are now taking over the world. I hold Bogey in high regards, but as for me I’ll take the librarian over the bimbo.

I know it’s a clichéd saying, but true beauty is on the inside. Love is evidence of this. If someone has the capacity to love, they find beauty beyond physical flaws. For those of you who are incapable of love…well, I guess I don’t envy you. We are all on this world for a very short time. Within that time, there is a shorter amount of time that we are mature enough yet young enough to be attractive. Then what? Breast augmentations? Face lifts? Tummy tucks? Rogaine? Viagra? They’ve created things for us to spend our money on to buy the false security we place in being attractive. But it all leaves us empty. The path to happiness heads the other direction! What should we be spending our energy on…fitting into a mold (some will never fit into), or giving something to the world? Create art, paint, dance, sing, tell stories, cook, love, help the needy, start a revolution…anything but fall into this shallow grave of distraction. Women, love your cuddly bears. Men, hold your skinny “A” cup sweethearts close. And seniors, grab that wrinkled face and kiss it long, because very few people will achieve the depths of love you share with each other. Fly your colors proud (you are beautiful as you are) and lets stick it to the man who is trying to paint this world drab.

That is my rant.

Be grim!

Gris Grimly

15 comments:

  1. WOW! and he's a philosopher too ;) this is a very good first post my friend.if only others could see the light.too bad i don't wear glasses but i do pull my hair back and wear funky socks sometimes,i have a fetish for toe socks of the weird kind,rock on!

    L

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  2. This is a lovely first post, Gris. I hope you'll post much and often. Best dishes, Bev

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  3. Taking your thoughts a bit further, there also seems to be a social requirement that one must be positive and happy 24/7. What's wrong with being an extroverted pessimist tempered with a healthy dose of levity? Seeing a glass half empty doesn't predetermine antisocial behavior or being angry at life, but neither should anyone be condemned to wear a fake Walmart-greeter smile just to let the world know that they're just as happy being secretly miserable as everyone else is.

    And for the record, Gris, I'm always Grim.

    Reaping & Critiquing,
    ~ Grim D.

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  4. ...and it is so fucking hard to stay out of this world idea. many argues, many rejections (about anything), and many people who judge. still, i think it is worth the effort. there is an unfamous song here in my country which says that "knowledge means solitude". i'll stay with that. have a nice day, Gris!
    ;)
    Faye

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  5. This is a great first blog and it doesn't matter if it's been said before, I don't think it can be said enough! It will take a lot to change the westernized world view of beauty and if people talk about it enough and show enough alternatives to what that means, then maybe something will happen to change that!

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  6. I totally agree - and I am so sick of the same 5 hairstyles (all ugly) on everyone from newscasters to soccer moms I could croak. When I want a haircut, I have to take my 80s scrapbooks with me. Rock on, Grim!
    Vena

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  7. I haven't felt so good about my self in such a long time. True honest is hard to come by and acceptance of who you really are is even harder to do. It is just nice to hear such beuatiful words of encouragement to just be proud of what makes you so special. Thanks Gris!
    ~Nicole

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  8. What say? well... sweet post guy!
    yes, is a colorful world!
    the beauty have many sides...so think about fetish...
    well I think that eyes have my first attention,
    the eyes is the window of the soul...
    In Love, about love... my favorite theme
    oh yeah, love is the only thing important, one big passion, strong desire, broke the impossible
    and run to see, feel, touch... love is a spiritual feeling, is much better when the love is impossible at moment, cos this give some gasoline... well ugly, what is? ever people have you taste and when have love
    some points change. fetish... white skins, tattoooo is awesome and attitude rock. I think many, still, but well! guy, I really like of your words here.
    the line of the life is this simple word
    on simple life... and not is what the
    fashion say.. this is bullshit!
    I believe in the simple, look the sky
    catch the hand on your side
    walk in the beach and be happy with your way;
    you it, only it, energy, so fly. be the best energy of life "love".
    have a great day guy

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  9. I am now going to read you lovley post to my wonderfully furry husband! :) Keep posting and making amazing art!
    All hail to colorful beauty!

    Theresa-

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  10. Hear hear! (And other such exclamations of praise!)

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  11. and I thought I looked like a unatractive dork with my glases and my stipy tights. lol. Thanks Gris!

    Always Grim and a fiend! Nix

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  12. i am now officially hooked on your rants.
    beautiful philosophies, grimly.
    thank you for not falling into the black and white category. ^^

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  13. i once fell in love with a man that was addicted to everything but me...everything i wasnt. And i abhorrently tried to fit into his mold. I wanted to be that powder he stuck up his nose. I wanted to be "girly" cause my tom-boy(ness) scared him. I scrubbed the black from my nails after working on a car so he would love me. I stopped writing my stories of being a pessimist cause "being negative" doesnt look good on me. I stopped creating, reading, existing. I lost me. Stupid stupid stupid. EFF that. i wanna be me!
    Im back. My crooked black wings are back...and im flying in my own twisted, tom-boy, pessimisticly harrowing way.
    Damn...people that think like you are few and far between. your gifted.

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  14. Hmm, I immediately thought of my significant-other. He recently decided the army was for him and was almost embarrassed to show me when he cut off his long hair. It was ridiculous! I've always been very unconventional and he's supported (and been attracted) to all of my odd and lovely atrocities. I think he forgot for a moment that his support was more attractive than the length of his hair.

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