Alan: Humans -- particularly human males -- are irrepressibly attracted (seemingly by genetic "mandate") to smooth, pleasantly-rounded features.
Although women may be biased toward men with "manly, well-chiseled" features, they themselves spend disproportionate time and energy enhancing their own smoothness and "curves" while being much less demanding about the physical appearance of potential male mates.
What hot-blooded young male would not want to "jump the bones" of the woman on the left-hand side of the photo above?
And what hot-blooded young male would not ignore even an "open invitation" to "jump the bones" of the same woman 30-40 years later?
In youth, it is as if The Essence of Life pushes out from The Center of Being so that one's physical body contains the fullness of life right up-to-and-penetrating the surface, thus making the surface co-terminous with the spirit that "forms" and informs it.
In old age it is as if The Essence of Life is retreating back to The Center of Being leaving old people "holding the bag," deflated bags, de-pressurized bags, bags that are no longer informed by the pressing Essence of Life and therefore are no longer "in form."
In youth, it is as if The Essence of Life pushes out from The Center of Being so that one's physical body contains the fullness of life right up-to-and-penetrating the surface, thus making the surface co-terminous with the spirit that "forms" and informs it.
In old age it is as if The Essence of Life is retreating back to The Center of Being leaving old people "holding the bag," deflated bags, de-pressurized bags, bags that are no longer informed by the pressing Essence of Life and therefore are no longer "in form."
Several decades ago, I read a study probing cultures around the world and the only point of commonality concerning attitudes (and the corresponding "prompts" that triggered those attitudes) was that people with rounded features were considered "virtuous/good" and people with angular, pointy features were considered "evil/bad."
This cross cultural study does not provide a perfect parallel but it is clearly caught up in "the same ball of wax."
I am a 67 year old male and as I age I am most struck by how "god-like" human beings appeared in my youth, and - correspondingly - how much I now see other humans as embedded in The Animal Kingdom.
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The following TED Radio Hour holds very little interest for me since the "fountain of youth" has always impressed me as folly.
The Fountain Of Youth
Aging is inevitable. We can slow it down a little, but could we ever bring it to a grinding halt?
In this episode, TED speakers explore how we all might live longer and even better lives.
In this episode, TED speakers explore how we all might live longer and even better lives.
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