Are we more beautiful than the people of 500 years ago?!?

Answer 1

Depends of ones definition of beauty!! And for Strawberry BigMac do you know anything about natural selection because I think not - for a characteristic (say beauty) to be weeded out the less attractive people would have to not mate in order to prevent them passing on their genes. However, less unattractive people still mate thus leading to the passing on of their genes!! Get your facts right!! We are not getting more beautiful as a result of natural selection.

Answer 2

Yes, solely due to the question being asked now instead of 500 years ago. Attractiveness is partially a learned response(some elements of attractiveness seem to be innate such as symmetry of features) based on the culture of the person judging another persons attractiveness. That social aesthetic judgment evolves through time in all cultures. Currently, in some western European and North American cultures, a key ingredient is slimness, which even today is a minority view in light of the preferences of all the cultures in the Ethnographic Atlas. More cultures value being plump or even fat than thin in todays world. All societies have changed in their views of attractiveness since those days of 500 years ago. Asked now, the answer has to be "yes" because the standard with which one judges is the current one for their society, although not all people would agree what specific elements are attractive, all would say now is better than any other time when different criteria was used. Asked 500 years ago, comparing to any other period the answer would have to be that at that time, people were more attractive.
The value to aesthetics contributed by body adornment, scarification, cosmetics, clothing styles, body painting and much more have all evolved even in our own lifetimes, Ask a grandparent how attractive tattoos or piercings where in their day, then ask a teen in western countries.

Answer 3

We have different standards, that has always changed according to country and ethnic background. Yes better dental care and cleanliness is good for appearance, but the plastic surgery thing is only good for when there is a real disconnect between say, the size of the nose and the rest of the face, or the almost complete lack of a chin. Other than that you start getting a parade of Miss America, Miss Universe look alikes, like Barbie dolls right out of a factory, and that's not beautiful, being beautiful isn't looking like everyone else that's labeled beautiful its letting your life and your experience and your joy show through. Some of the most truly beautiful people you see are elderly. Not sex symbol beauty as measured by proportions in a swimsuit, but true soul satisfying beauty as measured by living and loving.
I think we are prettier than we used to be, but looking pretty has made us less beautiful

Answer 4

I don't think so. People 500 years ago were probably more beautiful beause they didn't try to be something they werne't. They were natural. I dont see beauty in anything 'made up.'
They may have been a bit smellier but definately more natural.
No make up, as such, no silicone, no nothing. "Take me as i am."
But having said that, how did we see each other 500 years ago?
Same as we do now? Demanding perfection and in the process creating imperfection?

Answer 5

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder - depends on what u consider beautiful. Thin or fat or tall or short or small feet or curves or skin or color or whatever.

What we have today is better hair color, make up, plastic surgery, breast enhancements, hairstyles and styling products and blow dryers, colored contacts, skin care products and cleansers, lipsticks, jewelry, materials and clothing, designer accessories, dieting products, liposuction, dental orthodontics.

In fact, the people now would probably look ugly to someone who stepped out of a time machine from 500 years ago - freaky and artificial and wierd.

Answer 6

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I can not see people of 500 years ago,only some paintings and they could be made to look better.

Answer 7

Beauty is in fact in the eye of the beholder. We are not necessarily more beautiful, rather we have just found ways of covering up any imperfections. Also, we have a much more superficial attitude of what is beautiful. As attitudes have developed, so have ideas of beauty. Additionally, clothing styles tend to bring out aspects of beauty. 100 years ago, women wore ankle lenght skirts and had to dress certain ways. Today, they wear miniskirts, g-strings, etc......The sexier way of dressing brings the illusion of sexier people (more beautiful in other words) when in reality it is the way that these people are presenting themselves to the world that is really making the count for what is now percieved as beauty.

Answer 8

I look in the Mirror each day and think to myself, WOW you look good my old friend (50) years.
My Wife is Beautiful because She has very nat smooth skin.

At the end of the day She tells me I smell good and always look smart and of course why not.
I do live in the 21st Cent so when my Family see pics in 500 years from now they will most probably say WOW that guy was Beautiful and of course they will be correct to the ugly people around by then???

Answer 9

Ha ha ha! There's a lot of responses! I have to agree with the people who say that beauty is int he eye of the be holder, people from 500 years ago might see us as totally ugly. Personaly I think that or that we're uglier now because now no one is natural anymore, we're all just covered in makeup or botox and no one's who they are anymore. (Most of the people at least.)

Answer 10

have you taken a look around lately? I'll estimate about 15% of people today can be considered attractive, and maybe another 10% acceptable. But as for your question, it's not so much the actual looks of the people in those old paintings, it's the hair styles and clothes. Look at your pictures from the 70's or 80's and you'll most likely be appalled at how you looked.