i iof the beholder

sometimes, i am utterly mesmerized by things of beauty. it's a weakness. though it does help me understand why men become such slavering fiends whenever something beautiful walks in the room.

anyway.

i just received these earrings in the mail. carved cinnabar. gorgeous. and i keep finding myself pulling them out and staring at them, marveling at the intricacy of their carving, the depth of the shade of red...and it makes me wonder: what is it in our wiring that makes us capable of recognizing beauty? that makes our opinions of beauty so different? why don't i think carmen electra is all that pretty while my brother thinks she's the best thing since sliced bread? is this all cultural? is this nurture, not nature? i'm not entirely sure. there are, after all, some universal constants. biologists tell us that we are naturally attracted to symmetry...and...well, actually that' pretty much the only universal constant, i suppose. because, while biology explains why some some guys like to date girls with cadillac hips, it does nothing to clarify those who prefer their with the little boy physique.

where was this going?

oh yes. beauty. why do i think that particular shade of red is the most wonderful thing ever, and it makes other people break out in hives? where does my sense of beauty come from?

in other news...vote!