- November 5th, 2023, 8:16 am
#449210
This topic is about the November 2023 Philosophy Book of the Month, Artwords by Beatriz M. Robles
AI prompt : A lady standing in front of a mirror. On one side of the reflection, she appears with makeup, looking flawless. On the other side, she appears natural, with visible freckles and moles, looking at her perfect reflection. (Created using Dall-E 3)
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This excerpt propels us into a dialogue intertwining aesthetics and authenticity, reminiscent of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's reflections on natural human existence versus societal constructs. Rousseau, in his discourse, often lamented the facades humanity wears to adhere to societal expectations, which he saw as a deviation from our true, natural state.
In the poem "Smooth Strokes", the act of applying foundation to create a 'flawless' appearance can be juxtaposed against Rousseau's notion of returning to a more 'natural' state of being. The 'flawless facade' here can symbolize the societal pressures to conform to certain standards of beauty, veiling our authentic selves in the process.
The persona's moment of delight as they behold a transformed reflection in the mirror invites us to reflect: Does this quest for aesthetic perfection, symbolized through the act of covering blemishes and attaining a flawless facade, echo Rousseau's critique of societal constructs that pull us away from our natural state?
In this aesthetic narrative laid out by Robles, how does the philosophical idea of authenticity versus societal conformity play out? And, as we traverse through the layers of aesthetic modulation in pursuit of perfection, what do we unveil about the inherent human desire to conform to external standards of beauty, often at the expense of embracing our authentic selves?
AND WHEN IT'S OVER, IT'S A GIRL'S SHEERSmooth Strokes by Beatriz M. Robles
DELIGHT! MY FACE LOOKS LIKE SILK. I STARE
INTO THE MIRROR OF THE COMPACT AND THE
FOUNDATION POWDER HAVE ERASED MY EYE-
BAGS, COVERED MY FRECKLES, AND EVENED
MY SKIN TONE. PLUS, IT EVEN HID THE
MOLE I DON'T LIKE ON MY LEFT CHEEK.
FLAWLESS!
Image0001.png (843.33 KiB) Viewed 3289 times
This excerpt propels us into a dialogue intertwining aesthetics and authenticity, reminiscent of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's reflections on natural human existence versus societal constructs. Rousseau, in his discourse, often lamented the facades humanity wears to adhere to societal expectations, which he saw as a deviation from our true, natural state.
In the poem "Smooth Strokes", the act of applying foundation to create a 'flawless' appearance can be juxtaposed against Rousseau's notion of returning to a more 'natural' state of being. The 'flawless facade' here can symbolize the societal pressures to conform to certain standards of beauty, veiling our authentic selves in the process.
The persona's moment of delight as they behold a transformed reflection in the mirror invites us to reflect: Does this quest for aesthetic perfection, symbolized through the act of covering blemishes and attaining a flawless facade, echo Rousseau's critique of societal constructs that pull us away from our natural state?
In this aesthetic narrative laid out by Robles, how does the philosophical idea of authenticity versus societal conformity play out? And, as we traverse through the layers of aesthetic modulation in pursuit of perfection, what do we unveil about the inherent human desire to conform to external standards of beauty, often at the expense of embracing our authentic selves?
“There is only one thing a philosopher can be relied upon to do, and that is to contradict other philosophers”
– William James
– William James
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