Beauty is a quality of things, people and works of art that appeals to the senses. It is usually contrasted with ugliness, or something that looks bad.
Aesthetics, one of the major branches of philosophy, focuses on the study of beauty and its connections with art and taste. The concept of beauty has various different meanings and can include anything from the symmetry of a face to how many tattoos a person has or the colour of their skin.
The classical conception of beauty, as articulated in the Italian Renaissance, holds that a beautiful object must be aesthetically pleasing in its parts, standing in proper proportion to each other and in harmony with itself. This conception is most explicitly reflected in the idea of symmetry, a feature that makes an object appealing to the eye.
In addition to being a matter of aesthetic pleasure, beauty is often associated with the concept of ‘goodness’. It is often thought to be a good quality, one that people should strive to attain or improve upon, in order to have a higher moral standing.
Some theorists of aesthetic theory, such as Bernard Lee, argue that beauty is not only a pleasant experience but also a valuable one, and that it should be regarded as an ethical value, a virtue. Others, such as David Hickey and feminist theorists, argue that aesthetics should be seen as a tool of social justice, highlighting issues such as discrimination against women.
It is a very subjective thing, however, and can be affected by such factors as age, body shape, colour, gender or even weight. Some people are very conscious of their physical appearance and make sure that they look nice, but some may not care as much and find their beauty in the way they treat themselves.
For me, I consider beauty to be the qualities and passions that we nurture and the habits we develop that help us feel better about ourselves and our lives. This includes being happy with who we are, letting go of our past and looking forward to the future, showing compassion for people around us, making sacrifices for others, and being able to admit mistakes or shortcomings in ourselves. It is also about being confident in our own abilities, knowing that we have a lot to offer and that we are destined for great things.