To continue the discussion of The Right to Ugliness...
Look past the stereotypes in your mind.
Look past the wall that distracts you.
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| Note to readers: this photo is my example of a broken wall, not ugliness. I personally like graffiti art. |
If you think something is ugly,
look at it for a long time.
You may change your idea of it.
Ugliness is a judgment, an opinion,
which comes from a stereotype you have in your mind,
some idea of things you acquired as you went through life.
So,
try this experiment:
keep the above blog post open on your desktop for a whole day,
with the "ugly" photos showing,
so that you will see them, even walk by them,
several times during the day.
I did this, and my perceptions changed.
Now, these people are no longer ugly to me,
as I began to "know" them as human beings rather than stereotypes.
Use the comments to report on what happens to you.
42 comments:
I believe that one has the right to opinionate about something that they strongly believe in. However, before judging something one should think twice about commenting on it.
I have had life experiences with people who were severely disabled and your initial natural response is, OMG, but once you are around them for a certain amount of time, you not only get used to them, but you actually find their uniqueness. People make fun of them by calling them "special", but in my experiences, I really do consider them special people.
Everyone is ugly in their own way, as time goes by, you become familiar with their unique looks.
Ugly, no one can judge who is ugly because everyone has a different perspective of what is beautiful and ugly. There are many things that we consider ugly but are worth millions on art displays. Just always take a second or even third look and what might of been ugly at first sight might look beautiful the third time.
After looking at the images of the "ugly people" after a while my eyes did get used to them. I do think that perception plays a strong role as well as stereotyping. Maybe the people from those images would think "beautiful people" are in fact ugly since they appear different. Our perception of what we think is "ugly" also is developed from our life experiences or perhaps where we grew up. For someone who enjoys grafitti, the picture above may seem beautiful. Or maybe someone who grew up in a rich area would think that is just paint that destroyed a wall. -v.p.
Saying something is ugly or pretty for that matter should be something that one says based on their own preference. However, unfortunately most people believe that if they dont agree with the opinions of others, then they will be looked at as different and possibly rejected. Personally there is nothing ugly or pretty there is only it or you. LP
nothing is ever ugly. people have different points of views on what is ugly and what is beautiful. if someone wears clothes that do not match and someone says its ugly, if YOU think it makes you look amazing, then who's to say no? often people are blinded by ignorance.
-michelle
Nothing should never be considered ugly. The only ugly thing about this picture is that they destroyed the creativity of an open mind. A graffiti artist isn't a criminal because he draws on walls, it's simply because a sheet a paper isn't big enough. =) Sometimes, a drawing has a story to tell or message to give out. We must not judge an graffiti artist by his form of creativity because then we would be saying that a music artist's music is pointless, or that a painter's painting is ugly or maybe even saying that a writers poetry has no meaning. We must open our minds to creativity.
Everyone has a different perception as to what is ugly and what is beautiful. Everyone and everything, is unique in its own way. D.B.
Lets be honest. we live in an aesthetic based society. we praise those and what is beautiful. we put on pedestals nice cars, sexy women, and expensive fashionable clothing. I personally feel like miami is full of beautiful people and i love it, it gives it its worldly nature. true, we can get used to whats "ugly" but really if we all were "ugly" then no one would be. if we all didnt have eyebrows we wouldnt try figuring out why someone without em looks a little...well, ugly.
I really don't agree with the word ugly and its meaning. I enjoy people, things, and situations for what they bring to the table. This picture is beautiful to me. TC
To say something or someone us ugly is a sign of an uneducated individual. The right to be ugly to me means the right to be different or unique. Just because you dont see the simple beauty ins omething dosent mean someone else will not. Nothing is ever ugly, its just not your taste.
-Nicole Chaplin-
Thinking that something is ugly is having an opinion, because something that I can perceive as being ugly might be beautiful for another individual. This all has to do with the way you look at things.
-D. Diaz
Perception can defintely change. The more you see something the more it becomes familiar. However to say that someone is beautiful or ugly at a glance is being judgemental. You must get to know someone to be able to look at the whole person
Marcia P
It is unfair to judge a person based on his or her appearance, but at times we all do that. I think that a person’s external appearance is not important; as stated before, we are all ugly in our own way. Gary Norris
At first looking at this wall my typical reaction was "this is ugly." As I left it on my screen and began at it from a different perspective I realized it really was not ugly, but a form of art. People do not realize it but we stereotype too much. We should not judge thing on how they may look but realize what beauty lies within. We all grow up categorizing what should be "pretty" and what should be "ugly," when we should look at things with a different set of mind. The wall may seem "ugly" but when you sit there to think how a person can be creative and do certain things with their hands you see the real beauty that is captured on the wall. Before people judge on how a person looks, whether they are "ugly" or not they should take a moment and look at who they are. Sometimes we all get surprised.
Ugliness is a person opinion. As we all know opinions are constantly changing. The first time I saw a Jackson Pollock painting I was under the impression that a 6 year old had created the worlds ugliest painting. After taking a college art course and learning of Pollock's methods and reasoning, I have come to greatly appreciate his art and perceive it as beautiful.
ND
In looking at my own perception about ugliness I found out that I stereotype less when I have the energy to look at people and objects. This wall with graffiti gives me the mental capacity to understand ugliness.P.L
For someone to say "something is ugly” is an opinion. Everyone has their own perception of a desired look. Everything is unique in its own way. What one finds to be beautiful, another may have a different opinion. But I do believe that if you look at something or someone long enough, it might change the way you feel about them.
MB
Ugliness is a self perception, I can think that somebody is ugly, but somebody else might think that that person is beautiful. Also what we should look at is the inside of a person and not only the outside. The same happens with a picture or a piece of art, I can look at it and think oh, that is ugly, but for the person that created it, it was beautiful.LR
Nothing should ever be considered ugly. The only ugly thing about this picture is that they destroyed the creativity of an open mind. A graffiti artist isn't a criminal because he draws on walls, it's simply because a sheet a paper isn't big enough. =) Sometimes, a drawing has a story to tell or message to give out. We must not judge an graffiti artist by his form of creativity because then we would be saying that a music artist's music is pointless, or that a painter's painting is ugly or maybe even saying that a writers poetry has no meaning. We must open our minds to creativity.
JR
As I stared at this picture it didnt seem as ugly it just seemed like there was a story behind it and it made me wonder what it was. Things have their own beauty and mystery but thats all on what perspective we look and interpret these things.
The top two pictures alerts one to the fact that this is genetics and cannot be labeled as ugliness.
The woman with the tattoos some may say is ugly. Others may be kind and say it is in poor taste, but to the tattoo world it is art. All in all they are just opinions.
It is weird to say something is ugly because it may be beautiful for someone else.
Media and stereotypes are what shape people’s belief of what is ugly. Looking at the images in the earlier post, these “ugly” people are just regular people who should not be labeled or treated differently because they might not fit the cookie cutter image of perfection. You are unique, your level of attractiveness is not important.
Great post. I am not a judgmental person and my perception on ugliness is definitely different than others. I believe everyone has an unique way of being that sometimes i don't find appealing. But the freedom to be who you are is a must. I also think sometimes you have to look at it through another persons eyes.
Something that is ugly to me could be beautiful to others, so i think we should not judge others by just a look.
I agree with the post before me because of what I heard before many times and that is the "beauty is the eye of the beholder". -AN
Ugliness should not be judged, just accepted and respected. GS.
An initial reaction to something we perceive as ugly is often from our subconscious mind. The way our conscious mind processes that thought determines whether we open our minds to what we see or close them, and affects the ugliness or beauty of our response.
Gabe
Yes I experimented in my own life, and its totally true. You may see ugly people all of a sudden, but if you spend time with them, your perceptions change. Because, only the outside part might be unattractive, but its beyond that physical wall we should see.
Patricia Delgado.
That was a fun activity i posted a "ugly" picture of something on my room and then it was just ugly at the beginning and then since i got so use to it it was not ugly anymore. So maybe instead of ugly we should just call it no common.
"Ugly" is a perception a person has over something and a perception can vary between different people.What may seem "ugly" to some, it can beautiful to others.
At first sight many things can appear to be ugly, like a certain fashions line, but with some time it can blosom into the next best thing.
At first they were ugly. At the end of the day, still ugly but i got to know more details about it and it grows on you. Whats ugly to some may be beautiful to the next person.-GP
I agree, personally I have meet people that at first impression did not look beautiful at all. But after see them again and talk to them for a few more days...they just turned to look as a normal people and I started to fell their beauty.
Claudia B.
Everyone has their own ideas as to what is ugly or beautiful. I actually find the picture up top very interesting and find myself wondering what happened?
Gaby R.
Ugliness can describe a physical attribute or a personality trait. Someone could be physically attractive but at the same time could be considered ugly because of his or her personality. And I will say it again, “Don’t Judge a book by its cover.” E.S.
The wall of stereotypes is all on how we perceive. Like graffiti art. Some see it for good/art and others for bad/ugly. I believe it’s a form of expression through art. Through culture, society and perception we stereotype our opinion of ugliness. In the end it’s all comes down to how you decide to see it. - D.T
If we're talking about graffiti art then I can honestly admit that I like it alot. Growing up in New York, graffiti art speaks worlds about life, history, culture, territory, backgrounds, traditions, etc. It makes me feel at home. Seeing that someone has taken the time to create a work of art that actually "says" something is admirable.
Now don't get me wrong, I don't agree with graffiti being placed in public common areas where it is not appropriate because there is a time and place for everything, and all of these wonderful memories would NOT spring up if such graffiti was placed on...a church...public library...elderly home...etc.
It's interesting to note how something placed in one thing can be considered beauty, but when moved to another, it can easily be considered offensive. It's all about seeing it from where YOU are standing.
GIL RO
We really should not judge book by its cover. I once knew this person that was severely disfigured and noticed how people were hesitant to approach this human being. It turns out this person is very intelligent and as a matter of fact it was one of my professors. I remember thinking back when I first met this person and how I thought their look did not fall with in what society calls attractive. As the year semester went on you did not see the disfigurement you appreciated the intelligence and kindness that was given to us. I found this professor to be exceptionally inspirational. We need more people like this in the world. When you judge someone or something by their looks I find you usually end up losing the opportunity to interact with an incredible creature. Stereotyping is discriminating against someone or something.
Ann Marie
The experiment actually changes your perception. I personally believe that we should look past "ugliness" and not judge something by how it looks, but by what it means. Especially in people, since the ugliest person might have the most beautiful personality. Today, it's easy to fall in love for looks, but if you try, its even easier to fall in love with someone's personality
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