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The phrase “Beauty is skin deep” emphasizes that the outward appearance of a person counts for nothing, but what lies underneath the skin-illustrate & explain.
1. Abstract
Is beauty really skin deep? Yes, because it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside, who you are inside is actually matter. Physical beauty can conceal a cold heart and a flawed spirit. Because of our socio-cultural environment, we tend to influence towards people outside beauty but it is not necessarily ethically right. Most of the time our decision about how good or bad a product is taken through its exterior appearance. But judgment is a critical thing which should be done considering the inner characteristics of anything. For example, Sometimes really beautiful people are treated like a special person till they come to believe they are better than others, and then they are spoiled. It means if we judge something based on outside look the end result will not be in favor of ours. Because physical beauty fades with age, but a warm heart and generous nature last a lifetime.
2. Background
What you don’t see is hidden under the skin and it may be more important than physical beauty. How many of us care about what we look like towards others? I know many of us do, but why? What is the true point of altering the way we look just to impress everyone else? Through this research I like to emphasize how looks aren’t everything. Imagine walking into a new school or a new job, and you see two people a beautiful women and a friendly looking plain man. The women will look appealing to whoever enters the room as she is the one who appears more attractive, but not even knowing this man and choosing to talk to the women is something we do every day, hence beauty only being skin deep. Is this why teenagers these days will do whatever it is to change a teeny thing on their body?
Ever since the beginning of time, when caveman roamed the earth, blondes would be the distinct differing from their brown haired peers, moving on to the Victorians who wore extremely copious long dresses to the Georgians who took pride in their white skin and enormous hairdos, the bigger the more the women had to spend.
But even now, hundreds of years later, times have not changed, blondes are still idols due to the rareness of genes they possess, and slender supple frames are what is envied, even going through the most insane ways to become wonderful.
In the USA only, fifty five percent of all girls below the age of 18 were having plastic surgery (such as breast implants, liposuction and nose rhinoplasty) as being inadequate to their piers meaning changing whatever they could in order to fit in. But even then, thirty percent of these girls were still not acknowledged surely there’s something erroneous here? No matter how much you modify yourself based on appearances, it’s usually personality which shines in the end.
3. Introduction
Beauty is skin deep. It means someone looking eye-catching on the outside may not be so stunning in the inside, or someone looking super revolting may not be so revolting in the inside. Beautiful persons can also possess bad qualities whereas ugly persons can also possess various virtues. It is not obligatory that the beautiful persons will always be meritorious and well-behaved. But in our society, people usually judge the persons by their fine-looking faces instead of looking for the virtues they possess. When a person seems to be beautiful in the inside, we often referred him as a charming person. However, when we refer to something beautiful we are usually referring to that something’s outward appearance. It is like judging a book by its cover ignoring the thoughts and the messages it contains. But “Beauty is skin deep” emphasizes that the outward appearance of a person counts for nothing, but the object mainly counts is what lies underneath the skin, the actual person him/herself is what really matters. In fine, it signifies that beauty is beyond skin, it is in the soul. So, we should avoid the traditional thoughts flowing from generation to generation and accept the new ideas for the welfare of us and our society.
4. Literature Review
4.1 Ethical Absolutism:
Ethical absolutism usually claims that there are eternal, universally applicable moral principles. According to this view, right and wrong are objective qualities that can be rationally determined. And ethical absolutism is less about what we believe and more about how we believe.
4.2 Ethical Relativism:
Ethical relativism claims that morality is context dependent and subjective. Relativists tend to believe that there are no universal rights or wrong that can be rationally determined. It simply depends on the person making the decision and the culture in which they are located.
4.3 The Utilitarian view:
‘Utilitarian theory holds that an action is right if it produces, or if it tends to produce, the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people affected by the action. Otherwise, the action is wrong. So according to utilitarianism, we should evaluate an action by looking at its consequences, weighing the good effects against the bad effects on all the people affected by it. If the good outweighs the bad, it tends to be a good action; if the bad outweighs the good, it tends to be a bad action. This good can be measured in pleasure or pain (hedonistic utilitarianism ), happiness (eudemonistic utilitarianism), or by intrinsically valuable human goods like friendship, knowledge etc. (ideal utilitarianism ).’
4.4 The Kantian theory of Categorical imperative:
‘An action or a principle to be moral , it must be possible for it to be made universal., it must be respect rational beings as ends in themselves and it must demonstrate its respect for the autonomy of rational being.’
4.5 RAWLSISM /Theory of Justice:
‘Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with similar liberty for others.
Social and economic inequalities are so arranged that they are both a) reasonably expected to be everyone’s advantage and b) these are attached to the position and offices which are open to all.’
5. Research Methodology
For my primary research, I have conducted a survey of a representative sampling of the students from different genders and different semesters of North South University on their views of “Beauty is skin deep”. To conduct the survey I designed a questionnaire containing 12 different types of questions so that I can get a range of useful data which will help me to answer my research questions. The questions were in a pattern that the respondents were flexible to answer and the answers met the criteria of my hypothesis.
For my secondary data I have used the resources of the online sources, journals and articles. For finding materials from the web, I have used standard search engines like Yahoo and Google.
6. Data Presentation and Analysis
I randomly picked up 50 respondents from the students of NSU in total. Among those 50 students, 32 were male and 18 were female.
6.1 Most of the people go for outlook rather than the inner quality
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Most of the people go for outlook rather than the inner quality? 5 9 11 16 9
Interpretation:
The objective of asking this question is to find out how a person perceives that the person’s around him/her is defining beauty which I may relate to his/her perception about beauty. In my analysis I have found out majority of people (32%) have disagreed that most people go for outlook than inner quality. It means the respondents also don’t believe that the society is in an unethical practice of choosing outlook rather than inner beauty. Although 18% of respondents agreed to the statement only 10% (5 respondents) strongly supported it. So if we assume the sample is not a niche group of people (as the samples were taken randomly) we can assume there is a tendency among respondents that other people are judging inner quality rather than the outlook.
6.2 A person’s personality defines his/her beauty
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
A person’s personality defines his/her beauty 12 25 9 2 2
Interpretation:
The purpose of asking this inquiry is to come across to the point that how a person’s personality is perceived by another person around him/her in defining his/her beauty. In my investigation among the respondents majority of people (50%) have agreed that personality is an important trait to define a person’s beauty. Most of the respondent responded a person’s personality often makes him/her unattractive to them irrespective of the fact how beautiful there outlook is. It means initially whatever even if we perceive beauty in his outlook; sooner or later we look for his/her personality to define it completely. Ethically may be judging personality as a factor of defining beauty is right, but in reality it has seen that judging personality often comes after judging outlook.
6.3 Physically beautiful person is mean inside
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Physically beautiful person is mean inside 3 10 7 20 10
Interpretation:
My intention of asking this is to find out how people’s experience with physically attractive person has been and how much they realize the importance of inner beauty of a person. Interestingly, my analysis reflects that out of 50 respondent’s bulk of people (40%) only outlook defines one’s inner beauty. It means it is not always true someone looking good outside should be unattractive inside. The respondents experience suggests there are cases in which an unattractive person may also have an unattractive personality. So the hypothesis that inner beauty lies within only unattractive people is not true rather inner beauty lies beneath them irrespective to the fact how they look.
6.4 Ethically it is always correct statement that, “Beauty is only skin deep”
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Ethically it is a correct statement that, “Beauty is only skin deep”? 11 21 8 6 4
Interpretation:
To find out how the respondents think ethically it is right or wrong that beauty should be judged by defining one’s qualities rather than his/her outlook I asked this question. Most of the respondents agreed to this statement that it is quite ethical thing to do (42%). But also, about 20% (8% as strongly) disagreed to this fact that “beauty is only skin deep”. So it actually creates an ethical dilemma that which group of people is ethically right. As my understanding, with different literature review, I have found out majority support does not define a subject as ethical so proper justification in this case is essential to develop a final decision. This question actually establishes the ethical absolutism of the statement that “Beauty is skin Deep”.
6.5 Choose things based on the brand and outlook it offers
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Choose things based on the brand and outlook it offers 9 12 12 11 6
Interpretation:
My objective was to now find out how respondents choose their day to day or even judgmental necessities. By finding their preference to brand items or outlook attractive products or services I wanted to identify how psychologically they are involved in judging the inner quality of anything. To find out how the respondents think frequently choosing ethically about their daily necessaries defining the real and inherent quality. Most of the participators approved to this statement that they sometimes look for brand and outlook oriented products but in some case they are actually looking for quality and outlook both. Interestingly, only 12% is strongly looking for quality ignoring outlook completely. It explains most of the people are eager to look for outlook but in most cases also judging quality after it as a second prerequisite for choosing it.
6.6 Society is responsible to establish this idea that outlook is essential for beauty
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Society is responsible to establish this idea that outlook is essential for beauty 11 16 7 9 7
Interpretation:
My aim was to now find out if respondents thinks or not that society has created this barrier of looking for the inner beauty and approved the practice of going for the outlook. It is crucial to know how society has structured our mind and how it influences our decisions in making judgment about beauty. Majority People over 54% (22% as strongly agreed and 32% as agreed.) have suggested that society is responsible for making our mind structured in such a way that we always intentionally or unintentionally or subconsciously go for outlook. Although it is not ethical but the society structure from ancient times has been the same in cases of marriage, choosing partners etc.
6.7 It is critical to analyze anything without judging its beauty
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Critical to analyze anything without judging its beauty 11 16 7 9 7
Interpretation:
My aim was to establish the fact that it is critical to analyze every other qualities of a thing without judging only its outside beauty. My objective is to find how many respondents do that while analyzing anything’s beauty. In field research I have found out most of the respondents agreed that it is a crucial to analyze many other factors while analyzing beauty (about 32% as agreed and 22% as strongly agreed). It implies that there is a strong tendency among the respondents to analyze multiple factors while analyzing anything’s beauty.
6.8 Often fall for an outlook of a thing rather than its inherent value
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Often fall for an outlook of a thing rather than its inherent value 4 34 0 12 0
Interpretation:
My aspiration was to now find out how many of the respondents cannot help choosing products for outlook finally when they have to decide. It is crucial because it actually determines how much the respondents feel pressure from his or her surrounding environment in case of choosing anything by judging its beauty. Most of the respondents responded that because of social or peer pressure often they fall for outlook of a thing rather looking into its inherent value. It signifies that often if we understand what is ethically correct we may not be able to do so.
6.9 An attractive thing always provides sustainable outputs
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
An attractive thing always provides sustainable outputs? 3 7 3 23 14
Interpretation:
I wanted to find out through respondents experience that an attractive thing can provide a sustainable output or not. It means an attractive thing may provide an output for a time being which a person needs from it or not. From the respondents answers I have found out about 46% of them is denying this statement. In their opinion it is seen that an attractive thing has provided them some output only for a short time being which does not signifies as a sustainable output. Moreover 28% of them are strongly denying it and saying an attractive does not provide sustainable output at all or for any time being it is actually gone after you have it.
6.10 Manufacturers or service providers often take advantage of people who fall for outlook of their offerings
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Manufacturers or service providers often take advantage of people who fall for outlook of their offerings 21 24 0 5 0
Interpretation:
In modern world we see a lot of exploitation of defining beauty as per as its outlook. For example, Fair n Lovely exploits through advertising fairness of skin as a sign of beauty. Such examples were provided while questioning and asked responded that how ethical this practice can be. About 90% of the respondents agreed to the fact that many manufacturers are engaged in ethical practices in their strategies and market offerings by exploiting outlook of a product. It signifies that respondents are aware of the fact and may not tolerate it much longer.
6.11 Designing of a service or product should be more quality oriented rather than its outside attractiveness
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Designing of a service or product should be more quality oriented rather than its outside attractiveness 18 28 0 4 0
Interpretation:
In contemporary business world, product and service design is widely exploited to hide its inner value. As explained before, we see a lot of exploitation of defining beauty as per as its outlook. Lack of Sophisticated or knowledgeable buyers has created this chance of deception through product designing. About 56% has agreed and 36% has strongly agreed to this point and enforced to maintain more quality in a product or service rather than goofing around on designing it.
6.12 Still people believes that quality is the essential thing for them
Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree
Still people believes that quality is the essential thing for them 23 18 1 5 3
Interpretation:
The respondents were asked to define in what degree they are engaged to pursue quality. Most of the respondents answered positively as my hypothesis was actually suggested. But as to improve the quality of the research I have asked the disagreed (6%) and strongly disagreed (6%) about their reasons behind their response. Interestingly, I have found out different socio economic reason for which they think mass people might not be essentially looking for quality rather they look for a standard quality.
7. Findings and Justification
As per research findings we have found out most of the people think “Beauty is skin deep” is a statement which is true in all kind of possible situations. It proves that the respondents considering it ethically absolute irrespective to what their believe system, religion, culture, socio-economic environment is. It means that doesn’t matter how much attractive a thing can be it depends on the inner quality of that thing which defines it beauty at the end of the day. It actually rejects the theory of ethical relativism which means ethically this statement can differ by above mentioned demographics.
From the research we can see that most of people agree that the glossy packaging is not enough but sometimes they are abide to buy a product by seeing the lucrative outlook without considering the quality or durability because of socio-economic condition . In general sophisticate buyers always look for the quality not only the packaging. But most of buyer mainly in developing country are not price sensitive who usually deceived by the manufacturer dazzling packaging.
If we consider the rule utilitarian theory the consequence of the activity produce more harm to the greater number of people than the pleasure. Although it gives some extra benefit or profit to a firm but in long term firm would lose the trust of people and people sufferings from low quality product outweighs this benefit as well.
The theory of categorical imperative also said that it is a duty or obligation of the firm to work for the betterment of the society as society gives him an opportunity of limited liability and making unlimited profit. Deceiving people buy stunning packaging is also failed in Kantian test as it violates human dignity. If I make this event universal it definitely creates contradiction by degrading trust among peoples.
So from above discussion it is clear that people usually deceived by the nice ‘skin’ without considering the inner quality. So it is unjust if a manufacturer intentionally packages a good to exploit the consumer weakness.
8. Recommendation and Conclusion
All the way through analyzing the research paper some recommendations are:
I. People should give substance to the inner superiority rather than ones outside exquisiteness. Because in a long run inner superiority will be sustained but outside exquisiteness might be diminished.
II. People should not buy something based on only brand and outlook. Quality needed to be main buying criteria.
III. Society should not influence people to change their outlook. Nobody should comment on anyone’s physical size or appearance.
IV. All men and women should be treated equally irrespective to their outside appearance. No one should get priority over others using his/her attractive physical looks. Then theory of justice will be justified in our living.
V. Product or service should not be packaging or design oriented. It needs to worth some value through its standard eminence.
In a nutshell, we can say that internal beauty is the factual beauty. For example, when we want to buy a book we don’t judge any book by its cover. Because main message of the book remain in the inside and we all concerned about that message not about its cover. So “Beauty is skin deep”.
9. Bibliography
a) Business Ethics: A European Perspective Crane,A. and Matten.
b) http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_’beauty_is_only_skin_deep’_mean
c) http://www.schoolsucks.com/paper/Beauty-Is-Only-Skin-Deep/10006.html
d) www.utilitarianism.com/hedutil.htm
e) http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/gwschlabach/docs/ethicsprimer.htm
f) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki