The saying “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder” is mostly true — but it’s only part of the story.
Why it’s true
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Subjective perception: What one person finds beautiful, another might not.
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Cultural influence: Standards of beauty vary between societies and change over time. For example, certain body shapes, skin tones, or clothing styles have been admired in some cultures but ignored in others.
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Personal experience: Memories, emotions, and personal tastes influence what we find attractive.
Why it’s not the whole truth
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Biological patterns: Humans are often drawn to symmetry, certain proportions (like the “golden ratio”), and signs of health — these preferences are found across many cultures.
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Shared aesthetics: Some landscapes, colors, or music styles tend to be widely appreciated because they trigger similar responses in the brain.
In short:
Beauty is partly universal (rooted in biology) and partly personal (shaped by culture and experience). The “eye of the beholder” is like a lens — it shapes how we see beauty, but the world still offers patterns many of us instinctively find pleasing.
If you want, I can give scientific examples of beauty perception in humans, animals, and nature — it’s surprisingly fascinating.