深大外院王辉-- Beauty by Susan Sontag

BeautyWomen’sBeauty:PutDownorPowerSourceSusanSontagAuthorof17books(novels,plays,essays)FilmmakerSocial/culturalcritic(publicintellectual)“agreatliteraryartist,afearlessandoriginalthinker,evervaliantfortruthwhoinsistedthatwithliterarytalentcameanobligationtospeakoutonthegreatissuesoftheday.(SalmanRushdie)(1967)AgainstInterpretation(collectionofessays)(1977)OnPhotography(Monograph)(1978)IllnessasMetaphor(Monograph)(1963)TheBenefactor(Fiction)(1967)DeathKit(Fiction)MasterpiecesPartIThesplitofbeautyPara.1beautyasakindofexcellence(harmonybetweentheinsideandtheoutside)Para.2modernsplitbetweentheinsideandoutsidePara.3alienatingbeautyfirstfromvirtue,thenfromthemale,withthelatterreinforcingtheformer.PartIIbeautyasanoppressivetrapPara.4womenasthebeautifulsexPara.5detrimenttobothwomenandbeautyTowomen:caretakerofgoodlooks——narcissism,dependence,immaturity.Tobeauty:mixedreputationPara.6theidealofbeautyasself-oppressionTheobligationtobebeautifulTheimpossibleidealofperfectionPara.7theblissofmanasacontrasttothefateofwomenBeautyasawhole,notaperfectionofpartsDesirabilityofimperfectionPara.8beautyasapowerthatnegatesitselfPara.9topreen:damnediftheydo,damnediftheydon’t.PartIIIoutofthetrapPara.10Savingbeautyfromwomen–andforwomen.DangerofsplittingtheinsideandoutsidebeautyAcrudetrap:acurseintheformofcomplimentGettingoutofthetrap:awakeningtothefactthatbeautyhasbeenabridgedatthecostofwomen.Virtueearly13c.,morallifeandconduct,moralexcellence,vertu,fromAnglo-FrenchandO.Fr.vertu,fromL.virtutem(nom.virtus)moralstrength,manliness,valor,excellence,worth,fromvirman.beauty(n.)early14c.,physicalattractiveness,alsogoodness,courtesy,“fromL.bellus“pretty,handsome,charming,”inclassicalLatinusedespeciallyofwomenandchildren,orironicallyorinsultinglyofmen.Aristotlevirtueasabalancepointbetweenadeficiencyandanexcessofatrait.Thepointofgreatestvirtueliesnotintheexactmiddle,butatagoldenmeansometimesclosertooneextremethantheother.courageisthemeanbetweencowardiceandfoolhardiness,confidencethemeanbetweenself-deprecationandvanity,andgenerositythemeanbetweenmiserlinessandextravagance.virtueisexcellenceatbeinghuman,askillthathelpsapersonsurvive,thrive,formmeaningfulrelationships,andfindhappiness.Wholeperson•Physicalwellnessandfitness•Emotionalintelligenceandresourcefulness•Mentalprowessandcreativeintuition•Inter-personaleffectiveness•Professionalcompetenceandcontinualdevelopment•Supportiveenvironmentsandecologies•Growingwealth.Greekeducation:trainingtheentirepersoneducationofthemind,body,andimagination.theAthenianstraditionallygavemoreattentiontomusic,literature,dance,andlateralsotothenaturalsciences,suchasbiologyandchemistry,aswellasphilosophy,rhetoric,andsophistry-theartofpresentinganargument.TheSpartansplacedahighemphasisonmilitarytraining.Theyalsotaughtmusicanddance,butwiththepurposeofenhancingtheirmaneuverabilityassoldiers.Educationnotofferedtoslaves,manuallaborers,orwomen.occurtosomeone[foranideaorthought]tocomeintosomeone'smind.Itoccurredtomethatyoumightbehungryafteryourlongjourney.WoulditeveroccurtoyouthatIwanttobeleftalone?TheGreekworshipofbeauty[Beauty]isthefirstofallthingsinmajesty,honor,anddivineness.Nothingdevoidofbeautyisprized;theadmirationofvirtueitselfcomestothis,thatofallmanifestationsoflife,virtueisthemostbeautiful.Thesupremacyofbeautyoverallthingscanbeseeninourowndispositiontowardit,andtowardthem.Otherthingswemerelyseektoattainasweneedthem,butbeautifulthingsinspireuswithlove…Tothebeautifulalone,astothegods,wearenevertiredofdoinghomage;delightingtobetheirslavesratherthantobetherulersofothers.“(Isocrates)TheGreekworshipofmanlybeautytothevastmajorityofGreeks“beauty”doesnotimplyadelicatemaidcladinsnowydrapery;itimpliesaperfectlyshaped,bronzed,anddevelopedyouth,standingforthinhisundrapedmanhoodforsomehardathleticbattle.Theidealpossessthenationallife,andeffectstheentireGreekcivilization.Notbeautyininnocentweakness,butbeautyinresourcefulstrength.(WilliamStearnsDavis,ADayinOldAthens)TheGreeksuniteMoralandPhysicalBeautyButhereattheAcademy,thisspiritofbeautifulyouth,andthejoyoflife,iseverywheredominant.Allaroundusarethebeautifulbodiesofyoungmenengagedineverykindofgracefulexercise.…wearetoldthatcurrentbeliefisthatinagreatmajorityofinstancesthereisadevelopmentandasymmetryofmindcorrespondingtothegloryofthebody.Itiscontrarytoalltheprevalentnotionsofthereignofdivineharmonytohaveitotherwise.Thegodsabhorallgrosscontradictions!Evennowmenwillargueoverastrangebreachofthisrule;--whydidheavensufferSocratestohavesobeautifulasoulsetinsouglyabody?--InscrutablearethewaysofZeus!(WilliamStearnsDavis,ADayinOldAthens)TheUglinessofSocratesBeinguglyGadflyTheDelphiOracle:NoonewiserthanSocratesTheSocraticmethod/questioningIonlyknowthatIknownothing.Truthliesbeneaththeshadowsofexistence,anditisthejobofthephilosophertoshowtheresthowlittletheyreallyknow.paradox1530s,statementcontrarytocommonbelieforexpectation,“fromL.paradoxumparadox,statementseeminglyabsurdyetreallytrue,fromGk.paradoxon,nounuseofneuterofadjectiveparadoxo