Pack Opening for LoH contest #122
Why do you think society places such a high value on beauty when it serves no functional purpose?
asked the Ladies of Hive this week, for contest #122. Instead of answering that, I'm going to disagree.
On a larger scale, it unites groups of people. Agreeing on a beauty norm lets people say "This is beatiful, this is good, this is us. That looks different, so that is ugly and bad and not us." I'm not saying that it is a good purpose, but it does exist. Look around and you'll see it everywhere. From racism to different fashions, defining what is beautiful is both a way to include some people and to exclude others.
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On a more personal note, I got a package from my bestest friend today. Even before I opened it I was transformed from morose to happy, because I felt loved. I was, and felt, beautiful, and I got a lot more smiles from people I met on the way back from the postal center than I did on the way there. I can't claim that my temporary beauty was my friend's purpose, but it was certainly functional!
Pack opening time!
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First of all, there was nothing fragile in the box. Maybe there was once, in its early life. This box was repurposed, and I love it! It took some damage in the mail (Hey, mailpeople, don't you know what FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP means? It means someone will get really sad when you break the contents!) but with some tape I'll be able to use this box for storing things, or maybe even send it back with gifts for my friend, if I can ever afford the postage.
On top was a whole bunch of lavender sachets! Lavender from my friend's garden, in bags she's sewn herself. I know it went out of fashion even before my parents were born, but I love the scent. So some of them will go into the linen cupboard, some will go among my clothes, and one will go in my backpack. It's such a clean smell, and it makes me feel beautiful, plus every time I put on a new lavender-scented t-shirt, I'll think of my friend.
A book by women for women, and also for anyone else who cares about women, telling everybody that scifi isn't a male property, and never was. Knowing that other women, many of whom wrote under pseudonyms or used only initials in order to hide their gender, are remembered, known, and appreciated... makes me so happy! I remember when authors like Nancy Kress and Elizabeth Bear had their first books published, and only a very few of my mostly male scifi- and fantasyreading friends could praise their work without that annoying tag: "for a woman." Look at where they are now! Look at where WE are now! Seanan McGuire holds the world record for most simultaneous Hugo nominations! I haven't really kept up, but what do the Sad1 or Rabid Puppies2 call themselves now? Forlorn?
Hot sauces! Yum! As far as I know there's only one person who thinks I'm beautiful when eating something so spicy that I cry, my nose is running, and I'm grinning so wide I almost cannot chew. I love the same face on him. And here's a set of hot sauces from my loved friend. I think she understands. The beauty is in the happiness.
Carefully wrapped in silk paper, at the bottom of the box: A short sari! According to fashion rules, I shouldn't wear purple, pink, wine, red, black, or grey. But those are the colours I love! Those colours are beautiful to me, and make me feel beautiful too. And a tie dye cover up!
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I'm keeping the sari to myself, but what's a cover up? A quite thin piece of clothing, it seems. I'll need to wear a cover-under first, if I'm to go outdoors. I love it! It's a huge t-shirt in beautiful colours! I'll feel like the queen of the world wearing this. My world! Full of colours and beauty and happiness sent in a box from halfway across the planet.
What am I getting at here, talking about what makes me feel beautiful, instead of beauty as an abstract thing? Simply that I don't think beauty is abstract. We all know what we ourselves consider beautiful, be it people, architecture, clothes, or how a piece of chicken and two potatoes are served on a plate. When we see something we consider beautiful, we feel good. When we feel beautiful, we feel good. Feeling good is functional.
As for the second question, "What job would you be absolutely terrible at?" I think it's quite apparent that I'd quickly get fired from any job that requires me to strictly follow the rules.
https://leofinance.io/threads/@tengolotodo.leo/re-leothreads-2hc3w6rzh
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☝️ I just knew this was you 🤣🤣🤣
Although we are a different sex, I side with you totally!
Lavender, maybe it went out of fashion in Sweden long time ago, but here it is still fashionable, especially as a scent!
For me beauty starts with us, if we pick, wear, eat what brings us enjoyment and makes us feel good and confident then we are beautiful.
Mind you, you and I don't really give a fnck what people think!
Just to let you know that I have shared this on
Threads and asked who agrees with us!
You knew? I'm making a name for myself already as "that weird one who always thinks something else" ?
You are beautiful too!
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Hello @treefrognada. Yes, society has set standards of beauty, and those standards do exist in all facets of our world. However, I feel the purpose serves no function other than to further divide an already deeply divided people of the world.
An awesome book of sci-fi women writers. When I think of the above, I think of Octavia Butler's "WILD SEED", my favorite.
When you speak of jobs that require strict adherence to rules and regulations, I think about individuals who must follow those rules in every industry that keep us safe every waking hour. Thank God for them.
I appreciate you taking time to respond to the two topics.
Take care.
That's kind of what I meant. Something may have a purpose, and at the same time I don't agree that it is a good purpose or function.
Octavia Butler is definitely up there among the top writers! As is Ursula K LeGuin. They were both already established when I learned my letters, I guess that's why they didn't come to mind as women who had to fight for their place. I took them for granted.
Oh yes, a lot of rules are there for a reason, and I'm not advocating breaking rules "just because". I was thinking more of silly rules, like "you must use MS Word on a Windows computer to type your weekly report, and then send it in as plain, unformatted text file" Huh? As if the person who reads it would ever know that my plain, unformatted text file was created in BBEdit on a Mac.
It's lovely to receive a gift from a friend or loved one; whether knowing it was coming or not. It will always brighten your day, and obviously in this case, had things that made you feel beautiful. A little pampering can go a long way for sure.
Thank you for sharing and have a lovely day!
<3
That's very sweet of your friend to send you the gift. It's always delightful to receive gifts. If we wish then we can see beauty in every single thing and person around us.
That's true! She is a very sweet an generous friend <3
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