A Tale Of Two Women And How They Are Perceived

One of the recurring themes of the stuff I write here and elsewhere is the relationship between signified and signifier. The true nature of something and the outward appearances, the appurtenances, the accessories. If I could simply obtain the gift of always seeing the former and never the latter, I would be wealthy, successful, loved beyond my limits of my imagination. It’s unlikely to happen. I’ll continue to sit in Plato’s Cave, facing the wall, just like the rest of us.

At least I have company, as this following anecdote will demonstrate.

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What We Talk About When We Talk About Beauty

alliebrown

The image above is taken from beneath the waves, a slideshow of underwater photographing featuring female surfers “duck diving” beneath incoming waves. The shots are compelling and beautiful and if I could get away with it at work I’d set up a 32″ LCD screen that did nothing but display the slideshow over and over again, just to keep me on a stable emotional keel during the occasional rage-filled day.

The question I’ve been pondering for an hour or so, however, is this: “Would it be just as interesting if it featured male surfers?”

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