On Physical Cover-ups -- Exploring The Functionality of Aesthetics

(Philosocom's Subcategory on Manipulation)

(Philosocom's Directory on Beauty and Art)

Flash: I want a lawyer.

Lex Luthor: And I want a ponytail. Disappointment abounds. -- Smallville

(Background music)

For years, I've pondered the case of Buddhist monks, their heads so bare. It's a minor detail, I know, but consider hair, makeup, piercing and even facial surgery. They're masks, enhancements, and thus not part of your true self, but rather, artificial add-ons, as much as cybernetics in a cyberpunk world would be. 

Your head isn't what you see; it's what's beneath. Your body is merely an expression of what is within. Even when that self is concealed, it has to do with what the add-ons are concealing, or masking. Even facial hair, I argue, is a mask, although a natural one. Even (intentional) manipulation stems from a true, although hidden, desire of that self.

We humans have turned concealing our true, naked selves into a form of beauty and social prestige.

AI technology can now be used to read emotions from facial expressions. It's a profound tool for self-discovery, although this technology could also be used for unreasonable subordination to authoritarian bodies, even the corporate kind. 

A bearded man, while still readable, hides his face, much like a COVID mask or women's makeup. When men hide their faces with hair, they appear less approachable. In a world that has a reasonable chance to become more and more Orwellian, namely due to AI technology and the further eradication of privacy, concealing ourselves will become more and more paramount to ensure our safety from governments. The same governments that give us reason to obey them due to social contracts.

The societal future, in theory, is dystopian. Concealing our faces using methods that are considered legal, normal and/or natural, is how we can ensure we are left alone from those whose minds corrupt them to do evil, from their "flying monkeys", and from those who justify such acts due to "the way things are" fallacy.

Cosmetics reveal our collective and individual desires. We use them for special occasions—weddings, dates—to enhance our appearance. Some may also use them to further distinguish themselves from others, which then would make certain demographics keep their distance from them. If we deem the technological aspect of cosmetics, we can then deduce that cosmetics are useful for certain ends.

Therefore, on the socio-political world, cosmetics are a way to subtly manipulate others' perception of you. Perception is a choice, but that choice is hindered by societal biases and the lack of critical thinking.

Due to influence from the world of fiction, I am certain you are aware that bald people can appear more evil than they actually are, given how many bald villains are there. Is Jeff Bezos evil only because he looks like Lex Luthor? No. Appearance is not a sign of moral alignment. Morality is expressed in action and intention, not in one's lack of hair.

A cold-hearted philosopher might argue it's a collective fraud that most of us partake in just to survive in a socially-driven world. We use self-significance not only for our egos but also to not be lonely in a world that is about judgement, more than it is about understanding.

Cosmetics are escapism, a way to transcend the scope of our average selves, and frame them in a way that will allow us access to a judgemental, apathetic society. 

Socrates, a simple stonemason, and Nietzsche, a sickly philosopher, prove just how irrelevant these characteristics are in philosophy. Diogenes, the homeless philosopher who urinated in public, was no less profound a thinker. These philosophers show us how utterly disregarding philosophy is, unlike corporate and governmental politics, to who you are, your background, and to how you look.

Aesthetics is pro-social. Philosophy in general is asocial, indifferent about societal standards, and sometimes outright discarding them. It stems from the fact that philosophy is lived as a lifestyle, not just communicated.

It's not their masks that define philosophers, but their honesty. Makeup is making up. It's creating, pretending. That's the literal meaning."

Sidenote: I am aware I can't can't fully understand the female experience. Perhaps makeup is more significant than I believe, to things related to self-image body perception.