I'm currently watching "Model City". Get on this wagon. I'm fascinated and repelled all at the same time. Oh, It's on "Centric"--the station that used to be called BET-J and before that it was the BET Jazz channel. Thus, they are all Black professional male models. The show chronicles their careers and personal lives amidst the backdrop of classic NYC. So of course, I'm already intrigued simply from the premise...
Anyway, I'm reflecting on how petty and superficial some of these men are. At this point, they've been groomed that way. They've been catered to in some unbelievable ways, which in turn has affected their outlook on life, their day to day lives as mini-rock stars, and their interpersonal skills. On the show, there are some strong personalities that help to drive the story (What would a good reality show be without them?); and it's because of these strong characters that I'm able to reflect more deeply and intently on issues like identity, beauty, and maturity.
It just amazing to me how we treat and are affected by people simply because of their beauty. It's astounding really, when you think of it. It truly begins to sink in when we hear one of the more intelligent male model's response. He is fully aware of how ridiculous and amazing his way of making an obscene amount of money appears. He also comments on how people treat him and his peers differently simply because they're beautiful, and yes, you better believe these boys know that they are.
I'm no exception to the rule. I respond to beauty just as strongly as the next person. But I hope that I've learned that beauty in itself is not the "end" it's simply the beginnings of a greater beauty and discovery beyond. Much like saying, what we see is temporal--but what we cannot see, is eternal.
The depths of beauty makes me smile. Exaggerated beauty makes me a little nervous. And self-important beauty makes me queasy.