Of course, I accept the promise of a new life, the joy for the parents, the innocence, the maternal instincts they engender.
But strictly from an aesthetic viewpoint, are babies beautiful? It seems almost universally accepted that they are. I am looked on in disbelief if I try to suggest otherwise: a blasphemer or heretic. Yet they seemed bloated, misshapen, gargoyle-like to me. Am I the only one who sees them this way?
I’m no Herod: I don’t dislike babies or children. As is often the case, on so many subjects, I find my thinking is wildly different from those around me. It interests me to explore why that is. If you can put aside the cooing, are you able to explain to me what is visually pleasing about a baby, please?
My dad always said the same thing. Said babies were ugly and only started looking better when they turned 1 or so. I once asked if we were ugly too and he said, ‘sorry, yup!’
OK, so I have one ally at least. What do you think? Are you overcome by maternal instincts and cooing, or can you take a more dispassionate view?
I thought my own baby was the most gorgeous thing in the world but yeah the rest of them….the big heads, short arms and legs….wrinkly, crinkly faces, bloated bellies….hell they’re as cute as buttons!
Are buttons cute? I’m not being awkward: I just feel the need to challenged accepted wisdom.
I think some are and some are not. Actually, my own two boys, who are very handsome today, started by not being cute at all. However, those who are cute are adorable. The adorable part is the novelty, the fact that every expression is new, and you are witnessing the “becoming” of a human being. Regardless, I think that baby monkeys are beautiful so what do I know.
Yes, I can see “adorable”. Nurturing the next generation is “built in” to each of us: it’s why we’re here. But I can’t see cute.
Oh, BTW, the photo of that baby IS adorable. And, you should be allowed to feel whatever you want about beauty. I think that the Mona Lisa is boring.
Of course she’s boring: she’s been dead for three hundred years!
I agree beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am just trying to explore and understand.
Yes they are… well some are.. does not matter how they look like we always find them sweet… the thing is put a grown up man in the place of a baby, thats gonna be scary.. Babies, are beautiful because.. they do not pretend and do not please anyone… yes yes yes… they are BEAUTIFUL
OK Maureen: I respect your opinion but I’m no closer to understanding why.
they look innocent.. and that make them look beautiful..
I can see that’s true but I’m not sure its aesthetic?
what is beautiful to me, might not be to you but i think all mammals love and respect with the realization of new life and youth….a recognition of our own mortality and a hint of envy for that baby’s blank slate.
OK, I can see the sense in that.
i think a lot of men think the same way. for me i have seen some babies that (to put it nicely) aren’t cute at all, and others are.
OK, thanks for the insight.
I think some babies are truly ugly …. doesn’t mean they are not cute or entertaining just not pretty … and that is okay
Of course it’s OK. We can’t all be beautiful.
no but funny
To be honest, some are and some aren’t.
They all look ugly to me. Thanks for your feedback.
That’s one funny lookin baby. He looks like he should be smoking a cigar with a racing form under his bib. I saw a kid today that wasn’t very cute. You could almost see what he’d look like as an adult. Both babies will probably be brilliant business men that own the world.
You take a lot from infant physiognomy! I wish I was that astute.
You are very astute.
Thanks Susannah.
I think babies look like aliens until they turn about 3.5 to 4. Some ethnicities look like miniature people, tiny humans, but some just look alien. I was just talking to my friend about this on Sunday
Strictly from an aesthetic viewpoint, the newborn babies are somewhat ugly. Some of them become beautiful later, in a couple of months or so. Others remain pretty er… ugly.
At last I found someone!