Why is beauty such a big deal for most people?

Because we live in a society that constantly barrages us with the message that success, happiness, fame, fortune, health, wealth etc. are directly related to how good looking we are. People who are considered “unattractive” get teased and bullied, are the butt of jokes and harassment. Just ask someone living with obesity or a physical disability about how often they are treated as a second class citizen based solely on the way they look.

Big deal? I’m not sure exactly what you mean by big deal. Some people are so gorgeous it is difficult to stop looking at them, but for the most part I think most people can be considered attractive with some simple primping. Society does seem to respond to how we look, and especially to how we groom ourselves and dress. The whole package, the total impression, matters more than if we have a beautifully perfect face.

Beauty is attractive to potential mates. We have two sides to our body. They’re slightly different from each other. The more symmetrical two sides of a person’s face are, the more symmetrical the entire body is. One of the hallmarks of beauty is extreme symmetry. For women, it’s a suggestion of a symmetrical body that can withstand the birthing process.

Basic standards of beauty are the same across the world and in all societies, no matter how primitive or advanced.

(I saw bits of an old cowboy movie with Raquel Welch in it. She was 20 something, and man, was she beautiful! But…the whole time she was either getting her clothes ripped off or running around in a blanket or running around in ripped up clothes. Glad they’ve moved a little beyond that overwhelming stereotype finally.)

I don’t think it is, for most people. Yes, there are people who are totally consumed by how people look, but most just take it for granted that people look like they look. Personality is more important than looks. I wonder what the percentage is of gorgeous people from the rest of us. 1%? 25%? 50%? I think, maybe, 2%.

Inner beauty is far more important to me than what’s on the outside. Unfortunately people are judged on looks.
My fiancé thinks I’m beautiful, even though I know I’m not. But know what? That’s good enough me.

Childhood conditioning.

Somewhat, @mattbrowne, but it’s there at an instinctive level too. It’s why peacocks display the way they do, and all other animals (usually the male) in the kingdom.

It’s something that humans and animals have been obsessed with since the dawn of time. I’m not sure why, but people romanticize things and it’s like art. Plus put biology in the mix, and it’s been proven that there are certain physical characteristics that are universally attractive—or beautiful—and the reason is so we mate more. For examply, a tall strong man is physically attractive and beautiful because it shows he is healthy and has good genes.

Obviously inner beauty is important, but I’m just explaining it from a biological perspective.- why beauty is such a big deal – it is the first thing we see in people. Usually.

@Dutchess_III – Yes, some instincts are involved as well. To our instincts women should look healthy, and men should look as being capable of steady support.