[gtr32x]

In chinese there is a proverb consist of four characters: 相由心生。Its derived meaning is basically that: you will look how you are.

For years I've been daunting over the implications of it. I was never a firm believer nor a firm disbeliever. Advances in modern science such as this article only brings new light to how I think about this.

Whilst it may seem to be a form of discrimination to judge a person by their appearance just like racism or sexism, maybe there is certain evolutionary notion behind this. Maybe we as human have evolved certain abilities to recognize a person's inner traits/personality based on their look. I certainly do not believe that beauty or handsomeness maybe a fact in determining the personality of a person. But through observation a person's confidence or innocence can be somewhat picked out by how they appear. Which I do not believe is correlated with how they portray themselves in terms of exterior such as haircuts or the amount of make up they put on. But rather, their gaze betray them of the real self.

Perhaps that old Chinese proverb has some truth in it, and our science is about to uncover it.

[joshuaheard]

Reminds me of the lyrics to an old Talking Heads song:

Seen and Not Seen

"He would see faces in movies, on T.V., in magazines, and in books....

He thought that some of these faces might be right for him....And through the years, by keeping an ideal facial structure fixed in his mind....Or somewhere in the back of his mind....That he might, by force of will, cause his face to approach those of his ideal....The change would be very subtle....It might take ten years or so.... Gradually his face would change its' shape....A more hooked nose... Wider, thinner lips....Beady eyes....A larger forehead.

He imagined that this was an ability he shared with most other people....They had also molded their faced according to some ideal....Maybe they imagined that their new face would better suit their personality....Or maybe they imagined that their personality would be forced to change to fit the new appearance....This is why first impressions are often correct...

Although some people might have made mistakes....They may have arrived at an appearance that bears no relationship to them.... They may have picked an ideal appearance based on some childish whim, or momentary impulse....Some may have gotten half-way there, and then changed their minds.

He wonders if he too might have made a similar mistake."