The Mechanics Of Beauty

Ok Trends finds that the "more men disagree about a woman's looks, the more they like her", which prompts them to conclude that there is "mathematical evidence that minimizing your 'flaws' is the opposite of what you should do." Alex Tabarrok reads the data slightly differently:

I think there are certain types of beauty that greatly attract some men but repel others. Analagously, some people will pay hundreds of dollars for an ounce of caviar that other people won't eat for free. The reason some people love caviar, however, is not that other people dislike it. Instead, it just so happens, that the thing that some people love is the very thing that repels others. We see the same phenomena in art, some people love John Cage, other people would rather listen to nothing at all.

Amanda Marcotte likewise finds Ok Trends' analysis wanting.

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