www.ditl.org

If you believe the research, there are general themes which tend to be related to attractiveness (though not by any means a conclusive or a universal test), particularly symmetry. In general, attractiveness tends to be correlated with features which imply good health, reproductive ability, and fitness.

Quite true, health and fertility are generaly universal standards. However, as you pointed out, there are different ways to interpret such standards.
Take health for example. We in the West would consider someone thin to be healthy, and thus atractive. However, in other cultures fat women are considered healthy, simply because it means they are better fed and thus more likely to survive.

Rochey wrote: However, as you pointed out, there are different ways to interpret such standards.
Take health for example. We in the West would consider someone thin to be healthy, and thus atractive. However, in other cultures fat women are considered healthy, simply because it means they are better fed and thus more likely to survive.

Which is exactly the example I used

Captain Picard's Hair wrote:Of course, the definition of "fitness" can vary by culture. While we would consider this a fit woman, another culture might look at her as being more fit due to her ability to survive a time of famine

Precisely. For instance I recall reading that in Eskimo culture a thin woman is regarded as particularly unattractive since she can't withstand the cold well.

Even within our own culture there is considerable variation in what's considered attractive. We may agree that there's a general rule that fat women are not attractive, but check out a website selling porn DVDs and you will find "fat chick" titles. Somebody somewhere is buying those.

Which is exactly the example I used

I think they're on to me....

Ah yes, the chubby chasers.

Even in modern society, the differences appear in odd places. It is not an accident, for example, that the word "phat" has become a slang compliment among inner-city, predominantly African-American, youth cultures.

So we have Kira facing down the Romulans, facing down a cardi and thats about it really (apart from the mirror kissing stuff). She hasn't really done that much has she, no great speech's, no real moments of cunning/ out thinking the enemy ( none that come to mind anyway). Now Jadzia had lots of fine moments ( and was way hotter )

Ian and I have contemplated the fact that this poll series could just run and run. We have literally dozens of significant characters; Garak, Q, Dukat, you name it. If we worked our way through all of them, we would still be here a year from now. Question is do we really want that? People would get bored with it, I think.

GrahamKennedy wrote:Ian and I have contemplated the fact that this poll series could just run and run. We have literally dozens of significant characters; Garak, Q, Dukat, you name it. If we worked our way through all of them, we would still be here a year from now. Question is do we really want that? People would get bored with it, I think.

I think we should stick to the main characters

Or take a poll to see who we should take a poll for

It's not an easy thing, coming up with poll questions you know.

How ever do you keep from rehashing all the old questions? You keep files? Or a long, long, long list?

Universal truths to beauty as CHP pointed out tend to focus around health and breeding. Also symetry plays a big roll in beauty, as does phi.

Mark wrote:How ever do you keep from rehashing all the old questions? You keep files? Or a long, long, long list?

The only files or list we have are the "previous posts" on the site itself. Usually we sit around thinking for ages, one will suggest a question, the other will go "didn't we do that...?" and we check, then go around again.

GrahamKennedy wrote:Ian and I have contemplated the fact that this poll series could just run and run. We have literally dozens of significant characters; Garak, Q, Dukat, you name it. If we worked our way through all of them, we would still be here a year from now. Question is do we really want that? People would get bored with it, I think.

I qould suggest a 'Worst decisions' for the captains.

How about an inter-galactic war, like in a tournament style?