On Jan. 21, the Student Union of National Chiao Tung University (
Surprisingly, the concept of hunks and babes has moved rapidly into the mainstream of social values in Taiwan. Those who are excluded from this group, the so-called "fringe people," include the physically disabled, the elderly and people who refuse to be controlled by such superficial social values.
The Japanese culture watcher Liu Li-er (劉黎兒) lately wrote an article titled "The Definition of Hunks," in which she said: "Over the last two years, Japanese men have discovered their subconscious desire to look good. They do not focus only on their clothes, but also on the harder-to-change physique. They fear to be labeled ugly." Men have become obsessed with the way they look, because "men in their 40s and 50s are likely to be laid-off if they don't look presentable. People even undergo plastic surgery before applying for a new job because appearance has become such an important factor in selection," Liu wrote.
This excessive concern over appearance is even more frequently seen in the US where human beings are often evaluated on the same criteria as merchandise. Newer products means better quality; a younger and more beautiful body means you are a better person. The elderly or physically challenged are discarded, squeezed out of the social mainstream.
Taiwanese culture has long been strongly influenced by both Japanese and American culture in which the word "beautiful" almost invariably refers to physical beauty. Taiwanese values are likely to follow this trend.
According to the report on the pageant, male students, when asked how they defined "a handsome man," some said that he is focused, others that he has charm, and still others cited ambition and confidence. It would seem that for university students, all of these qualities have been subsumed by the single quality of being handsome.
My point here is not to attack the beauty pageant as being tasteless or boring. What I am more concerned about is the message sent when such an activity is sponsored by a university.
I suppose the event goes with the tide of modern society, but the result is the praise good-looking people for simply being good-looking. And this through the intellectual forum of a university.
Because of the involvement of a university, the power of "beautiful people" has penetrated all aspects of society.
Yet, I am rather optimistic about this sort of event, because universities, after all, do not have to be ivory towers and college students can be active and playful. Moreover, modern people, including myself, more or less like to look good, and there is no need to stand aloof.
However, if we can add more profundity, and expose other more significant issues by such an event, wouldn't that be more meaningful?
Albert Chen is a lecturer at the English department of Tamkang University.
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