ReThink Beauty
Blog posts
Why talk about ‘beauty’ in organisations?
We tend to think of beauty as a concept belonging to the private domain. It describes an experience we have when we look at art or at nature (some fellow human beings included), when we visit churches, or when we listen to sometimes life-changing music. It is a uniquely private phenomenon that gives rise to deeply human emotions. So, what can beauty possibly have to
On beauty and repro behaviour
The #MeToo movement has made clear that some of the stuff that happens around copy machines seems to have less to do with multiplying documents than with other kinds of reproductive behaviour. These machines from Canon and Xerox often create microclimates, similar with dimly lit parks: some visitors, recognising an opportunity for discretion, often pass by with ‘non-administrative’ motives. Sexual harassment in the office does not
Paradise lost?
“When you look nice, people can get very jealous and try and take that beauty away from you.” This was the answer of a 49 year old female respondent to the Project Beauty question: “What beauty can be dangerous?”. Her tone of voice suggests that beauty may have not always played an inspiring role in her life. There are many sides to beauty, but the
Happiness’ elephant?
This is about a word: ‘beauty’. Most of us use it daily and we hear others use it all the time. It is used in television debates, in art fora, in poetry classes, design agencies, fashion shows, cosmetics stores, nail salons, nature books, and even in churches. It has a vivid role in popular debates, which seems to suggest that it has a pervasive role
On beauty and happiness
Beauty is an intriguing and rather complex concept. Some people say ‘it’s all in the eye of the beholder’, meaning it is totally subjective and beyond definition. Others claim that real beauty standards really do exist. Some absolutely love to talk about this topic (often to the point of obsession), others are convinced it is unfit for discussion. In contrast, happiness is less controversial and