Seeking the Perfect Face

MEASURE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EYES, and the distance between the eyes and the nose. Express the two values as a ratio, D,eyes/D,eyes,nose. Extensive research has shown that married people tend to have the same ratio. People who are attracted to each other tend to have the same ratio, a certain compelling facial symmetry. We seem to be seeking reflections of ourselves, or perhaps, of our ancestors, in order to find the most appropriate mate with whom to send our genetic code tumbling through time into the far future. More than skin color, height, weight, or even body build, it is the eye to eye and eye to nose distance ratio which is the primary attraction between humans. It actually makes sense. Facial attraction is, as is well known, the first and foremost component of mating. Faces are the first thing we see when we look at each other, the front door to the soul, the first first impression. Our lives, to the extent that our lives are influenced by the actions of other people and their treatment of us and our place in society and how successful we are navigating our way through human culture, are determined by our faces. Pretty faces are symmetrical faces, are successful faces. A clear complexion is worth a fortune. We prefer, even among dark skinned peoples, lighter complexions. And what we prefer, which is mainly symmetry, we reward as a species. There is a reason why women so painstakingly and carefully manage and take care of their faces, with depilatory creams, lotions, and, above all, make up. Even beautiful women, for whom make up is irrelevant, use it, to improve their facial appearance. Our close cousins, bonobo monkeys and chimpanzees, express themselves vividly through facial expression, and so do we. A fascinating study of the closeness of humans to chimps and bonobos is "The Third Chimpanzee": by UCLA anthropologist Jared Diamond. If you don't believe in evolution of mankind from primates, you will, by the time you read and comprehend Diamond's seminal monograph. And you will understand that what you look like matters more than anything, more than you might want it to, even if you don't want it to, in our shallow, subconscious minds. It may not be what you want to believe, but it is what you must believe, because he clearly proves its truth. My own face women have always seemed to find attractive enough. I look like my father, who was a handsome man. but my problem is that when people look into my eyes, they see intensity, bordering on anger. Its not who I am, but its what shines forth form the windows to m soul; intensity. the more I smile, the better I get along with people, which of course is true of everyone, but particularly true of me. when i fail to smile, I tend to be avoided, ignored. I have learned that if I want to succeed among people, my popularity depends upon my smile. bust those pimples. Wash away those age spots. use make up. But above all, smile, just as everyone on TV does when reading the news, showing off those blemish free balanced faces and paper white, bleached, symmetrically perfect teeth.