Interview Questions

I decided that for my first interview, I am going to focus on the second definition of beauty (which is something that is internally moral or ethical). There is a common understanding in Jewish women that tzniut and morals are two different things and are to be viewed differently. Rabbi Lamm wrote an article that redefines our perception of tzniut and defines it differently, referring to tzniut as modesty and keeping some aspects within in order to give off a kodesh, or holy, atmosphere. For my interview, I plan to ask several senior girls, female secular teachers, and female Limudei Kodesh teachers the following questions and see how their responses differ.

1. How would you define internal beauty?
2. Do you think internal beauty can be visible on the outside?
3. How would you define tzniut?
4. How could one achieve internal beauty?
5. Do you think that tzniut and internal beauty are interchangeable?
6. What are qualities that you think every person should have in order to be ethical or moral?
7. Would you equate tzniut and morality?

Interblogging #1

I just checked out Efrat's blog at esecemskifrischleads.blogspot.com

I was so impressed by the progress she has made in her actual project aspect of the paper. She chose her topic of phobias because of her extreme fear of dogs. Through her project, she has made immense progress. She pet her dog for the first time since her family adopted him six months ago! Hopefully she will continue in her progress and relinquish her fear of dogs.

Great job so far!

Thanks Sheer! Distortion of Mainstream Beauty

SHEER SINGER just showed me this amazing video! It explains how our perception of beauty is so distorted due to the over-processing of models and photographs before they are published. Take a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4y5b7INvqE

The Bully Project

Hi all! I started on my project that will be an addition to the written paper. Mrs. Wiener (the health teacher) runs an anti-bullying campaign for the freshmen each year to expose them to the dangers of bullying. For my project, I am going to work with her to revamp the program. This will be an extension of my project, which focuses on the two definitions of beauty. The first definition defines beauty as something pleasing to the aesthetic eye. The project will build of societal standards and the need for all to fit in. Bullying is another form of people suffering in order to fulfill the requirements set up by society's aesthetic eye. The program will hopefully be taking place in February and will be for both freshmen boys and girls; if anyone has any interest in participating let me know! For now, here's the trailer for The Bully Project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1g9RV9OKhg

Beauty Contest Lyrics

http://www.metrolyrics.com/beauty-contest-lyrics-no-doubt.html

Here are the lyrics to Gwen Stefani's song, Beauty Contest. They describe her feelings towards the idea of how modern beauty and how they have turned women's looks into an assembly line product.

The Two Definitions of Beauty

When typed into google, the word beauty is defined as followed:
1. A combination of qualities such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.
2. A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.

These conflicting definitions will be the focus of my paper. The jumping-off point will be the modern societal perception of beauty and how many women today feel like they are being forced into a cookie-cutter ideal of what they should look like. After addressing these issues I will move to the idea of internal beauty as the ideal beauty.