The Beautiful and the Ugly

Why do we think that a rat on the one hand looks rather ugly and unfriendly, a rabbit or budgie on the other hand look rather nice and beautiful? Psychologists call this phenomenon the scheme of childlike characteristics: A rat has tiny eyes, its head is relatively small and even tapering. These features do not correspond to the scheme of childlike characteristics.
A rabbit has wide eyes and a big round head. These features correspond to the scheme of childlike characteristics. It is our instinct that determines whether we perceive something as beautiful or ugly. In that case, the rabbit is associated with a small child which also has wide eyes and a big head.
We find cockroaches extremely disgusting, and the odor of excrements as well. Our instinct, which is partly determined by evolution and partly influenced by society, intervenes and tells us: This is a place of danger and disease, it's not healthy for us here.

The decision whether we find something beautiful or ugly is taken by our feelings and instincts. From a scientific point of view there is nothing unpleasant about a cockroach, it is even very useful and informative to study cockroaches and other vermin. Scientific point of view means: To look at something without emotions; to examine something objectively and neutrally. Without scientific interest, our emotional life and judgement prevail: We then find cockroaches very repulsive and extremely ugly. Some people even shy at the sight of cockroaches. The arachnophobia of some people demonstrates how intense and powerful this feeling can be.
 
"The esthetic condition is a mixture of delicate nuances of animal senses of well-being and desires", wrote Friedrich Nietzsche, who is considered to be one of the greatest judges of character among philosophers.
The beautiful and the ugly undergo the same process of classification as the harmonic and the disharmonic. Whereas the harmonic is at best capable of giving us pleasure, the beautiful can do more: It arouses associations, it appeals to our feelings and instincts. The beautiful as well as the ugly are capable of activating us.
It activates us literally: Our attention is increased, we get curious or cautious, it arouses fear or pleasure, excitement, happiness, affection or aversion and so forth. So it is not really surprising that marketing experts have already realised this fact and taken advantage of it! More on this topic on the next page.