Computer program creates ideal faces: Article Alert

by Jennifer McWhirter on October 10, 2008

Article Alert!

What: The Sum of Your Facial Parts by Sarah Kershaw
Where: New York Times, Fashion and Style

Kershaw introduces readers to a new computer program that will produce an “ideal” image of you from an original image of you. The opinions of academics who study beauty are offered up. The article is accompanied by a slideshow of before and after photos, but the images of the woman at the beginning of the article show the most drastic changes.

What should you take away from this article?

At first, I shuddered to think of this technology — I don’t think I want to see a “better” version of me! The face I’ve got isn’t going anywhere, afterall. But upon reflection, I realized we should try not to be too frightened. Focus on the message that it is our facial quirks that help make us individual, unique, and beautiful. A computer program will never be able to account for the complexities that make one human view another as attractive, be it a unique physical feature, a charming personality, an alluring voice, wit, intelligence, etc. As Darwin said: “If we were all cast from the same mold, there would be no such thing as beauty.”

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Top Beauty Stories of 2008 — Belle IQ
01.03.09 at 1:57 pm
Top Beauty Stories of 2008 — Belle IQ
01.03.09 at 1:57 pm

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