VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 2.3 March 2014 | Page 20

Is This The Right Choice?

By Soon Hyung Kwon

B

road shoulders indicate physical strength, deep
voice and thick eyebrows points out hormonal
masculinity, body odor different from yours translate
to varying genetic makeup (the reason why we’re
almost never attracted to our immediate family
members), height can be advantageous in detecting
predators. The same reasoning can be applied to
female attractiveness. The overall “U” shape of female countenance points to high levels of estrogen, et
cetera. Though we tend to be reluctant in accepting
these factors, basic sexual attraction can usually be
explained in biological terms.
As our culture developed into something more
sophisticated, the psychology of romantic feelings
developed as well. For instance, a partner who has
similar backgrounds and beliefs as you do provide a
sense of security and predictability, stretching
influence and social status is a means of boasting
one’s significance in a pack, and the list goes on. My
humble opinion is that understanding these implicit
variables of reproductive equation is critical to assessing the issue more objectively.
First, it’s as natural as sneezing. There is no reason
to hide or reject these feelings nor is there any reason
to try to forcibly prevent one’s kids from nurturing
such emotions—it’s analogous to trying to prevent
yourself or another from falling asleep. Something
conducive we can do in its place is educating these
young people of healthy boundaries of relationships

of this sort and the fact that some people can and will
affect their lives negatively, that they’re not immortal
beings they perceive themselves to be. Give ourselves
some freedom, we would choke otherwise, but we
should nonetheless be intelligent about it.
Second, there is more to life than this. A close
bond between a male and a female can act as a continual source of refreshment and encouragement, but
desperately chasing after one after another, or clinging to it obsessively, can be gluttonous and result in
an unbalanced emotional obesity, too instinctive and
animal-like.
Writer Aldous Huxley once stated that an intellectual is a person who found something more interesting than women (or men). It is a misguided notion of
our society that romantic relationships are the biggest
source of human elation and fulfilment. The exact
reason why some of us find the idea that sexual
magnetism is purely biological so uncomfortable is
that we consider ourselves more intelligent than the
concept would suggest, yet we engage so fiercely in
these associations and fail to leave enough time for
achieving something bigger, something more lasting.
Why can’t the same level of satisfaction derive from
the astounding nature that surrounds our daily lives?
I believe we should always aspire to be something
bigger than ourselves, and a companion should function as a supportive character who unconditionally
encourages us to achieve these goals.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this page do not, in any way, represent the school’s opinion. These are owned
and freely expressed by the individuals per se.

19