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Praise and appraisal
A computer has been successfully taught to recognise attractiveness in women. The new software allows it to make an aesthetic judgment.
- Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:28 April 18, 2008
A computer has been successfully taught to recognise attractiveness in women. The new software allows it to make an aesthetic judgment.
This should be reason for women to celebrate considering how blind men can be when it comes to noticing a partner's new hairdo or clothes. So, the next time a woman is miffed by her man's lack of attention to detail, she has another recourse. Switch on the computer and wait for the assessment.
Of course, the success of such an exercise depends on how sincere she is about getting an honest opinion. If there is no genuine desire to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then I fear for the safety of the computer. Horrid visions of wires being yanked out in a fit of rage or, even worse, the PC or laptop lying in pieces fill my head.
An episode of The Tyra Banks Show proved that men and women do inhabit completely different planets. A couple up on stage exemplified this. The woman spoke about how her better (or should it be bitter?) half never noticed or commented on anything she wore. Although the gentleman in question denied suffering from myopia as far as his wife was concerned, she proved him wrong time and again. Her revelation that he had even failed to notice her hair colour after she had it dyed a rather startling shade proved her point.
When questioned by Tyra, man looked sheepish and then made excuses for himself saying it was dark in the restaurant where they were dining. But even as he protested a little too much and too loudly, the women in the audience wore identical expressions - a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
But there is no doubt that most women appreciate feedback, whether it is about how they look or what they cook. Some are unfortunate enough to have unappreciative males in their household who have to be quizzed regularly to test their listening skills. The same TV show showed a woman coming home to a partner who lay on the couch watching TV. Oblivious to his indifference, she started recounting the minute details of her day. At the end of her monologue, the look on his face said it all. Nothing had penetrated his skull. Enraged at his inattentiveness, she stormed out of the room. Needless to say, he was oblivious to the frost in the air.
Questionnaire
She soon returned with a questionnaire and proceeded to make him take a test. Stunned by her move, he lay there and obediently started ticking the boxes. Snatching the paper from him, she pronounced her assessment. He had failed miserably. The exam was conducted simply to prove that he never heard a word she said. Once again the female audience was unanimous in support of this "wronged" woman.
There is someone I know who likes to be noticed when she dresses up for an occasion. As soon as she is ready, she stands before the men in her life - her husband and two sons. She waits there for a long moment but comment there is none. Unable to bear the silence, she bravely breaks in with a "how do I look?" Three pairs of eyes swivel in her direction, taking in the sight but registering nothing. Stung by the lack of reaction, she is compelled to drop a few hints such as "Do you like the colour of my dress?" or "Is my hair looking nice?"
Such pointed questions cannot be ignored and they mumble their replies. Hoping to shame them into articulate speech she is generous in her praise of their sartorial sense. She uses words like 'smart' and 'handsome' and 'nice jacket' liberally, hoping they will show off their vocabulary skills in similar complimentary manner.
Eventually she decides to abort her mission, having realised that you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink. As she fades from the scene, mumbling can be heard. This time it's her. The menfolk are sure they heard her speak in derogatory fashion about their aesthetic sense and appreciation of beauty!
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