Uncomfortable with beauty.

[MatchaChocolate69]

You're probably not the only one, judging by what Western media is becoming (unfortunately, in my opinion).
Personally, I don't want to read about unattractive people, nor do I want to identify with them unless they improve.
I want to admire beautiful women and think that I could be as cool as the protagonist.
If I wanted realism, I wouldn't seek out fantasy; reality would be enough for me.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I mean would you rather read a novel about this dude

 

[RepresentingDesire]

You're probably not the only one, judging by what Western media is becoming (unfortunately, in my opinion).
Personally, I don't want to read about unattractive people, nor do I want to identify with them unless they improve.
I want to admire beautiful women and think that I could be as cool as the protagonist.
If I wanted realism, I wouldn't seek out fantasy; reality would be enough for me.

Well I get that, but I just want entertainment so I don't care.

 

[ArchlordZero]

Same thing with marriage.
Would you rather be married to Gorlock the Destroyer instead of Miss Mary Sue?

 

[RepresentingSilence]

Star Wars fanfic, reincarnated as Jabba the Hutt?

I think he ate Jabba the Hutt

 

[Bartun]

I don't mind beautiful characters. Even in real life you often find very attractive people doing the most mundane jobs, like the cute cashier at the local store, or the hunk of a man working at construction. You'll hear the comments of people around and that's normal. I think it can happen in stories too without an issue. However, I do have a problem with stupidly beautiful characters being also the epitome of perfection personality-wise. Or the world-class beauties that somehow consider themselves plain. That's a real turn-off for me.

 

[georgelee5786]

You're not

 

[ThrillingHuman]

Am I the only one who gets uncomfortable and drops a novel when the main character is described as extremely handsome/beautiful and everyone wants to immediately rip of their clothes and procreate?
This might be something with me, but especially when it's written in First Person and I can't help but immerse myself, the compliments and comments when the character is showing off just make me kind of creeped out.

Is it because in the back of my mind I'm thinking "This is the author's fantasy. They wish this was happening to them"?

Being someone everyone wants to bang is less unrealistic than having world-ending supernatural powers, yet the latter is more cringe and you'd have to basically drop this site if you can't stand the cringe.

this was annoying for me too, but after reading "Demon sword maiden" and "When the earth wakes up, I become a female swordsman" I became immune to the excessive descriptions of the main character's appearance.

when you are so shameless in wish-fulfillment mass-produced fantasy you become based

 

[Keene]

I think the main problem that can arise is when a characters beauty, and other characters reactions to it - is all there is.

A character whose romance or general plot revolves around something not really in their control - their physical appearance - makes typically for a boring plot because the plot is the character reacting to other peoples reacting, rather than the character driving the plot through their own action.

If you have a pro-active character than can already engage the reader through their own actions and speech then the reader will welcome them being beautiful as it will enhance, but not define the character.

 

[Snake99]

I don't understand your discomfort, I quite enjoy series where everyone frequently reminds to the protagonist how hot he or she is.

 

[Comiak]

I turned beauty into a form of divinity in my story. Basically what you find beautiful is what you can do. Think beauty is the death and destruction of fire? Then you basically are a fire mage. There is a lot more to it and it takes a while before it's explored in more detail but that's the jist of it.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I turned beauty into a form of divinity in my story. Basically what you find beautiful is what you can do. Think beauty is the death and destruction of fire? Then you basically are a fire mage. There is a lot more to it and it takes a while before it's explored in more detail but that's the jist of it.

The beauty bond! Now that I think about it, it would be cool if someone made a vampire evolution MC in your world. You have really good worldbuilding. Oh, and especially the magic science.

 

[ATRUNA]

Depends on the context, really. If it's for plot reasons, then i can stand for it. But if it's just to please the author's fantasies it does get weird.