What makes someone truly attractive?
By JHANA RHODES—jsrho@ucdavis.edu
In 2016, Disney released “Zootopia,” a thrilling adventure following the life of two mammals: a rabbit and a fox. While the studio likely intended for the audience to enjoy the film for its plot and characters, they didn’t anticipate the overwhelming amount of adult individuals that thirsted over Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps: an animated rabbit and fox.
That’s right — the two animals now have an influx of fan edits, fan fiction and fan art permanently embedded in a digital footprint. If you’re not a part of the Nick Wilde or Judy Hopps fandom, the appeal to fictional characters may be enigmatic. So, what’s the deal? Do people actually like these characters? Or is it something else? As the “hear me out” cake trend on TikTok has shown, looks aren’t everything.
For those of you who don’t have TikTok or are just on a completely different side of the internet, the whirlwind trend showcases users decorating a cake with pictures of (but not limited to) fictional characters and celebrities as they explain their unique opinions on who, or what, they believe is attractive. Bill Nye (the Science Guy), Optimus Prime, Elastigirl, a fork and the number eight are some subjects currently under stringent debate.
Though we all have our individual preferences on what we consider to be attractive, hopefully we can agree that “aura” is what draws us in. In other words, we tend to be attracted to someone’s unique impression, shaped by their demeanor, tone of voice or the little things they do that captivate us. Think about it like this: you show your friends a picture of your crush. Your friends don’t find them attractive, but you do. You keep showing them different photos, saying, “It’s just a bad angle; they look better in person.” But no matter how many pictures you send in the group chat, your friends still disagree. In your defense, if only your friends could see how your crush parallel parks — then maybe they’d agree with you.
While physical appearance is undoubtedly a large part of initial attraction, there is so much more to individuals than what’s on the surface. A confident demeanor, kindness, intelligence, optimism, authenticity, loyalty and empathy are on the list. Romantically or not, we are drawn to people’s energy. We, as humans, seek admirable qualities in others, whether we possess those qualities or not. However, I am certain that the most beautiful people, inside and out, are the ones with a heart of gold. Physical appearances can wither, yet genuine kindness and compassion will flourish.
Though this explanation of aura may not sway you into believing an animated fox is attractive, it hopefully helps you understand why others might be. Some may find Nick Wilde funny and therefore alluring. Others may think it’s his confident and sly demeanor. I say that Jason Bateman (Nick Wilde’s voice actor) has a nice voice. But hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder — we all have unique preferences that make us stand out from one another.
So, next time you witness someone obsessing over fan edits of a fictional character, instead of judging out loud — judge them silently. Then, think to yourself: What is your favorite “hear me out” take?
Written by: Jhana Rhodes— jsrho@ucdavis.edu
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.
