Cuteness in Japanese Culture?

Question:

All of you Japanese culture history buffs/ lovers out there!!
This is probably gonna be a series of questions about Cuteness in Japanese Culture so it would be nice if you could help me out a bit.

My question is: How did the whole cuteness thingy start?

This question actually gets asked a lot, and the typical answer is ‘It’s simply a cultural thing”. YES but culture doesn't just spontaneously appear out of thin air, right?

So from what does this unique phenomenon actually stem from? Here is a great article that might be a nice start:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/…

Answer:

The link given is interesting. And it's very true. Yes, I think cuteness tells a lot about Japanese culture.

Compare:
a) Elizabeth Taylor vs b) Audry Hepburn
(sorry pretty old actresses but they are often given when comparing your culture and ours.)
a) red rose and b) soft-pink cherry blossom
a) veteran vs b) freshman

Japanese people are more comfortable with a) because they are all cute. Or you can say they look all modest, or have some kind of immaturity, which they feel easier to get closer or "harmonize" with.

"Japanese women are usually portrayed as cute "its sooo kawaE!!!" rather then sexy, elegant."

Exactly. Meg Ryan, Cameron Diaz or Sofi Marso appered more in Japanese magazines for young generation or TV-CMs rratherthan Angelina Jolie or Sharon Stone.
"Red roses are beautiful, but something you just aappreciate from a distance...."

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