Menewsha Avatar Community

Menewsha Avatar Community (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/index.php)
-   Extended Discussion (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=111)
-   -   Does Beauty affect on how well you do in Life? (https://www.menewsha.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64855)

Zweres 08-03-2007 02:52 AM

Does Beauty affect on how well you do in Life?
 
  • I've never seen a type of topic like this - so sorry if this has already been done. This is a simple question - in your opinion - does beauty and looks affect how well you do in life? I think - that someways it can - but I don't think it should mainly because it should be judged by who works the hardest. For things like singing - look at a few examples. Carrie Underwood and her albums made a bajillion sales. In acting - its important as well. What do you think?

poet`s playground 08-03-2007 04:08 AM

Well I wouldn't say it's important in acting and singing, so much as it's what sells. But selling records (and I'm speaking metaphorically: earning lots of money) isn't the name of success for everyone. Even if it is... well, I think there are certain points where being attractive could give one an unfair advantage, and I'm also certain that there are points at which it could give one the unfortunate advantage of being underestimated, mistrusted, not taken seriously.

H_e_a_r_t 08-03-2007 05:50 PM

I know one thing: To be a celebrity you gotta at least look decent.
So it does affect your daily life alot. However, perks come with downside, always. The pretty people get judge by their looks more than their skill when they first come in. Surely the guys treat them nicer but still, some guys will just want to take advantages.
Well, beauty doesn't necessary make life easier because everything has a downside. "Even if you are the prettiest girl in the world, as long as you are unhappy, it means nothing." So doing well in life, what does that mean? Does it come down to being happy or just having lotsa money and fans and everything? Or does it mean you will be happy with your life?

Knerd 08-03-2007 08:06 PM

Ever heard of the Halo Effect?

The Halo Effect is a cognitive bias towards a person when we see that they have either one good or one bad characteristic. More often than not, this has to do with appearance. An attractive person will seem to be intelligent, sincere, sensitive, funny, and 'good.' An uglier person will seem to be unqualified, dumb, weak, boring, and 'bad.' Once we see one of these traits, we make an unconscious assumption that they have the rest.

The main point of this theory is to show that people don't seem to think of other individuals in mixed terms. Instead, we see them as roughly good or roughly bad all around. Physical attraction works in the person's favor and makes them seem much, much more appealing.

A beautiful person is more likely to be called back for a job interview, given a promotion, or given a pay raise. Although all these actions are subconscious, we begin to associate their good looks with other positive traits that they may or may not possess. When you this happens, it may be because the boss thinks of the employee as hard working, diligent, respectful, etc when in fact those characteristics are only in their mind.

Kris 08-03-2007 10:17 PM

According to studies, we make our opinions of someone within the first fifteen seconds of meeting them. Pretty fast, huh?

If you're at a job interview, and you're a decent looking person, rounder, frizzy dark hair, and you have acne covering your face, and the next person to be interviewed for that job is a tall, skinny blond girl with a pretty smile, and clear tan skin and you both have the same recommendations and qualifications, then the blond girl will get it.

Now, if you're a greasy haired older man with a graying, pot belly, a mullet, and mustard stains on your wife beater shirt, and a beer in one hand, then people won't want to be around you. People won't want to hire you, etc.

So yes, they have a large influence in how well you do in life. As do smell, smile, and the way you talk.

For example, someone seems like they'd be a perfect employee and yet, you can smell their BO from a mile away, you won't hire them. You won't put someone who never smiles at a cash register or in a job with people, which ever job works with people at one point, because they make you look bad. If you want to hire someone, you'd be more likely to hire someone with proper English then one who uses double negatives every sentence and can't type, write, etc.

Aero 08-03-2007 10:35 PM

Yess. everyone judges the way someone's appearance is so that affects everything. :]

nescia 08-04-2007 06:01 PM

Unfortunately, beauty does affect how well you do in life. Your appearance helps shape your personality. Studies have been done that indicate people will spend more time and attention on attractive babies and children than those with more imperfections.. So from an early age, "attractive" people are generally more confident and proud. Whatever. It's just a fact of life. Both sides have advantages and draw-backs.

This might be a bit off-topic, but want to know something else strange about "beauty" that they taught me in health class? xD The more symmetrical your facial features are, the more attractive you are considered. Unless, your facial features are perfectly symmetrical, then you are considered less attractive than someone with horribly iregular facial features. :? At first, I thought that this concept was really strange, but the more that I look at people, the more it holds true! xD

Marissa D 08-04-2007 06:43 PM

Yup, it does. Good thing oopinions vary, otherwise I'd be doomed to fail. :p

nescia 08-04-2007 06:52 PM

Hmm... That seems like a completely different discussion to me. While being attractive can help a person succeed, I don't think that anyone is "doomed to fail" just because of how they look. There are dozens of other factors to take into account.

Marissa D 08-04-2007 06:54 PM

Probably. My mind isn't cooperating at all.

It's just that I'm an underweight dark guy who always wears a ponytail and who basically looks like a coke whore. ._.; If opinions didn't vary, I'd be doomed.

Shankster06 08-04-2007 09:15 PM

I think they way you look does effect your life outcome, because it poeple only look at they way you look they might think other things. But if they don't look past the pretty face then they don't know what your really like!

IshokuOsero 08-05-2007 12:04 AM

Despite the fact that I'd rather answer this question with a "no, beauty in fact does not affect how you do in life", but I unfortunately know better than that in this day and age. ^^;

Most likely, if two people walk into a place for an interview, the first impression is very highly noticed. Let's say both of them are girls. One person is really pretty with long blonde hair, blue eyes, pimple-free face, and she just strikes the interviewer as a model-type of girl. The other one has brown hair, shortish, a few pimples, a bit of purple under her eyes (mostly thought of as lack of sleep, but I believe is actually from a lack of iron in the body), and although she's quite well-kept, she just isn't as pretty as the other girl. They're both pretty bright, although the darker haired girl seems to be much more realistic, and more working towards her goals. She presents herself better than the blonde girl also, but only just. Which one of them will the interviewer likely employ? Most likely, it'll be the blonde girl.

As much as I would love to say it's not all about looks in the workforce and the real world, it actually mostly is about looks. First impressions can mean practically everything, and if there is even one feature that's the least bit off (no matter whether it's genetic or not), that could break the chances of being employed places, having Xx number of friends, or having a bit of a happier life. The reality is sad, but true. Too bad it isn't otherwise. I know a lot of smart people who don't look completely awesome, but they haven't been able to find jobs with however long they've been looking for them (these people having already graduated from college with decent degrees in some fields that can hand out a lot of money every year). I also believe some studies have shown that those without "magazine perfect" features are more prone to depression, mental illness, shyness, and lack of self-esteem.

nescia 08-05-2007 02:59 AM

@IshokuOsero- It's uncanny how similar your first paragraph is to the response by Kris. xD

IshokuOsero 08-05-2007 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nescia
@IshokuOsero- It's uncanny how similar your first paragraph is to the response by Kris. xD

Oh wow, I didn't even notice. Whoops. ^^; I need to thoroughly read others' responses rather than glancing through them before I respond myself, it seems. xD I was mostly basing my response off of something that had happened to me before, because I had an interview at Bath and Body Works in the mall near me, and it was one of those double interview things. The blonde girl looked like a model. She got hired instead of me. When I went back into that store a few weeks later, she seemed like a complete ditz and she didn't really know what she was doing. She got fired a little while after that, and I was called back for a second interview, but I already had gotten a job at Borders by then, so I declined.

Kawaii-kokoro 08-05-2007 03:45 AM

You know what? I'd so like to say no, beauty doesn't have an effect on your life, but I really unfourtantley agree it does. I mean even in school it's like that. The pretty and skinny people are the popluar ones, but also alot of the time, the snotty and mean ones.

I'm one of the "ugly" and "unpopular" ones and alot of times, it makes my life hell actually. I've alwasy been made fun of and all of that by the "pretty and popular" crowds. They were "better" than everyone because they were "hot"

I really wish life were'nt like that and we could all be treated as equals and not be labeled. No "ugly" or "pretty". "fat" or "skinny"

... maybe this all sounded better while I was thinking it.

Cow 08-06-2007 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawaii-kokoro
You know what? I'd so like to say no, beauty doesn't have an effect on your life, but I really unfourtantley agree it does. I mean even in school it's like that. The pretty and skinny people are the popluar ones, but also alot of the time, the snotty and mean ones.

I'm one of the "ugly" and "unpopular" ones and alot of times, it makes my life hell actually. I've alwasy been made fun of and all of that by the "pretty and popular" crowds. They were "better" than everyone because they were "hot"

I really wish life were'nt like that and we could all be treated as equals and not be labeled. No "ugly" or "pretty". "fat" or "skinny"

... maybe this all sounded better while I was thinking it.

Yea I hear ya.
i just finished school, and for 4 years i got called for being fat and ugly, etc. a swot because i'm clever, blah blah.
then i lost weight and suddenly got semi-attractive, and now i have quite a few boys interested in me. (not from school though)
so i'm thinking at college, people will have grown up more and there won't be any more stereotyping. i'm probably being naive when i say that, but yeah.

just the way the world works.

Kris 08-06-2007 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nescia
@IshokuOsero- It's uncanny how similar your first paragraph is to the response by Kris. xD

Great minds think alike! ;D

Kawaii-kokoro 08-06-2007 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cow
Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawaii-kokoro
You know what? I'd so like to say no, beauty doesn't have an effect on your life, but I really unfourtantley agree it does. I mean even in school it's like that. The pretty and skinny people are the popluar ones, but also alot of the time, the snotty and mean ones.

I'm one of the "ugly" and "unpopular" ones and alot of times, it makes my life hell actually. I've alwasy been made fun of and all of that by the "pretty and popular" crowds. They were "better" than everyone because they were "hot"

I really wish life were'nt like that and we could all be treated as equals and not be labeled. No "ugly" or "pretty". "fat" or "skinny"

... maybe this all sounded better while I was thinking it.

Yea I hear ya.
i just finished school, and for 4 years i got called for being fat and ugly, etc. a swot because i'm clever, blah blah.
then i lost weight and suddenly got semi-attractive, and now i have quite a few boys interested in me. (not from school though)
so i'm thinking at college, people will have grown up more and there won't be any more stereotyping. i'm probably being naive when i say that, but yeah.

just the way the world works.

Yeah, I mean I'm still made fun of because I'm "fat" and all that. Though, alot of peope say I don't look my weight. I weigh like 215 pounds or wathever and I'm overweight, but alot of people say that they don't belive it because I don't look it. Anyway, bit offtopic there, just because I'm not the "bone thin skinny" Type, the people make fun of me.

I wish the collage would mature up and all, but in my opinion, people are always going to be people. No matter how old they get. It's always going to be in them. That's my opinion though.

Ocean Rose Soldier 08-07-2007 07:48 PM

I don't think so, but it does affect how well you're treated.

eternal_black_kiss 08-07-2007 09:06 PM

I think looks can be an advantage in some ways but it also can be a disadvantage in other ways too. My friend who's really pretty thinks she can use her looks to weasel out of doing things. She always gets what she wants and she can hand in papers late if the teacher is a guy. It annoys me sometimes but I know that life will not always be that easy for her. I mean when you're older and you go to an interview I doubt that she will be able to use her looks to get a job if her boss is a woman (lesbians not included in this example) :lol:

Looks can also be a disadvantage. Another one of my friends has a large chest. She was a Double D at age 15 so you can imagine. Everything is natural btw. She feels like she's getting all the attention at the wrong place. Noone else cares about her personnality or her feellings. Everyone immediately puts a stereotype on her: SLUT... She tried all sorts of things. Like wearing long dresses etc. but then people would look at her even more strangely. She feels like she has to be sexy...

I would hate being defined by the way I look. I mean we don't choose to be born the way that we are.

Caroline 08-07-2007 09:06 PM

  • Beauty definitely affects the quality of your life.
    I posted links to studies in a thread a while back titled "Do looks really matter?" or something along the lines of that, and beautiful people are treated better than average-looking or ugly people. Strangers are more willing to help them, they are more likely to get jobs and higher salaries, etc. Even newborns will look longer at a pretty face. It is just ingrained into us to judge on appearance.

    My friend was actually offered a job last week simply based on her appearance. She is seventeen, 5'9", about 114 lbs, and just basically gorgeous. We were shopping in Hollister and a girl working there just came up and asked if she lived in the area because she wanted my friend to work in the store. American Apparel asks potential employees to take a polaroid of themselves and write a page about why they should be hired. Most people dress up, do their makeup, and try to look their best when applying for a job, but there is no denying that natural beauty is also a factor for many positions.

    Personally, my confidence also has a great deal to do with my physical appearance. I was an ugly duckling and I wasn't pretty until the summer after middle school. I always had terribly low confidence before then. If I was four inches shorter and thirty pounds heavier, I don't think I would have even half the confidence that I do at 5'7" and 112 lbs. I don't think I would go out as often if I had acne. I just know that the quality of my life would go way down if I was less aesthetically pleasing. Beauty affects people on both a personal and professional level.

life in red and black 08-07-2007 09:37 PM

Yes it does. There will always be someone who judges you by the way you look... It's human nature. Some guy might never promote you because he thinks you're an airhead beauty, or because you're not his type and he overlooks you all the time.

The important thing is trying your best and knowing beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you want to feel optimistic, that's what I recommend.

Dearest 08-07-2007 11:31 PM

I think beuty affects how well you do in life, not only in the music/film industry, but also in many other jobs one can have... A lot of people have prejudice and won't hire just anybody, and even if they are the best qualified, some people might not get the job they're applying to because they don't have a "standard" look... I know for a fact that this counts in the sales business, if you want to work in a fshion store... In the service business, you need people who are "pleasant to the eye" so people who come there don't feel uneased (in lack of a better word)

I have also heard about people with hard to pronounce names who got rejections from every job they applied to, only to then change their name and get hired immediately... Strange how prejudice and the fact that we always look for the easy way out affects our decicions often more than we are aware of...

Chexala 08-08-2007 05:34 AM

I just read Blink by Malcom Gladwell, which deals a lot with the snap impressions we make about people. Whether we like it or not, those impressions are totally based on our looks.

There is a lot more to our looks than simply our physical features though. The expression on our face, how we dress and carry ourselves, our skin tone, etc. etc. There was a psychologist Gladwell mentioned who studied all the muscles in the face and how they combine into expressions that we read as emotions. We can try to make them falsely, but sometimes not all the associated muscles will move, and other will subconsciously read the insincerity, which will affect their opinion of us.

Another fact that Gladwell mentioned is that tall white men are more likely to become CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Weird but true.

So, I wouldn't say the beauty specifically effect how well you do in life, but your looks as a whole most definitely will.

Xia 08-28-2007 06:44 AM

Depending on who you are, and what you do, it can. Beauty does not affect human success all the time, but it does quite a bit. Sometimes the beauty can work agaisnt you, but for the most part, I think it helps.


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:05 AM.