How important are looks nowadays?

Question

It seems like all the people who get the good careers, the good relationships, the good promotions, and/or the good whatever are, in the most part, good-looking people. When you look at many successful salespeople, executives, entertainers, athletes, etc., they all have a certain look. Are looks really that important in today's society?

Answer 1

Looks have always been important, and will always be.

It's the same for every species. The healthier and more prototypical the specimen, the more attracted to it others will be. Doesn't mean less attractive people won't succeed, but their barriers are slightly greater than those of someone with a great physique.

Unfortunately, people take this idea and become obsessed with it. Their image of body or of general success becomes more important than their own true desires. It leads them to make bad decisions, have poor self-esteem (regardless of their realistic physical appearance), and in many cases contributes to mental illness.

Answer 2

Living and working in london, and seeing all the majorly ugly people who work in the city (generally high end jobs) I would say that the reverse is true... the good looking people (in societies eyes, not mine, as I find these people repulsive) get all the public jobs (ie customer facing roles, TV etc...) the 'behind the scenes jobs (the ones that actually pay the good money) are mostly held by mingers.

Also, the number of pretty girls I see hanging around with skinny spotty faced ginger twigs and bespectacled nerds proves this.. they must have something, though I'm inclined to think it might not just be about the money.

Answer 3

Looks are like the only thing that matters these days.
Nobody really cares about personality or talent anymore.
For example look at the music industry of today.
It's full of beautiful people with little to no talent at all.

Answer 4

I think "looks" are subjective and the word itself is too broad to classify all the looks there are.

However, I do think that there is a certain winning formula which includes confidence, brains, a certain presence that exudes the aura of success plus a little bit of the gift of the gab. Anyone can sharpen this skill, but I do feel that some people are naturally born with it.

Answer 5

It depends on the situation. In some cases, good looks are an inhibitor to success. I think Grocho Marx once said something like "A beautiful woman with brains is like gravy on a chocolate sundae". The point being that there may be a concern about promoting a good looking person (especially a woman) because people will think it was their looks and not their ability that got them the job.

Answer 6

Looks always have and always will be important. Good looking people attract a certain appeal to us as human beings. It's not just looks it's also age. We find younger people more appealing than older. I was a bartender for years, I could get a job anywhere I wanted now that I'm in my late 40's the only jobs I can get is at V.F.W's, Elk's Clubs and any other place older people hang out. Is this discrimination? Definitely, but If you owned a night club that catered to young people would you want a old broad like me working there or someone kinda homely?

Answer 7

i dont think that everyone of the those people have the greatest looks, otherwise they might as well be movie stars. maybe what you find attractive to them is not solely about looks but good qualities such as confidence, security and how they present themselves to people..

Answer 8

It is hard to even get a server or customer service job if you are unattractive. The unemployment rate for overweight/obese people is four times higher than that of the average person. As stupid as this thinking is, it determines one's income and job status. Does it really matter if the travel guide, stewardess, bank clerk, typist or bartender is fat?

Let me put it this way. I work with a co-worker who has uncontrolled manic depression, is lazy, incredibly oversensitive, an insomniac, and a chronic drug user. She consumes pot and large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis. She uses cocaine, or so she told me. She used to be a crack addict. She has severe health problems, possibly colon cancer and her bladder bleeds. She is not supposed to work more than thirty hours a week, and according to disability, which she is entitled to, only fifteen. She walks around aimlessly on the night shift, ignoring customers and staff members while complaining about her life to the manager, sometimes for thirty minutes without working. Okay, maybe more like ten to fifteen. I have to do her work. Now she has asked to do less work and me and another will have to do more of the duties. I am planning on quitting, will head to another place to apply today. Because I am overweight, I have been insulted and harassed. This is stupid. I have been told my looks affect my ability to do my job and that is why I make less.

Now, please. Why is this difficult bitchy troubled girl working there? I know it's not her fault, but she makes life unpleasant for everyone else. I am supposed to be sensitive and understanding. She left me an eight page letter after work, begging me to stay regardless of her problems and claimed that my refusal to be forgiving was the source of her problems. That is nonsense. She has worked there for over four years. I have been there for less than three months. It is not me. I mostly work with other people except the last two weeks. What seems more sensible here? Letting her go or keeping her on and refusing to hire overweight people?

Answer 9

well since ugly people are still having babies, i would say it isn't that big a deal. somewhere you can always find bad with bad.
to me its very important. I have standards...not ridiculous, but none the less I have standards

Answer 10

Yep, looks are always important. It's a genetic/subconscious thing, you can't really avoid it. Even newborn babies can tell a good looking woman from a not so good looking one. There's a study on it somewhere, might be able to find it online.