Are You Ugly? Find Out Now!
April 15th, 2008
Last week, Penelope Trunk suggested that plastic surgery might be the next must-have career tool. I'm afraid that people will be running to their friendly neighbourhood plastic surgeon after Penelope's advice, so as a public service, allow me to help you decide if such drastic measures are necessary.
I would hope that, unlike incompetence, people are aware if they're unattractive. However, in case you're unsure (i.e. if you'd rate yourself between 4-6), here are my top 3 methods to determine if you are, in fact, fugly.
3. You Make Babies Cry
Studies have shown that even newborn infants can identify attractive faces. It's worth mentioning that newborns are just better at noticing symmetry and it appears that perfect symmetry is what's considered attractive. This method is probably the least reliable for the simple fact that many babies are cry babies.2. Other People's Comments
Have several people referred to you as hot or attractive? They're probably right. Have people
compared you to monkeys or farm animals? They might be right too. This method is better than the first, but other people's comments may be biased by what they know about you. I've seen very attractive women be described as ugly because they had a disgusting personality. Note that family members and/or people who are inebriated don't count!!1. HotOrNot.com
This is probably the most accurate/objective method because people's opinions aren't biased (positively or negatively) by your personality. It's based strictly on looks. What's the downside? People obviously mess with the results or get their friends to rate them. If you want something truly objective, don't tell your friends until you've got a few hundred votes from strangers.
I joined a couple of years ago after a colleague told me I was "OK" looking, but that my personality made me attractive. I had to prove to her that even if I was a jerk, I was certainly higher than a 5.5!!
The ratings seem pretty accurate by my standards; my rating is typically +/-.5 from the average. If you rank anywhere above 7, you're probably doing alright and plastic surgery shouldn't cross your mind. If you're below a 3, continue reading...
Do You Need Plastic Surgery?
The easy answer: Unlikely. Regardless of what people think, if you're comfortable in your skin, that's what matters. Although I admit that I'm somewhat superficial (who isn't!?), I also believe that beauty is skin deep and can disappear in an instant. Regardless of what happens to the outside, your inside (intelligence, personality) remains.
If you haven't already read the hilarious Craigslist gold digger email that went out back in October, I strongly suggest you do! There's a clear explanation of how looks don't last. Here's a highlight:
...your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!
So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset...
Ultimately, if your looks seriously affect your self-confidence, consider the points above, consider if it's your personality that needs work and as a last resort consider plastic surgery.
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