Did Somebody Say "It's What's Inside That Counts?
The Truth About Beauty
Think quick: Peter Pimple just asked you out for dinner and dancing—wanna go? Or Beulah Bovine has invited you on a picnic at the beach (she's got a new bikini)—do you jump at the chance? Hearts of gold, both of them, but gee . . . I think I'm busy that day . . . sorry.
If you're honest, you'll probably admit that beauty is a sight more than just skin deep. Never mind those basic relationship requirements (trust, friendship, love, commitment) and personality prerequisites (humor, compassion, sensitivity, intelligence). Physical appearance affects the way people are judged, how successful they are, how much money they make—in fact, people in general seem to be so deeply impressed by appearance that they're willing to undergo cosmetic surgery, at an annual cost of many billions of dollars, to alter it.
But how do we decide what to change, or how to change it? Certainly, we care what others think. All our lives, we're bombarded by images of what our culture considers to be beautiful. From kids' cartoons and Barbie dolls, to Hollywood hype, magazine covers, and toothpaste ads, we can be pretty sure that villains are ugly and heroes are handsome.
So who's the villain? Which one is handsome? In a world full of radically different cultures, you might expect that we'd never agree to find each other even acceptable, let alone attractive. As it turns out, however, we're all the same under the skin, and the better part of beauty is determined by human nature, not nurture.
By nature, humans see each other with the same eyes; the differences are only in the details of interpretation. Health (and the fitness for reproduction that comes with it) is appealing to everybody. Whether that means lean or plump, slender or sturdy, the issue is the same: if the proportions are perceived as optimum for health, the body is seen to be beautiful. On the flip side, any body that swells or shrivels too far from the normal range suggests abnormality or ill health—not pretty!
That goes for faces, too. Across the amazing range of human features, symmetry is one constant, universally recognized as an indication of health and therefore of beauty. But even more compelling than features that match is a face that's familiar. In fact, the more familiar a face seems, the more attractive it's considered to be. (Think of celebrities and supermodels. Think of your mom.)
How much does any of this matter? Whatever the local standards may be—wherever in the world people live together—what is beautiful is assumed to be good. Attractive people are expected to be outgoing, popular, and happy—and they're welcome at parties.
The standards may shift with location, but expectations remain. In Western cultures that value individuality, attractive people are seen as assertive and strong. In some Asian cultures, they're thought to be more sensitive and understanding than ordinary mortals.
Bottom line: attractive people tend to earn more money—about 13% more than less attractive types, with overweight people getting stiffed an extra 5%.
That's ironic. The cosmetics and health industries collect billions of dollars from the underpaid, unattractive masses who yearn for beauty. Plastic surgery is increasingly common for both sexes, and people routinely inject themselves with botulin toxin to paralyze their wrinkles, all at heartbreaking expense. Is it worth it?
Maybe not. If you think about it, you can make a very long list of rather homely people—people that didn't fit the ideal standards or the "normal" range—who nonetheless rocked the world (and had plenty of dates).