Good looks, a blessing or a curse ?

[*_ash_*]

I read a report a few years ago saying that how attractive someone is actually plays a huge role in how they are treated. It was talking about attractiveness in things such as having a symetrical face etc, and some studies had shown that the more attractive people tended to be graded better at school, receive more job offers etc.

I'm not too sure about the grading at school business . There are plenty of studies about facial and body symmetry though, and the relationship to what people find attractive in others.

 

I've always thought from basic observation, that couples tend to be quite similar in attractiveness (perhaps other than cases where one has a huge amount of money). Obviously that is based on my own view on what is attractive, but I think it's easy enough to have a reasonable perception of what is generally considered [physically, in particular facial] attractive.

I think that generally there must be something in how someone looks that initially attracts us when we talk to them or approach them, either as a friend or as potentially more. That may be how they themselves look, or perhaps their style implies they have shared interests, or even something they are doing eg playing a guitar or whatever. However I think that for all but the shallowest of people it is the personalty that means you stay talking to them, become friends or lovers etc.

I would say that that is also dependent on the meeting circumstances.

 

How many people would walk across a pub/club etc, to speak to someone [with a view to chatting up] who they didn't find physically attractive, to try and identify a possible good personality?

 

However, you may for example, start a new job/meet someone through friends etc, got on well together and started to see an attraction that wouldn't have been noticed otherwise.

[*_ash_*]

Interesting thread...I was a popular kid at school and still appear to appeal to folk now...I have never 'felt' attractive tho ...at size 12 then and now at size 16/18..I still feel the same inside...normal??

Not feeling attractive, yet being attractive.. sounds like a confidence thing doesn't it?! Who knows, it's a huge topic of discussion really!

 

You are an attractive woman, but I don't know whether that has any bearing on the said early popularity as I didn't know you as a school kid.. I would say you are popular now because you are friendly, approachable and easy to chat with.

I really believe it's personality not looks that is the BIGGEST attraction ?

I think you have to be attracted to someone [not necessarily someone attractive to the general consensus though! - that does make sense!].

 

Essentially, the ideal couple I guess is two personalities that harmonise, but with a sprinkling of 'adjust and develop' to keep both people happy, and a mutual attraction too! - not too much to ask really

[nerd]

heres some links to back up what I said earlier

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/07/08/looks/

[katy1981]

ive never considerd myself to be pretty and my figure has changed due to having 2 children in my late teens i was a size 10 to a 12 now im a 14 to 16 and i have a large bust.

i feel like i get more attention now than i did when i was slimmer and before i had my children but i still dont consider myself to be pretty or slim.

im a very confident person though so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Tipex]

heres some links to back up what I said earlier

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/beautiful-people-earn-12-more-than-ugly-bettys-461261.html

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/07/08/looks/

 

Bill gates attractive?

[Karis]

That people treat beautiful people more preferably is absolutely true. People will bend over backwards for an attractive person and show all manner of tolerances that they never would to a more average seeming person.

 

But it's crucial to remember that we're talking external beauty here.

 

Lots of people are mixing lots of other factors into the mix. Money makes a person attractive to a certain type of person, or power, or their career or status.

 

But none of these things have anything to do with physical beauty, which will cause people to behave quite differently toward a person before they know your job, career, or size of your bank balance.

 

To answer the original question: good looks is both a blessing and a curse. It can make you very lonely, but it can also open doors for you.