I've come to realize that you need to be two things in this world, in order to succeed: good-looking and/or intelligent. Having only one one these can land you a pretty comfortable life. Having one and a bit of the other can land you a really comfortable life. Having both pretty much guarantees you a really good life.
Sadly, we're not all equal. Some people are lucky enough to have one of these two. Some are blessed with both. Others don't have either - these ones are shit out of luck. And I feel sorry for them, but that's how it is.
We're not all equal. You'd be foolish to think that we are. Disparities DO exist between race, geography, location, caste, ethnicity, culture, etc. While these are all only factors, they can be worked around...but the real "luck" lies in the inheritance of good looks and intelligence.
People seem to gravitate towards others who are good-looking because of the halo effect - we tend to see them as more sociable, friendly, and warmer than less-attractive people. Although there's no truth in this bias, we all seem to have pre-wired in us that "what's beautiful is good" (although it does hold weight as an evolutionary adaptation.) This is also the reason that people with baby faces tend to seem more trustworthy, nice, etc.
Because of this, these people are often given opportunities that aren't available to others. We like to believe that everyone has equal potential...but the truth is that some simply don't. Attractiveness (for the most part) decides the variety of opportunity, and intelligence (for the most part) determines the degree of potential within opportunities.
Where am I going with this? Some of the most intelligent people aren't the best-looking. Some of the best-looking people aren't the most intelligent. And as Kanye said, "[Sometimes] the people highest up, have the lowest self-esteem. The prettiest people, do the ugliest things". My point is that we use a stupid brush for painting people. This might go against evolutionary predispositions, but I don't think that matters at this point - survival of the fittest has shifted to intellect, not beauty.
Self-serving bias only feeds this problem. We tell ourselves that everything we've accomplished is due to our blood, sweat, and tears - that we've worked hard to be where we're at. But how much of it can we truly accredit only to ourselves?
It's funny because every time someone messes up, we tend to blame it on something THEY did (fundamental attribution error). When WE mess up, we tend to blame it on external circumstances. The same is true of success: you get a job, and it's because of your hard work. They get a job, and they were "lucky". The truth is that it's probably both.
The reason for this self-serving bias and attribution error seems to stem from a defense mechanism. What's surprising is that it isn't for coping at the individual level...it's for coping at a collective level. The just world hypothesis posits that everyone rationalizes for negative events in order to tell themselves that the world is just - that we all get what we deserve.
The reality is that we don't...and acting according to the just world phenomenon/theory/hypothesis doesn't do anything to help. The world isn't just. It SHOULD be..but It never will be. However, it's also not as just as it COULD be.
Prejudice, bias, and preconceived beliefs are almost always unjustified. And I'm not talking about racism...I'm talking about our gravitation towards beauty.
As a way to deal with this, I propose that you guys mess with the natural order, at the most basic level.
My solution is to treat good-looking people like shit (lol). Just playin'. My REAL solution is to treat good-looking people as equally as you treat everyone else. It's easier said then done. Furthermore, social desirability urges people to say that they do...even though they probably don't.
To the dudes that bend over for hot chicks (in the hopes of getting in her pants)...quit doing that crap. You're most likely not gonna get in her pants, you're only feeding her feeling of self-entitlement, and worst of all, you're reinforcing the idea that looking good is a legitimate REASON to get anything that they want. To the ladies who bend over for good-looking dudes...the same applies. Stop being dumbasses and feeding a flawed system.
Not only is this solution "good"...it's also entertaining/hilarious. For the past 2 years, it's been absolutely enthralling seeing how confused hot chicks are when you refuse to grant them a privilege that they're used to never being denied (ie. cutting in line, hooking them up, etc.) What's even more shocking, is that the reaction they give implies that it's unheard of to not get what they want. Think about what this means, and it's truly troubling to know that actions like this are so uncommon.
If you guys want to see an equal society, it doesn't start with eliminating cultural barriers, or racial discrimination, or even monetary equity (actually, never mind on this last one. Let's not get crazy now...) It starts with eliminating bias.
Give credit where credit is actually due.
Peace,
- knowledge
