Research Paper

The Secret to Success

            “It does not matter what is on the outside, it is what’s on the inside that counts.”  If this cliché is true, then why does physical attractiveness play such a large role in determining a person’s happiness and success?  The truth is that living in a social, egotistical, and narcissistic world, beauty is more important than not.  The social phenomenon that physically attractive people lead more successful and fulfilling lives is correct.

Physically attractive people allegedly have better lives.  Often the people who are viewed as beautiful also are worshipped socially. Is this a coincidence?  People associate physical features with personality attributes (Richardudry, Eckland).  Because of this association, people associate good looks with outstanding personalities.  They are said to be “more likely to talk, have sex, socialize and live longer and happier lives” (The Social Animal , 153). Through observation, I have found that high school students associate popularity with physical attractiveness.  Eventually this distorted awareness is linked to good grades, contentment as well as maintaining a stronger connection with friends and family. This distorted awareness illuminates the argument that attractive people live allegedly better lives.  

Society goes ballistic over external beauty. To quote a website dedicated to educating people about appearance and the effect it has on a one’s character, Amanet.org’s observes that “reality TV, Cosmetic Surgery, and celebrity culture have contributed to our overall obsession with being beautiful.  With the impression that physical attractiveness makes life easier and a person more desirable,  it is no wonder why our society has become beauty crazed.  Society has instilled in people from childhood to adulthood that beauty is irreplaceable.  We are surrounded, and there is no escape from this constant burden.  From commercials on TV to ads in newspaper there is a persistent weight over our heads: with the products being sold to you, you will be more beautiful and in return be happier and even more fulfilled.  By being constantly surrounded by popular culture, our senses regarding beauty have been heightened. Just as we have become numb to our true beauty, some could even argue we have become ashamed of our natural selves.

The social media dictates what is socially acceptable and what is not.  To blame society once again, it has helped transform confident little girls into celebrity fixated teens who emulate their idols’ every move.  From their hairstyle, to their clothing, to favorite entrées, popular culture molds minds to believe that only certain appearances are beautiful.  People are obsessed with their own beauty, for others but especially but for themselves so they have confidence to look in the mirror.

Physically attractive children are also more successful in school. Throughout their schooling, children  become increasingly aware of the world around them and the way it treats them.  Unfortunately good treatment is not always by way of academic success and classroom behavior.  Attractive children are more likely to receive the benefit of the doubt both academically and socially. By the age of 10 children start to realize how they are being treated and how good looking children are viewed as superior (Popkins) .  Young children with inviting features are more likely to be associated with because children first pick playmates based on appearance. This includes, but is not limited to, “facial attractiveness and body form” (Fisher).  There is a lesser chance of bullying and exclusion when a child is attractive.  Common knowledge dictates that children bully and exclude each other, however, the likelihood of an unattractive child being mistreated is more than that of attractive child.  This is because visually appealing things and people gain importance along children and adult social ladders.

Not only do attractive children find themselves accepted by their peers but also research conducted by Kleinke has shown that unattractive children are associated with clinginess and have other universally unattractive personality traits.  Because humans all too often associate personality and physically, it is no wonder why personalities of unattractive children are viewed as unfavorable.  Physicality plays such an important part of a young child’s psychological adolescent life, and helps to determine a child's character.  Beauty has the power to determine the self-worth, mental stability, and self-esteem of a child.

Appearance governs how a person is received by others. Physically attractive people seem to be smarter, happier, and overly more put together. Although this is not completely accurate, people make positive and negative assumptions about others based on looks (Patzer, Gordan Patzer.com).  Based on observation and personal experience, such as interviewing students for leadership positions, I can confidently say that physical appearance does in fact dictate first impressions.   These positive or negative preconceived notions play a large role in assuming a person's ability to be successful.

Not only does being physically attractive make life easier but also it makes the individual happier.  Physical attractiveness affects females happiness more than  males.  This may be caused by the emotional trauma girls go through at young ages.  The bullying- now magnified through media, exaggerates the emotional insecurities caused by television advertisements, celebrities and magazines, who convince young that the key to happiness is through being good looking enough.  Girls are forced to live up to unreachable physical standards.  Both men and women however are positively affected by stability.

Beauty often means financial successful which often leads to constancy which leads to happiness.  The note worth magazine, Times suggests that beautiful people are more likely to have beautiful partners because people are attracted to people who look like themselves. To push the idea that beauty leads to happiness further Popkins suggests that Physical appearance affects the way a person interacts with their environment which in return affects personality.  

Contrary to popular belief, most people do not have low self-esteems.  People on average (mostly men) see themselves as better individuals  than they really are (academicudayton.edu).  People think they are smarter, better looking, funnier and overall more morally righteous than their peers.  Confidence can either make or break an interview, date, or relationship.  People without confidence have harder times adjusting to situations.  Confidence is achieved through how others perceive you and your own self-assurance.  Studies have shown that more attractive people judge unattractive people more harshly than average looking people (acedemicudayton.edu)  Although this has no scientific reasoning behind it, I believe this has to do with the over confidence and the slightly narcissistic personality traits that the human spirit possesses.    Characteristics such as self-assuredness go hand and hand in business.

In the workforce, beautiful people are more desired.  How could physical appearance play such a major role in a professional environment? The answer is as obvious as it seems.  Attractiveness is associated with competence.  Although being attractive does make getting a job easier, it does have its limitations.  As a man if you are physically attractive your chances of getting a job are much greater than that of an unattractive man and if you are a woman the line of harmful and helpful is a thin one.  Sadly women and men are not equal in the working world.  Attractive women have negative connotations of being childish and immature.  These women have to often prove themselves to their managers to show how competent they really are.  This only happens when women apply for jobs primarily held by men.  These jobs include vice presidents, presidents, CEOs and CFOs of major companies.  Attractive women are preferred for jobs that are considered to be “face to face” jobs in which constant social interaction occurs such as secretaries, assistants, and receptionists.  David Brooke’s declares that “unattractive people are viewed as weak and less likely to be efficient”  this idea of association reflects many hiring personnel's thoughts when employing future coworkers (The Social Animal, 119).   Although these perceptions have nothing to do with the work ethic and personality of the individual, these stereotypes based on physical appearance often shape the outcome of whether an applicant will or will not be accepted (Nonverbal connection).

As women become increasingly aware of the importance of physical appearance, more turn to their bodies.  To gain a career advantage women have started to use “erotic capital.” (Hakim, the Economist). Erotic capital is when women or men use their body to make themselves more attractive to the opposite or even the same sex.  Erotic capital gives users more power because of the attention they receive, whether it positive or negative.  It also gives them more career opportunities.  Much like school children, erotic capital also gives the seducer the benefit of the doubt more often. Women also commercialize on their bodies because attractive women are said to have better personalities such as being an extrovert and openness to experimentation.  As women capitalize on “erotic capital” men and women alike experience the power of beauty in the office and the responses it collects.

Physically attractive employees have higher incomes than average looking employees.  

According to a study conducted by the New York

Figure 1

Times, quarterbacks with more symmetrical faces made on average 8% more than their fellow quarterbacks             who didn't have symmetrical faces. Symmetrical faces are considered to be physically attractive because of the geometric parallelism.  On average taller people make 12% more than shorter people  (CNN.com).  Even  men married to unattractive women are earn on average 10% less. Figure one illuminates the treatment of attractive employees vs. unattractive employees, people with nicer hair, lower BMI’s and symmetrical faces make on average 230,000 dollars more, (Theconomist.com) Unaware employers do pay attractive employees more and these shocking statistics only further illuminate the shallowness and unaware intentions that business employers are faced with.  

Even in legal matters physical attractiveness plays a surprising yet disturbing role.  According to a mock trial performed by MNN.com an offender is 2.5 times more likely to be found guilty if he or she is unattractive.  Another test was conducted by the same company in which there was a  mock trial and jury, it showed how the attractiveness of the victim played a role in whether the offender was proven guilty or not.  If the victim was unattractive the offender has a better chance of being found innocent.  Subconsciously the mind makes assumptions about the people it is presented with.  It is disturbing to know that the human mind works in such troubling ways.  Knowing that someone who is accused of rape or murder is 2.5 times less likely to be convicted just based on appearances is frightening or even more alarming is the fact that a victim’s attractiveness plays a part in where her attacker is charged or not.  

With all these benefits of being physically attractive who wouldn't want to do  everything they can to be beautiful?  Well, what is the cost of  being

Fig 2 

physically attractive and how far are people willing to go to achieve it? Figure two illuminates how unaware and detached people have become.  As humorous as this comic is, it makes a point to show that women have become increasingly lustful for the perfect body.  The women even want the body of a starved and  malnourished woman.  The disturbing part is that this actually happens. According to ywca.org, a

Fig 3

website used to inspire and educate women, 7 billion dollars are spent each year on cosmetics alone, 1.5 billion  dollars are spent on breast augmentations, and 40% of newly diagnosed eating disorders are from girls’ ages 14 through 18.  Figure three shows the amount of girls diagnosed ad how disturbingly high the number is. The picture put these numbers into perspective. Girls are killing themselves over the obsession to be skinny.  They are also abusing their bodies with the harmful  toxins in makeup, like those that cause skin damage and infections but there are even more harmful products going into people’s bodies for the sake of beauty.  Plastic surgery can lead to infection, complications and in rare cases death.  Tanning machines are used to make a person’s skin “glow” but in reality they are burning cells with UV rays that only damage a person’s skin and can cause melanoma, a form of skin cancer.  According to thebeautybias.com, “One half of women would rather be hit by a car then get fat.” Why? Because society dictates what is beautiful and what is not.

            We live in a world in which is primarily based on looks whether we are willing to admit it or not.  A person is perceived by others based on beauty.  An attractive man will make more than his competent colleague who doesn't have a symmetrical face, and a rapist is 2.5 times more likely to be found innocent based on his looks. However, are there any solutions? Unfortunately Interviews have to be face to face, children have to associate with other children and juries look at offenders.  However as a human race we can educate each other and try to stop the unfortunate social phenomena we are all faced with because if you are beautiful your life will be more successful and fulfilled and beauty is the secret to success.