October 11, 2009

What Counts: Outer Looks or Inner Beauty

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First of all I would make it clear that I am not talking about what “should be” and “should not be”. I am showing here what “is”.

We hear many people saying looks are not important for them. The “inner-beauty” is all what they look for in people. They are liars. Let me tell you this: Looks is the first thing that counts for each and every human being in the world. (And for quite a many of them, the only one!)

You are also not out of it, I tell you, if you have already started to defend yourself in your mind. Let me show you. Just imagine you entered a cafeteria where there are only two seats vacant. One is on the table which is occupied by a good looking person (of the opposite sex, of course) and another one is on the table which is occupied by a not-so-good looking* person. You’ve got to share a table with either of these two persons. Now supposing they both are equally strangers to you who will you choose to share a table with? This you can decide for yourself. Unless you are prejudiced in some way about good-looks or have inferiority complex, you will feel inclined to sit with the good looking person. Does that mean you are mean? No. And that does not even have to mean that you generally carry dislike towards not-so-good looking people. That’s just your natural inclination. The first impulse is always, always in favor of good looks.

Give you another very common example. We all use social networking websites these days. Orkut, Facebook etc. Suppose you are getting bored and decide to randomly browse other people’s profiles. Do you ever notice that you pick those people’s profile with good looking display pics more often than those who have not-so-good looking pics? (It’s also quite possible that you pick those with good looking pics only. Observe yourself next time!) Let me tell you again this does not mean you are mean or anything. It just means that however mean it might sound, and however unpleasant it is to accept it, looks is very important for everyone and always counts first!

The first thing that appeals to everyone is looks, and then comes everything else.

The reason looks is important to everyone is because it is connected with sex. Now you will think how on earth sex fits here. I will show how it does. Sexual instinct is equally present in every normal human being, irrespective of gender, religion, nationality and whatever else. And we all know it’s the greatest pleasure. That’s the reason sex is also categorized in life’s basic necessities. (Though some people don’t like to agree with it but that does not matter because the instinct is universal anyway.) Now think this way: Food is also a basic necessity. Given a choice would you like to eat something which tastes good, or you would prefer something with no-so-good taste? You know it. Even though the food with not-so-good taste might be nutrition-rich your inclination will be towards good taste unless you’ve got no taste buds on your tongue!

So important is sex, which makes looks important, too. By looks I don’t mean beauty. Beauty is something that pleases your senses when you look at it. Like cuteness of a baby, or even natural scenery. But here looks essentially means the over-all sex-appeal, of which beauty fills just a part.

Does it mean that every time you choose a person with good looks (for conversation, friendship, or just random profile-browsing on the internet) it has something to do with your sexual instinct? Well, yes. If you are not conscious of it (or don’t want to appear so) then that’s a different thing.

So, here’s another ugly truth: Sexual instinct rules your decisions (to a good extent!).

There was a survey conducted in which most people agreed upon the thing that when they were looking for a short-term relationship (which is most often for mutual sexual benefit) they would go for good looks. But when considering a long-term relationship (marriage) they would look for “inner-beauty”. Now this is quite understandable.

I would say there are two types of people here who would look for “inner-beauty” when going for a long-term relationship. The first type is those who are in love. By “inner-beauty” they mean good and caring nature, understanding and/or intelligence. To put it simply, they will find “inner-beauty” in the person who shares the same wavelength with them; who has in him/her the qualities that they are attracted to and admire. It’s purely subjective. There are no defined standards for "inner-beauty". Thus, these people who happen to be in love with some person would ignore his/her looks and give priority to “inner-beauty”. And it’s perfectly alright. Sharing the same wavelength with someone has a great joy. But still that does not really prove that looks don’t count. They are the same people who fantasize about a sexy film-actor in the bathroom while masturbating. Why, not only in the bathroom, even while giving orgasms to the loved partner they do fantasize about the sexy neighbor. It’s no secret, you see. Even sexologists advise it for those couples who are finding it difficult to sexually satisfy each other. It’s considered a healthy practice! And we like to say looks don’t count! (With my own supreme standards I even wonder how they can be called faithful couples!)

The other type is those people who purposely do their pre-marriage “enjoyment” with the sexy creatures but when it’s time to marry they would choose simplicity. (You see, “simple” is actually the dignifying word for “not-so-good looking”.) Because sexier the partner more would be the “admirers”. And more of “admirers” means higher possibility of the partner’s falling in the seduction-trap and turning unfaithful! How weak is human mind when sex is the thing! So, these people prefer “simple” looking partner because they don’t want their partner to be preyed on by the “admirers”. It’s creepy, but it does go on because of the fact that looks count a great deal!

As long as sex will be, looks will remain important. No one in the world can deny it.

I am not trying to prove that looks is most important or the only thing that counts for you. Of course, inner beauty is far more important in every other aspect of a relationship apart from sex. All I am saying is if you are saying that you don’t go after looks and the “inner-beauty” is only what’s important for you then, you’d better know it now, you're a big freaking liar!

*By “not-so-good looking” I don’t mean “ugly”.

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16 Comment(s):

  1. http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Make_An_Ugly_Woman_Your_Wife/4314170

    Okay, okay...seriously? We just need to stop denying biological truths. You make a good point here; you may also be oversimplifying things, somewhat. After all, the biological imperative is to seek out a partner with the sort of genes that guarantee survival and continuance of the human race. Physical fitness/beauty is part of the equation, but so is intelligence/cunning/cleverness/sharp instinct. There ARE other factors at play. But to pretend there are irrelevant, lofty ideals involved is perhaps an indication of a psychological problem. We can, after all, make perverse decisions that go against nature. (Your rationale, above, for marrying a less attractive partner for fear that's the only sort you could hang onto would indicate a problem, in my opinion. Insecurity.) On the other hand, if the less attractive partner has a nice, healthy balance of looks, brains, confidence, nurturing nature/compassion, and instinct for survival, then your best instinct is to hang onto them. Odds are better that they'll give you healthy kids, stick around to raise them, stick around as your life partner when you're old and sex won't result in continuance of the human race.

    YOU might survive longer and waste less precious time and energy being insecure and worrying that they're going to leave you for a more attractive partner.
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  2. Well, for the most part this is right. But, lets say, and this happens all the time, you are wherever, and you begin to talk with someone. At first you didn't really notice them, because their looks did not stand out, or aren't that great. You begin to talk with them, and that is when other factors come into play. This person, who you may not have noticed to be good looking before, has struck your interest with good conversation. Their opinions, attitude, humor etc..all begin to play a part in whether or not you are attracted to them. Looks, true, may interest someone initially, but they either become even better looking, or flawed, based on who they are. I think men can get past the "flaws" of a personality more than women, when she looks hot, but it will always come down to who they are for the most part. If it's just sex, and nothing more that is wanted, then looks are probably the only thing that matters at that point.
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  3. So very true my friend. Looks are certainly important for me in the first instance. What comes out of their mouths when they start to talk, is the very next important thing to me. LOL. I wonder how many complain about this article to you. LOL
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  4. Looks matter ,I am not denying that but looks govern everything and so intensely effect our subconscious mind is I think stretching it too far.

    I can't imagine that any person who has ego and self-respect can have an intimate relationship with some person whom he or she can't respect no matter how good looking the other person is. Companionship of minds always comes before anything , I personally will not even be friends with a person if I can't identify with mind and ideology of that person .In a nut shell, looks, like luck, may lend but might not always give.

    As I always say ,I am just presenting my subjective view point with my limited intellect and am not open to debate on this.
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  5. I totally agree with you! Looks do play a major role. Inner beauty is taken into consideration much later. While looks can help you get a partner, inner beauty helps you in maintaining a relationship.
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  6. I´´l put an example :if I watch a landscape and I like it;Do I want sex with it.everything in this world has a taste of nice or unpleasant;ranging from most to least or vice versa, and that is what must not be confused with sex.Juancav
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  7. our eyes are responsible that always loves to see beautiful things.....
    if we ask a blind person , his opinion will be something different :-)
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  8. @Anonymous,

    First of all, landscape does not have "looks". It has "beauty". I have mentioned in the article that I am not talking about beauty. It's about looks. Moreover, it talks only about role played by looks in male-female interplay, which I guess is clear in the article.

    I suggest it is always better to read the article before commenting on it. This blog is not at all comment-hungry.
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  9. @LEO,

    I guess I was talking about "normal" humans.
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  10. looks are comparative .... so we will obviously compare it .. n the first we see is the outer looks so it gets compared first ... n is chosen over something not so good looking
    a blind person may like a person's voice or smell
    n dats also a part of outer perception .. but basic of preference stays the same

    so i agree with u here ....
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  11. All who can see are affected by looks, definitely. But what is considered good looks may vary from person to person. And it's also been said that when someone is really in love, what others consider a defect in the beloved can become a particularly attractive feature to the lover.

    Personally, i find it hard to think of looks alone in a man or woman without associating it some way with his/her personality.

    Btw, whom do you think better looking--Kareena Kapoor or Dipika Padukone? In my eyes Dipika is a hundred times prettier.
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  12. looks are important at the first stage, but when one decides conceive with other, quality of genes, the social standing is also considered.. because for a childs better future a genene of a person who is intelligent or rich is far more important than the gene of a person who is beautiful
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  13. Looks are imporant, may it be the human I am facing or even a car that I decide upon :)
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  14. You know, like the the comment above, how would someone blind go about things? They can't go on your 'looks' first. They MUST look into deeper things about you. Or, I guess face being alone? No. I'm not blind. No. I do look at how Someone looks. But to stop there, and only want to know you cause you're cute? Please...I want to NOW know what's going on inside. Your personality. Your humor, your intellect, your goals, dreams..whatever. You mentioned about smelling food and not liking it. Let me ask: what if you were presented with a wonderful, juicy-looking steak dinner with all the trimmings..potatoes,nice dinner salad, steamed veggies..the whole nine yards. Looks GRRRREAT on the plate..right? Who wouldn't want it (maybe not a vegetarian, lol) But you sink your teeth into it all, only to discover it all tastes like foul bile! The steak is sour and old, potatoes are cold and runny, the salad wilted and rotten. Would you still want to eat it? Cause it LOOKED good? See, you had to get to 'know' that dinner to see what it was really all about. You had to get in the 'inside' of it. Same as a person. Thinking something that LOOKS good IS good, is wrong. You have to get to know it, deeper. Not saying that all nice things are bad, no. But how will you know if you only go by it's looks?? I can give you metaphors like this all night long. But I think you get me..Looks are cool..BUT NOT the only and most important thing about anyone to me. Never will be. To me, it IS your inner beauty that shines eventually. (Unless you never speak a day in your life) Just go around 'looking' good. When you're 70 years old..what will matter then? Still how sexy you are? Why does it matter so much at 20? I love roses, they're beautiful. But in time, a roses beauty will fade. So in the meantime, I will enjoy it's beauty, inside and out, by not only just looking at it, but smelling it, watering it, putting it in the sunlight, getting the most out of that rose, like you would a person. Not just admiring how they look! Cause if you do, they're beauty, like the rose's, will eventually... fade.
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  15. That was candid, as expected. Looks do count a lot. Specially at the beginning of a relationship. Why relationship, people discriminate even while doing business or any other place where sex may not be the conscious motive. Though I am inclined to agree with Holly (the first comment here). Beauty is just part of the picture.
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