Posted on 08/29/2011 10:45:33 AM PDT by neverdem
Daniel S. Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas, Austin, is the author of "Beauty Pays," published this month.
BEING good-looking is useful in so many ways.
In addition to whatever personal pleasure it gives you, being attractive also helps you earn more money, find a higher-earning spouse (and one who looks better, too!) and get better deals on mortgages. Each of these facts has been demonstrated over the past 20 years by many economists and other researchers. The effects are not small: one study showed that an American worker who was among the bottom one-seventh in looks, as assessed by randomly chosen observers, earned 10 to 15 percent less per year than a similar worker whose looks were assessed in the top one-third — a lifetime difference, in a typical case, of about $230,000.
Beauty is as much an issue for men as for women. While extensive research shows that women’s looks have bigger impacts in the market for mates, another large group of studies demonstrates that men’s looks have bigger impacts on the job.
Why this disparate treatment of looks in so many areas of life? It’s a matter of simple prejudice. Most of us, regardless of our professed attitudes, prefer as customers to buy from better-looking salespeople, as jurors to listen to better-looking attorneys, as voters to be led by better-looking politicians, as students to learn from better-looking professors. This is not a matter of evil employers’ refusing to hire the ugly: in our roles as workers, customers and potential lovers we are all responsible for these effects.
How could we remedy this injustice?...
--snip--
But many attorneys would be willing to organize classes of plaintiffs to overcome these costs, just as they now do in racial-discrimination and other lawsuits...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Careful NYT, you may end up with people being hired on merit!
-—Rush had a blast with this, this morning-—
What if you are ugly because you are fat?
Does that mean “fat” is now protected as a form of ugliness?
Wouldn’t that make “the war on Obesity” a hate crime?
I don’t think they thought this one out.
Eventually, everyone will be a “class” of disenfranchised victim. None of this is really a secret. There have also been numerous studies about tall people doing much better financially. As a petite woman, I have seen this time and time again. I have seen taller counterparts move ahead (less qualified). Men who are of a short stature will experience this as well. Another problem with being small is that people just don’t “see” you. It caused me to learn to be assertive early on. Deli clerks and so many other situations cause me to be behind a counter that is above my head. The world was not created for Lilliputians. : )
One of the first realities we learn as children is that life is not “fair.” We can whine about it or accept it and work hard.
yeah, I was tuned in and it was pretty funny. Like he said, what is the criteria? And, something that most women know is that we can make ourselves look beautiful. Go out with shlumpy clothes and no make-up and messy or - better yet - greasy/dirty hair and see how you are treated. Then just go out and doll yourself up and wear a beautiful outfit. Even store clerks will treat you differently. None of this is news.
I thought that all the ugly people had government jobs already in DC?
You know what they say....DC is Hollywood for ugly people.
That must be why they hate Sarah so much - too beautiful for them.
LOL
That's how I found it.
What about those with ugly hearts and minds?
People in this world are fooled by painted turds.
Indeed! It's about time.
“That must be why they hate Sarah so much - too beautiful for them.”
I think this is a HUGE issue. Womyn are just hissy jealous.
>> How could we remedy this injustice?...
Abort the ugly.
Being smart is already discriminated against.
Whoa, I guess J. Nappy broke the mold.
Guys like Napolean and Audy Murphy learn to adapt and compensate.
Another problem with being small is that people just don’t “see” you. It caused me to learn to be assertive early on. Deli clerks and so many other situations cause me to be behind a counter that is above my head.
You did too!
Just as long as it does not make you so “assertive” as to set out to conquer the world...
Recall what one of the characters in Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” says when he catches sight of Kaiser Wilhelm for the first time.
You DO know that a “Graphic Image” warning is required before you post these?
Not that one again! Napoleon wasn’t a shortie. He was actually of average stature for his place and time.
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