Intelligence or Good Looks

Historically “white”, “male”, “middle class”, “straight men” have been able to use their minds and not their bodies in order to become valuable in western culture and elsewhere – and they were employed as high-paid decision-makers. In contrast, ethnic minority, female, working-class, trans and queer people have generally had to rely on their bodies in their working lives – in manual, domestic, reproductive, or slave labour, or even sex work.

Belonging to a social group whose value is defined through the body is generally a sign of your subordination, which explains why women have been long paying a lot of attention to their bodies and why so many young men have recently begun to pay attention to their bodies in such spectacular ways. This includes going to the gym in extraordinary numbers or simple use of the finest filters while taking pictures. Ever wondered why such a large difference between facebook pics and real persons exists?

In today’s times when rising above others so as to attract attention is very difficult, because of too much competition, men too have started to play the cards which were historically used by the subordinated. This doesn’t necessarily apply to men only, most of the times gym, beauty products, fairness products, hair dyeing etc are chosen for the lack of self-esteem and to catch some eye balls when one fails to do it from mere talent. The gym has lost its place as a place to help your fitness, it has grown into a place where the lethargic, low on self-esteem people, find a way to make a mark. Fitness itself is not for self-help but for catching more eyes. The same is the case with beauty products and grooming in women.

Of course, women have long been compelled to pay extraordinary attention to their bodies and in far greater numbers than men are doing it now. Nevertheless, the fact that a number of young men are beginning to do so is a cause of concern. And of concern equally is the fact that women continue to do so.

We should stop this culture of trying to look smarter through our bodies than our brains and hence stop, among others, for example flooding the social media with our pictures taken not to capture the moment but to look attractive to the opposite sex in particular and humanity in general, thus satisfying old animal instinct of overcoming competition to attract through muscle and satisfying the narcissist inside through grooming.

The truth remains that there are people around trying to be smarter brains. If you carry one, you won’t need to carry smarter bodies! Time is a witness, the world has always remembered great brains than great bodies.

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