It's official: ugly people are stupid!

[Kudistos Megistos]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/beautiful-people-are-smarter-too/story-fn6bqphm-1225989081824

The oft repeated urban myth that beautiful people are stupid appeals to our jealousy and insecurity, but anyone who really pays attention can see that this is not true. In fact, smart people are better looking than stupid people. The media would have us believe otherwise, but if one compares, for example, those at elite universities to people flipping burgers in McDonald's, one can clearly see that intelligence and attractiveness are positively correlated. What's interesting about this study is that it shows that the correlation holds even when controlling for things like wealth and social class.

It looks like scientists have finally found an explanation for my incredible handsomeness. The sheer magnitude of it was a mystery up until now, but it looks like it has been explained.

Now we must wonder what's next. Will science discover a correlation between intelligence and penis size? As long as I'm included in the survey, I think it will

G = Graham's number

 

[Covarr]

This can't be right. I have gotten the highest grades in every math class I've ever taken, and I'm sure as hell not good looking.

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

This can't be right. I have gotten the highest grades in every math class I've ever taken, and I'm sure as hell not good looking.

Maybe you just study really hard? 8)

 

[Covarr]

This can't be right. I have gotten the highest grades in every math class I've ever taken, and I'm sure as hell not good looking.

Maybe you just study really hard? 8)

Me? Study? HAHAHAHA!

But seriously, look at the nerd stereotype. D&D playin, glasses wearin nerds. They ace all their classes, never try, and generally aren't good looking. The fact is, there's quite a bit of truth to this stereotype, I've seen it time and time again.

I think more likely what it is, is that people who are good looking are usually so because they take care of their appearances, and these are the same types of people who are likely to work hard at good grades, etc. Someone who works really hard at being smart will be smarter, it's a matter of exercising the brain, and these people just tend to be more focused on certain goals in general than people who are ugly (who also tend to have lower self esteem and don't put as much effort into anything, appearance, intelligence, or otherwise).

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

Me? Study? HAHAHAHA!

Ah, so it's not the study? Must be the Asperger's, then. ;D

Are you good at any other subjects?

But seriously, look at the nerd stereotype. D&D playin, glasses wearin nerds. They ace all their classes, never try, and generally aren't good looking. The fact is, there's quite a bit of truth to this stereotype, I've seen it time and time again.

The stereotype is, as you've said, a stereotype. As such it gets rolled out over and over again and creates a kind of confirmation bias in those who are exposed to it. I also notice that it's largely an American thing; the idea of nerds does exist here, but it isn't quite as... strong.

And let's not forget that the nerd stereotype generally applies to schoolchildren. How often do you see a good-looking celebrity have their school photos printed in newspapers or magazines, revealing them to have been a former nerd? Physical attractiveness is very heavily influenced by how people present themselves, so it's perfectly possible that a nerdy teenager might turn out to be good-looking once his acne goes away, he gets a decent haircut and starts taking care of how he looks and dresses. Meanwhile, the ditzy prom queen's looks take a hit when ageing kicks in and once she starts to put on a little weight.

 

[Covarr]

Are you good at any other subjects?

I'm good at writing, at least on a technical level (not so good at creative writing). In the third grade, I was reading at a twelfth grade level. I've done well at science and history classes, though I readily admit that elementary through high school science tends to bore me. Only thing I ever really had trouble with growing up is Physical Education.

But let's not derail this thread to be about me (that happens quite often enough). I was simply using myself as a counterexample to the idea proposed by the article you linked. It's perfectly possible for a person to be smart and also not good looking.

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

But let's not derail this thread to be about me (that happens quite often enough)

Fufu, threads about Cova-kun are the best threads de geso :3

I'm good at writing, at least on a technical level (not so good at creative writing). In the third grade, I was reading at a twelfth grade level. I've done well at science and history classes, though I readily admit that elementary through high school science tends to bore me. Only thing I ever really had trouble with growing up is Physical Education.

I'm good at everything, including physical education. Booyah!

The subject I had most difficulty with (as in, wasn't top of the class in) was, strangely enough, IT. My family are tech retards, so I didn't have a PC until 2003, with the exception of a Windows 3.1 box that got handed down and was never used. Thankfully, our IT teacher was incompetent and only expected us to learn MS Works (not even Office, FFS) and Winlogo. Actually, when I think about it, I wasn't very good at art or music either, owing to poor fine motor skills.

And I actually am fairly good looking. 8) I'm not drop-dead gorgeous, but my looks have been commented on very positively by quite a lot of people. Girls usually show a lot of interest until they begin speaking to me

 

[Bosola]

I would expect that intelligence and attractiveness have similar root causes: excellent diet, lack of inbreeding, freedom from disease. Or perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way - perhaps the correlation doesn't exist for the majority of us, but there certain disabilities create individuals with both learning difficulties and disfigurements, driving down the results for the less attractive. Without looking at the data in question, it's hard to say.

Mind you, this does explain why most Oxonians look like horses.

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

Mind you, this does explain why most Oxonians look like horses.

If you're referring to the inhabitants of the city, then yes, since most of them aren't students. ;D

Actually, Oxford was were I became aware of this phenomenon. I noticed that the students tended to be much better looking than the locals. Mind you, there were obviously other factors at work there, but it really got me thinking that intelligence and attractiveness might be correlated.

This study would also explain why people on the Jeremy Kyle show are so fugly. Goddammit, how can those people not want kill themselves every time they look in the mirror?

 

[Bosola]

Mind you, this does explain why most Oxonians look like horses.

If you're referring to the inhabitants of the city, then yes, since most of them aren't students. ;D

No. I'm talking about your godforsaken university.

See what I mean, folks? Idiots. Can't even parse simple sentences.

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

See what I mean, folks? Idiots. Can't even parse simple sentences.

And Tabs think that "parse" means "correctly interpret ambiguous references".

 

[Bosola]

Actually, Oxford was were

You still haven't told me what Oxford was were yet. What was were it, Kudistos?

Depending how you read this, LKM either forgets his train of thought half way through, or can't write for toffee. Either reading contradicts the other, springing wrongness in it - yet another example of how absurdity propagates itself whenever Oxonians are near.

 

[Covarr]

Or it's a typo because the h key decided not to become pressed. That happens sometimes, those damn h keys.

 

[Chocobo_Girl]

It looks like scientists have finally found an explanation for my incredible handsomeness.

Pics or lies!

 

[Opine]

I could see this being the truth on a basic level. But not to the point that this article is trying to make it sound.
I worked at a vet clinic for a while. Seeing the general public really hit home how stupid people really are. I had grown up going to good schools, and was surrounded by peers of similar intelligence levels. I simply assumed that was the way most of the world was.
Seeing the people that came in to that clinic - I realized daily that I was overestimating the general intelligence level of humanity. Every single day someone even dumber would come in - and I'd have to say to myself "oh, I was STILL overestimating the general level of intelligence".

Not one of these people who were stupid was attractive. But I agree with Bosola's reasoning. They had bad hair, bad teeth, bad outfits, and bad english. While I'm sure no one with an iota of intelligence would have been attracted to one of these people - the larger factor was probably simply that these people had never tried to better their appearance. Maybe if they brushed their teeth or their hair they'd look a little  better, but it was obvious they didn't want to try.

Take peopleofwalmart.com as an example of what I'm talking about. There is presumably an intelligence-ugliness correlation there.

I think that's about where it ends though. Hot bimbos and ugly nerds are already out of the realm of the intelligence-attractiveness scale.

 

[Kudistos Megistos]

Or it's a typo because the h key decided not to become pressed. That happens sometimes, those damn h keys.

Thank you, Cova-kun. I do have quite a shitty old keyboard; if I hold both shift keys and type...

HE QUIK BROWN FO JUPS OER HE LA DOG

...that happens. And it was after 03:00 when I wrote that; unlike our debauched friends in Cambridge, we Oxford folk go to bed at reasonable hours. Ahem!

Anyway, it was no surprise that our Cantabrigian friend was only able to think of one possible reason for the absence of that "h". I hear that people taught inferior subjects at inferior universities are often unable to give a mature and scholarly evaluation of all the possible causes of an event.

I could see this being the truth on a basic level. But not to the point that this article is trying to make it sound.
I worked at a vet clinic for a while. Seeing the general public really hit home how stupid people really are. I had grown up going to good schools, and was surrounded by peers of similar intelligence levels. I simply assumed that was the way most of the world was.
Seeing the people that came in to that clinic - I realized daily that I was overestimating the general intelligence level of humanity. Every single day someone even dumber would come in - and I'd have to say to myself "oh, I was STILL overestimating the general level of intelligence".

Not one of these people who were stupid was attractive. But I agree with Bosola's reasoning. They had bad hair, bad teeth, bad outfits, and bad english. While I'm sure no one with an iota of intelligence would have been attracted to one of these people - the larger factor was probably simply that these people had never tried to better their appearance. Maybe if they brushed their teeth or their hair they'd look a little  better, but it was obvious they didn't want to try.

Take peopleofwalmart.com as an example of what I'm talking about. There is presumably an intelligence-ugliness correlation there.

I think that's about where it ends though. Hot bimbos and ugly nerds are already out of the realm of the intelligence-attractiveness scale.

Yup. Sometimes we are sheltered from "real" people, we who live in ivory towers and our parents' basements. As such, we come into contact with a fair distribution of intelligent people, but our experience of the terminally stupid is often limited to the media. Unless they have athletic talents, the only way for stupid people to become famous (now that Big Brother has finished) is if they are extremely good-looking. Therefore, we do not get an accurate representation of stupid people and tend to see those who are an exception to the rule. We are rather like people whose only contact with women is with female basketball players; such people might come to the incorrect conclusion that women are taller than men.

However, when we have the misfortune to come into contact with the general public, our eyes are opened to the astonishing ugliness of our less fortunate cousins.

It looks like scientists have finally found an explanation for my incredible handsomeness.

Pics or lies!

I wouldn't want to make Timu jealous :3

I also doubt that I'm your type. Sadly, I have no tentacles.

 

[Opine]

Unless they have athletic talents, the only way for stupid people to become famous (now that Big Brother has finished) is if they are extremely good-looking.

Kinda like Sarah Palin?

 

[Covarr]

Unless they have athletic talents, the only way for stupid people to become famous (now that Big Brother has finished) is if they are extremely good-looking.

Kinda like Sarah Palin?

Most examples of Sarah Palin being stupid are completely bogus. For instance, she never said she could see Russia from her house, that was Tina Fey, in character, in SNL.

But yeah, politicians can be stupid and good looking at the same time, in fact I think it's a requirement nowadays.

 

[Bosola]

Actually, I want to further Opine's idea that idiots are just bad at handling their appearance. I think it's reasonable to say that the unintelligent aren't especially self-conscious - they don't really seem as aware of others and their reactions. It follows that they're careless with clothes, hair, and general hygiene. Even if we'd like to think we're judging the physical attractiveness of human bodies, these 'ancillary' details must make an impact. There's also evidence that bearing (even just smiling) has an impact, and it's fair to guess that the unsuccessful don't have reasons to smile.

 

[The Seer of Shadows]

From my experience, to be ugly on all accounts is actually not an easy thing to accomplish.  Most people I've ever encountered can be considered attractive in one way or another, and virtually everybody has the potential to be good-looking.  I can't think of anyone I know (in my personal life), off the top of my head, who's simply downright hideous.  I guess if someone really is ugly, that person must also be stupid enough to have achieved such a remarkable feat.

Then again, I have to endure my own appearance every day, so my standards are probably quite low