What is this generation’s obsession with height about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just got back from London and wanted to share my observations:

I went to many events - opera, museums, work stuff etc and I didn’t see a single family (or couple) where the guy was under 5’9 unless it was an immigrant couple.

The height penalty is acute and can be overcome through money or status but I think the honest thing you can tell short sons is in 2024, below avg height must be compensated with excellent career/money prospects

I find this very hard to believe. I know a LOT of men who are shorter than 5’9” - happy successful and married with families etc. Various careers and income levels. I think greater height is of course an advantage, but is not nearly as big of a deal IRL as described.

I can give you the venues I was at — royal opera, Tate Britain, British museum

Yeah so? Where were the customers at these tourist trap places from?

[Anonymous]

I have three teens (one DD, two DSs) and really haven’t noticed or heard a lot of discussion about height from them or their friends - with sports being a notable exception. Lots of discussion about height/size with sports success/tryouts etc for the boys- but in everyday life not really.

Late blooming is a separate issue and can be really hard on boys, for sure. One of my DS was a late bloomer and had a very hard time socially and self esteem wise with that at 13-15. But he caught up- eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just got back from London and wanted to share my observations:

I went to many events - opera, museums, work stuff etc and I didn’t see a single family (or couple) where the guy was under 5’9 unless it was an immigrant couple.

The height penalty is acute and can be overcome through money or status but I think the honest thing you can tell short sons is in 2024, below avg height must be compensated with excellent career/money prospects

The truly bizarre thing is that you were taking notes on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just one of those things that's considered a genetically desirable trait.

Taller people excel at more types of sports, height is correlated with career success, taller people are perceived as more confident, etc.

As a shorter woman, I worried about having short sons, so I did prefer to date average-to-above-average height men. Ironically, now I have two DDs.

That’s as outdated as saying light colored skin and blue eyes are correlated with career success.

It's not really the same thing though. Height (in men) is a pretty desirable trait in all cultures.

[Anonymous]

If your son is serious about team sports, it's all about height. I know at least two kids on my son's club team that reclassified (i.e., repeated 8th grade) so they would be tall enough by the time they joined the high school team. It's not the only thing that matters, of course, but if you are too small, it really hurts your chances to make varsity, be a starter, etc.

OTOH, at my T3 law school, lots of v. successful men were short. Including my future husband!

High school is just a mean place, and anyone who expects otherwise is simply deluding themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just one of those things that's considered a genetically desirable trait.

Taller people excel at more types of sports, height is correlated with career success, taller people are perceived as more confident, etc.

As a shorter woman, I worried about having short sons, so I did prefer to date average-to-above-average height men. Ironically, now I have two DDs.

That’s as outdated as saying light colored skin and blue eyes are correlated with career success.

It's not really the same thing though. Height (in men) is a pretty desirable trait in all cultures.

Money is more desirable. If you are short, just be successful and wealthy and you’ll be a-ok. I know several shorter and very successful men. They have beautiful wives, nice kids, and are doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

Boys nowadays have more of a look based culture due to social media. Height is compared in photographs on social media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just one of those things that's considered a genetically desirable trait.

Taller people excel at more types of sports, height is correlated with career success, taller people are perceived as more confident, etc.

As a shorter woman, I worried about having short sons, so I did prefer to date average-to-above-average height men. Ironically, now I have two DDs.

That’s as outdated as saying light colored skin and blue eyes are correlated with career success.

It's not really the same thing though. Height (in men) is a pretty desirable trait in all cultures.

It is the same idea because it’s a genetic trait that people do not control. Half of Asian women in some Asian countries use skin whitening creams. Lighter skin is desirable in pretty much all cultures.

We know that how much melanin in the skin has no bearing on intelligence. We know that height has no bearing on intelligence. But both groups face discrimination and it’s hard to believe the discrimination still exists. Makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your son is serious about team sports, it's all about height. I know at least two kids on my son's club team that reclassified (i.e., repeated 8th grade) so they would be tall enough by the time they joined the high school team. It's not the only thing that matters, of course, but if you are too small, it really hurts your chances to make varsity, be a starter, etc.

OTOH, at my T3 law school, lots of v. successful men were short. Including my future husband!

High school is just a mean place, and anyone who expects otherwise is simply deluding themselves.

That is pathetic to repeat a grade for a sport that will get you nowhere in life. The talented kids who are on their way to the pros don’t need to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just got back from London and wanted to share my observations:

I went to many events - opera, museums, work stuff etc and I didn’t see a single family (or couple) where the guy was under 5’9 unless it was an immigrant couple.

The height penalty is acute and can be overcome through money or status but I think the honest thing you can tell short sons is in 2024, below avg height must be compensated with excellent career/money prospects

I assume you are trying to say non-white or POC. Unless you actually talked in-depth with each of these couples, you couldn’t possibly know their immigration status or family history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just one of those things that's considered a genetically desirable trait.

Taller people excel at more types of sports, height is correlated with career success, taller people are perceived as more confident, etc.

As a shorter woman, I worried about having short sons, so I did prefer to date average-to-above-average height men. Ironically, now I have two DDs.

That’s as outdated as saying light colored skin and blue eyes are correlated with career success.

It's not really the same thing though. Height (in men) is a pretty desirable trait in all cultures.

It is the same idea because it’s a genetic trait that people do not control. Half of Asian women in some Asian countries use skin whitening creams. Lighter skin is desirable in pretty much all cultures.

We know that how much melanin in the skin has no bearing on intelligence. We know that height has no bearing on intelligence. But both groups face discrimination and it’s hard to believe the discrimination still exists. Makes no sense.

Asians lightening skin has more to do with a culture that de-values agricultural economies (of the past) than wanting to be "blonde and blue eye'd" so it's not really the same thing. Do spray-tanned white women actually want to be POC?

Tall men are perceived to be more valuable by society in a way that thin women are perceived to be more valuable. Are they really? It's up to the person to evaluate.

[Anonymous]

Every woman in todays progressive generation hates “short man energy”

[Anonymous]

I'm a tall woman, was a tall girl, and people made fun of me all the time back in the 80s. Also made fun of short guys as well. It's not new.

[Anonymous]

Rue

[Anonymous]

It used to be weight was the acceptable thing to rib kids about, but now people have realized that is hurtful. Unfortunately, it's moved to height.

I'm sorry your son is going through that. This generation needs more empathy.

I think women emphasizing height as the most desirable trait for men on their dating profiles (and on dumb shows like the bachelor) has made this a bigger fixation for guys themselves. Some women won't date below 6 feet (or 5'11") which is crazy.