Why is being born smart seen as morally superior to being born beautiful?

[Anonymous]

The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

I don't know that I'd agree with that. I'm probably considered beautiful and intelligent. The natural intelligence has been used in concert with a lot of hard work and studying. It's been nurtured more. It feels like something I have more control over.

The beauty just requires sunscreen and waxing to keep up. I don't feel as invested in it.

The beauty will fade, but the intelligence will serve you forever.

[Anonymous]

Are you serious? You must be the latter.

[Anonymous]

Just ask your prom queen and see how she's doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

I don't know that I'd agree with that. I'm probably considered beautiful and intelligent. The natural intelligence has been used in concert with a lot of hard work and studying. It's been nurtured more. It feels like something I have more control over.

The beauty just requires sunscreen and waxing to keep up. I don't feel as invested in it.

The beauty will fade, but the intelligence will serve you forever.

The argument that intelligence holds up through life doesn't hold water. Cognition slows as we age.

[Anonymous]

Because born-smarts can be applied to actually accomplish things, and add to the world and the benefit of everyone. They invent things and solve things that help many beyond themselves.

Physical beauty... ok you're cute and all, but how does that help humanity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

I don't know that I'd agree with that. I'm probably considered beautiful and intelligent. The natural intelligence has been used in concert with a lot of hard work and studying. It's been nurtured more. It feels like something I have more control over.

The beauty just requires sunscreen and waxing to keep up. I don't feel as invested in it.

The beauty will fade, but the intelligence will serve you forever.

Intelligence fades too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

I don't know that I'd agree with that. I'm probably considered beautiful and intelligent. The natural intelligence has been used in concert with a lot of hard work and studying. It's been nurtured more. It feels like something I have more control over.

The beauty just requires sunscreen and waxing to keep up. I don't feel as invested in it.

The beauty will fade, but the intelligence will serve you forever.

The argument that intelligence holds up through life doesn't hold water. Cognition slows as we age.

Well fine. Presumably my intelligence will serve me forever in that it helped me make decisions about savings, investments, retirement, etc. at a young age to aid me when I'm in long-term care with only a few marbles rolling around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The thread about whether beauty contributes to lifetime success led me to wonder why some women with above-average intelligence believe they are superior to a naturally beautiful woman.

Just as beauty is a gift of nature, so it intelligence. So why do some women claim moral virtue if they've been particularly blessed in the brains department? And why do they seem to gleefully disparage beauty?

I don't know that I'd agree with that. I'm probably considered beautiful and intelligent. The natural intelligence has been used in concert with a lot of hard work and studying. It's been nurtured more. It feels like something I have more control over.

The beauty just requires sunscreen and waxing to keep up. I don't feel as invested in it.

The beauty will fade, but the intelligence will serve you forever.

Intelligence fades too.

You haven't reached peak intelligence at 25. Well, maybe some people have, but not the people who are considered exceptionally intelligent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just ask your prom queen and see how she's doing.

OP here. This comment perfectly illustrates my point. Why the vicious undertone?

Why do women who claim to be bright take pleasure in putting down other women just for their good looks? Why do they feel superior about an IQ that was a genetic accident? Their intelligence was no more earned than the prom queen's large bust.

[Anonymous]

I am smart and beautiful. It's the best of both worlds.

[Anonymous]

So you must be ugly? Are you saying that you would rather be given beauty than smarts? Doesn't that make you shallow? Any smart woman knows that confidence is what makes you beautiful, look at famous women in entertainment or politics, and many other fields. You will realize they are not beautiful at all, they have us fooled. Now, in some fields beauty trump the brains, but hopefully you are not aiming for those careers.

[Anonymous]

They both owe a lot to luck.

I don't know why we as a society seem to feel like we can't acknowledge that.

[Anonymous]

The two are not mutually exclusive, you know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you must be ugly? Are you saying that you would rather be given beauty than smarts? Doesn't that make you shallow? Any smart woman knows that confidence is what makes you beautiful, look at famous women in entertainment or politics, and many other fields. You will realize they are not beautiful at all, they have us fooled. Now, in some fields beauty trump the brains, but hopefully you are not aiming for those careers.

They are both on spectrums. I'm not sure anyone would say, go ahead and make me dumb but beautiful. But I once did ask my mom if she'd trade some beauty to be a little smarter or trade a little intelligence to be more beautiful and she said she'd choose the latter. So, sample size of one proves that at least some people feel that would be a fine trade.