At a recent school career workshop I got the students to do a career map for their future. One of the ones that stood out for me was a girl chronicling surgery before and after the two children she would have. I asked her why would a beautiful girl want surgery and though temporarily thrown by the compliment. She still saw it as a neccesity though!
Last night on the BBC there was a documentary Look But Don’t Touch in which singer Alesha Dixon (pictured), concerned about the increasing pressure on women to conform to an ideal body type, investigates the practice of airbrushing and retouching that has become a staple of magazine photos. Her challenge was to discover why magazine covers always airbrushed artists (remember Kate Winslett and GQ).
The career workshop and the documentary made me want to wring my hands in despair but at the same time realise that hey, this is how the world is unfortunately. Ironically I had been reading a post a couple months from famed US Career writer Penelope Trunk. As much as I admire her, the article on plastic surgery as a possible career tool grated me. I thought it typical of the weird cocoon corporate america occupies. I also had the same disdain for the author Dr. Gordon Patzer who wrote “Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined” which she covered in the article. However I realised afterwards that you can’t really shoot the messenger. Can you?
This weekend my wife and I spoke about the perception of overweight women in business. Many men (and women) perceive them as lazy no matter how successful they are. I also commented to a friend as to how much time men will spend in the gym to try and look the part. Obviously this whole thinking about how you look does really affect people’s perception of careers. The reality for a lot of young people is that cosmetic surgery is commonplace as something that is acceptable.
I can just imagine the checklist.
- Work Experience – Check
- CV – Check
- Cover Letters – Check
- Interview Practice – Check
- Cosmetic Surgery?
The future is bright. The future is …well you tell me.
Filed under: Work, Youth , Alesha Dixon, Career Mapping, Cosmetic Surgery, Penelope Trunk, Personal Branding, Students
I’ve never seen Cosmetic Surgery in a SWOT analysis! What kind of approach do you take to career mapping?
well the student perceived her beauty as a weakness and rhinoplasty as an opportunity. Go figure.
David,
I very much enjoy reading your ongoing blog and I of course took special interest in your July 8, 2008 blog (Career Mapping and Plastic Surgery) in which you reference my name and my latest related book published in 2008 (LOOKS: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined).
I also agree with your other comments in your 7-8-08 blog, specifically, I have long stated that I belive both men and women go to fitness centers much more for their looks than for their health. Few would admit this, and I suppose to some extent it doesn’t matter because in this case the so-called Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon actually results in some health benefits mostly unrelated to physical appearance.
I appreciate your comment about not shooting the messenger, at least not me the messenger in this case. In fact, like your expressed perspective, your goals overlap with mine concerning the physical attractiveness dimension of a person’s appearance. From best I can decipher from your blogs, we both strive to challenge and correct certain discomforting and unacceptable discriminations carried-out by society and individuals. These discriminations lead to consequences that give benefits to those individuals stereotypically defined or viewed by society as good-looking people, and force detriments upon their counterparts who society defines, or views, as not so good-looking people. In turn, one ramification concerning looks is that people increasingly spend unaffordable time and money in pursuits of unattainable higher levels of physical attractiveness (again, as defined/viewed by society and individuals within that society), and do so with unrealistic hopes.
In regard to your 7-8-08 blog comment that you and your wife had that weekend spoke about the perception of overweight women in business, I believe that I truly understand this topic and I am definitely aware and sensitive about that perspective. At the same time, I respectfully disagree substantially with the notion held by many people that individuals benefit more by looking the other way than by realistically idealistically challenging conventional wisdom when it comes to topics such as weight in the workplace (for men and women). Also at the same time, my intent is never to embarrass anyone nor in anyway reinforce commonly held notions about overweight. On this topic I have long deliberated in my mind whether it is better to articulate the reality of the world in terms of physical attractiveness phenomenon, which I also refer to as lookism, along with my usual message of trying to change it, or is it better to not acknowledge that reality, and to deny it, which many people do while they hope it either does not exist or that it will go away.
Well, I have concluded, denying lookism/physical attractiveness phenomenon or in other ways turning a proverbial blind eye to it (including that weight aspect) is not the best action. In turn, I am well aware that my own individual actions will not provide an ultimate solution, but I believe my actions point toward a solution better than taking no action.
Two statements that I make repeatedly in my talking and writing seem pertinent here. First, in my perspective, “Beauty is Ugly” or, at least, “Beauty Can Be Ugly”. Society and individuals who compose society place entirely too much importance (and value) on a person’s physical attractiveness. Second, as in most regards in life, people “should not do nothing, just because they can’t do everything.” I certainly cannot eliminate the world of lookism/physical attractiveness phenomenon. But I will do what I can, which to me is making people of average and higher physical attractiveness (as society might traditionally stereotypically define such) to be aware that their worlds might be much different than the world of others of less physical attractiveness than theirs (again, as society might traditionally stereotypically define it).
In these regards, I am proud of at least two review/endorsement comments concerning my perspective as expressed by formal review/endorsement comments concerning my 2006 book, The Power & Paradox of Physical Attractiveness. My 2008 book (LOOKS: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined) carries my same basic perspective that “beauty can be ugly,” which is a message that I have consistently expressed in my 2006 book, much earlier, in my 1985 book, and throughout my work in this topic for more than three decades. These comments by two reviewers in 2006 (can be found at the publisher’s website: http://www.BrownWalker.com) are:
(1) “I am pleased to see the research in which the author of this groundbreaking book, Dr. Patzer, delved into the motivations for the medical industry to be influenced by the Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon. This is good material.” (Allen Steadham — Director, International Size Acceptance Association)
(2) “Gordon Patzer makes me think. This is a high compliment in a world of vapid sound bytes and meaningless clichés. Having written a cover story on the subject of beauty for Psychology Today, I feel qualified to say that Patzer’s work is interesting, fearless and even inspired. If a profound writer’s job is to comfort the afflicted while afflicting the comfortable, Patzer continues to pass this test.” (Michael Levine — Best selling author of 16 books.)
This current post of mine has become entirely too long and, yet, I would like to include a few more summary paragraphs. It is clear to me that, for both males and females, of all ages, in the workplace and throughout life, entirely too much importance is placed on the looks of a person. Objective scientific research strongly documents that the consequences—whether we like it or not—is that good looking people experience benefits throughout life that not so good looking people do not experience. Because this reality discomforts many, we then too often do not recognize this well-documented fact or we even deny it.
Lack of knowledge and awareness does not resolve problems. Awareness about differences experienced by people with differences precedes corrective actions. For too long, people not affected negatively by discrimination—aligned with differences based on race, sex, physical attractiveness, and so forth—believed life to be a reasonably level playing field. At best, their insensitivity was inadvertent.
Whatever our indignities and resolve, we can not avoid lookism as it exists currently. To avoid it or deny it, let alone to practice it, only promulgates it. In life as we know it today, we interact all the time with people who do—consciously or unconsciously—make judgments about us based on what we look like. Nevertheless, each of us can realistically challenge realities of lookism and rise above it.
Best wishes, Gordon
___________________
Dr. Gordon Patzer
author of, “Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined”
http://www.GordonPatzer.com
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P.S. At this time I am living in India for 6 to 7 months (from July 2008 with my return back home to Chicago scheduled for around mid-January 2009). During these months I am living in the capital city of India (Delhi), traveling within India, and learning first hand how Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon (lookism) compares in similarities and differences in the United States and India. In the process, I am able to inform people within India with whom I speak about Physical Attractiveness Phenomenon and, likewise, I am adding to my knowledge for when I return to the United States. To carry-out this current travel of mine, I have been awarded a highly competitive U.S. Fulbright Scholar grant based on a lengthy (nearly year-long), thorough, five-stage review process conducted in the United States and India.
The U.S. Fulbright Scholar program’s purpose is to build mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world. And, it is my perspective, that one important way to achieve this purpose is through better and greater understanding of the role of looks/physical attractiveness phenomenon, which might also be described as, “Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined.”
Established in 1946, award recipients of the U.S. Fulbright Scholar program are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. Known worldwide as America’s flagship international educational program, it is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The Program operates in over 150 countries worldwide and seeks to promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
Thank you Dr Patzer, for visiting and giving us your view on this matter. Definitely food for thought.