Prefer to be beautiful to having brains?

[charlmarascoxo]

I was asked - would you rather be beautiful and have below average intelligence or would be rather be clever and be dull looking/plain jane.

I went with beauty.

It seems to me that in society having beauty is quite highly valued and life is perhaps easier because you are more accepted. Most people however chose brains over beauty. So perhaps I am in the minority?

[StellaNova]

I would choose brains because there are various things you can do to make yourself more beautiful should you wish to, but you can't make yourself more intelligent than you are.

And also I would just rather be clever than pretty. Luckily that's how it turned out for me anyway

[TessCowDirect]

I'm guessing by your answer that you must be beautiful

[Parietal]

Brains - last longer & more earning power than beauty.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Hmm yes, I would chose beauty as well. I know I might be shallow but yes beautiful people do get along in life easier.

[LittleAbruzzenBear]

I am neither so I would be thrilled with either.

[BarbarianMum]

I would definitely chose brains - to paraphrase Maya Angelou (actually her step father) "plenty of beautiful women out there digging ditches or worse."

But then, I have never experienced (nor particularly missed) beauty.

[charlmarascoxo]

TessCowDirect I consider myself better looking than most supermodels darling

Or ... it was a hypothetical question. I think society accepts beautiful people more. That is just my perception.

I don't think I am beautiful no, and never have I said I was.

[quesadilla]

It depends what you want. Having beauty certainly opens more doors at a superficial level of your life. In more or less all areas of life: romantic, friendship, professional, beautiful people have an early advantage. But it only gets you so far: it won't stop people forever from noticing if you are shallow, thick or nasty. Brains are a more durable kind of advantage: they allow you to outmanoeuvre the beautiful people. And brains last forever - unless you have dementia. Beauty doesn't.

[PessaryPam]

The beauty thing wears out eventually love, it's better to have brains and career.

[FrancesFarmer]

Brains all the way. I value learning and intelligence more than beauty.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

I like being ugly and clever.

But - it might be nice to be beautiful and stupid for a week, say, just to see how it feels.

[KittyFane1]

Brains - last longer & more earning power than beauty.
Not if 'earning power' includes a below average IQ beauty marrying for money.

[Cozy9]

I would rather have a bit of both. And I do.

[Chottie]

Brains, first, second and third choice

Beauty fades, but Brains are forever

[ParsleyTheLioness]

I am quite clever...not beautiful, kinda average. DD inherited looks from her father (handsome fwit) and brains from me. I observe how people react to her...and I think it would be quite nice to be beautiful for a bit...

[fuzzysnout]

OP are you Samantha Brick?

[ParsleyTheLioness]

Chottie Judge Judy says, "Beauty fades, dum is forever..." makes me lol...

[TessCowDirect]

Serious question - how do you think that beautiful people get along in life easier?

Perhaps if they go for a career where their looks matter - yes - but there are thousands of things you can do where you don't need to be attractive.

They might attract a partner easier - but that would mean the attraction was based on what they looked like. If the partnership is to last, there has to be more substance.

[McChristmasPants2012]

Brains because you can't get by in life soley on looks

[InNeedOfBrandy]

It is a known fact that beautiful people are more likely to do well in an interview and get the job, you get things a lot easier IMO and no I don't think I'm particularly beautiful. I think the most important thing that shines through whether you have beauty or brains or both is if you are a nice person.

[LauriesFairyonthetreeeatsCake]

I'd go for beauty if you said average intelligence - but below average no, I think the average person is daft enough.

[Tweasels]

It depends what you want out of life, what kind of social circles you want to mix in, what career you want etc.

I'd rather be clever if I had to choose one or the other but ideally I'd be both. Although, I wonder whether being beautiful in some academic fields can be a disadvantage.

Think I'll just stick to being me, I can do a crossword and don't recoil in horror (most days) when I look in the mirror. That'll do.