Would you rather be beautiful or highly intelligent? Lighthearted

[Anon778833]

I’ve always been considered good looking but I think my life would have been better if I was an intellectual. How about you? Or are you lucky enough to have both??

Could I try both options for a week then let you know??

Beautiful

I don't know anything about being beautiful, but I know a lot of highly intelligent people, and I think high intelligence is a really varied thing. Some people are highly intelligent but have learning disabilities/neurodivergencies that make it very hard for them to function (and yes, @catsonahottinroof, you can have high intelligence and a learning disability ). Some people who are highly intelligent struggle emotionally - some people were bullied for being 'the know-it-all', some were lonely because their peers didn't understand what they were doing, some were pushed too hard academically. I've known people whose teachers and employers were thoroughly nasty to them, just for being brighter. And some people with very high intelligence just find it makes them miserable because high intelligence alone isn't enough to make for a successful and happy life - and if you're very bright, you probably know that things aren't going right.

Sorry, that wasn't very lighthearted, was it!

I think honestly, I'd rather be highly intelligent because being beautiful seems like something more for other people. I'd like to think if you're really bright you could amuse yourself endlessly with your own genius, whereas if you're beautiful, the most benefit you'll get will be charming other people, but if you were alone in a room looking gorgeous, well ... would you enjoy it for long?

I am fairly average in both fields!
I can look pretty nice when I make the effort but I am in no way a head turner or stunningly attractive.
Similarly I can shock myself with my ability sometimes (first class Msc) but I’m certainly not intellectually superior, I would struggle to hold my own against the egg heads of the world.

I think being average to good in both is the best of both worlds and probably the key to being content however if I HAD to choose I would go for brains over beauty.

the simple fact is - men will shag anyone. they have very low standards when it comes to it, so if I wanted sex then I don’t have to be a supermodel to get it. And beauty fades and is also subjective and no guarantee of any happiness anyway- intellect and enjoyment of learning is life long hopefully

Beautiful. Intelligence is massively overrated. Often comes with mental health issues and draws you into stressful jobs.

I agree with what you've said about the problems of being highly intelligent, but I thought learning disability meant you had an iq of 70 or below? Learning difficulty covers things like autism/adhd etc, and you can of course have both.

I spent the vast majority of my teens and twenties wishing I was beautiful. And probably good chunks of my thirties and forties.

But thinking about it dispassionately, I'm pretty sure DH and I have been together for 20 odd years because we share similar intelligence levels and interests. So I guess it has all worked out in the end.

I’m fairly bright, but I would love to find out what it’s like to be truly beautiful for a while. The experience of men falling at my feet would be a nice novelty!

Do we get to keep our existing amount of intelligence/beauty and just add the other? In which case I’ll go for beauty please. But if it’s the extremes then intelligence I reckon!

More to the point, they spend a lot if effort the look beautiful.
From going to the gym every, looking at their diet, make up, hairdresser etc etc.

I’ll take intelligence. As long as I can be super - Marie Curie type of - bright. And I’d still like to be chic, please. I’ll take plain but I have to still know how to dress/wear clothes.

I think as catsonahottinroof says, it’s about extremes, isn’t it?

I think the type of beauty Marilyn Monroe had, with lack of support & maybe lack of acumen, led to tragic problems and early death, she was so open to exploitation.
I’ve brought this light-hearted thread down a bit, haven’t I?

I'm definitely more intelligent than beautiful. I might settle for being a bit less intelligent and a bit more beautiful. I do have a really good interesting career and lots of qualifications. My personality is attractive and I keep myself fit and healthy but I don't think I could ever be described as beautiful. The nicest thing anyone has ever said to me about my looks was recently at a well-being event where another woman said in a group that she was really glad I was there because my face made her happy.

Thankfully I'm both.

My eldest daughter is both beautiful and highly intelligent. Aged 11, at a top private girls' school on an academic scholarship, straight As in everything so far, was an ambassador and model pupil at her primary school. She will go far and I'm immensely proud of her. She is very tall, long legged, beautiful eyes and gorgeous smile. She is my star 🌟

I'd rather be bright than thick. And if the price to pay is a lack of beauty, I'm too old to care!

I was intelligent until I had a head injury, and now I just feel a bit less cognitively capable, less aware. I also considered myself quite good looking until I got a medication induced neurological involuntary movement disorder. Now I just feel a bit odd and rather sad. I wish I'd cherished my good brain when it worked properly 😒 😪

I'm passable in both! More so when younger.

But I'd pick happy over either.

😢 I’m so sorry that you were injured. Head injuries can ruin peoples lives. My aunty had a car accident and she was never the same. She has told some people in confidence that she doesn’t love anyone any more. Which is really sad.

Intelligence, but I wouldn’t have said that 20 years.

Ive never been beautiful. When I’d go out with friends I never got attention.

I could never rely on my looks. I’ve had to get everything from hard work and intelligence.

I have a really good job. I can now afford things like expensive hair cuts, Botox and good clothes which mean I probably look better for my age then I did 20 years ago. Still no beauty.

But more importantly while friends are getting really sad about getting old and loosing looks, I’ve have no issues. In fact as Ive got older I’m more respected because of my brains and job.

My mum said she thought my daughter was "very, very, very intelligent" and I was also "very intelligent" too apparently but I don't have a lot of capability when it comes to managing daily administration, finances, daily living etc. I think I'm pretty unintelligent in those respects. I've also always been a terrible overthinker, analysing everything far too much. This brings its own problems with it and I've been described as having a rather anxious personality. Being quite bright definitely hasn't always been a blessing.

I’d take beautiful- especially as I catch sight of self in mirror right now 😂😂😂

Beautiful and average intelligence.

@Xaviera thank you so much for your lovely and kind words. Yes, the head injury was only mild but it really seemed to bugger up my life pretty totally. I think brain injuries are the invisible injuries that people forget affect the person for life.

I'm so sorry to hear about your aunt. How is she now? I can relate to the feeling of numbness and anhedonia (lack of feelings). I think it's quite common after a brain injury unfortunately 😕

Average looks with high intelligence would be my preference.

Intelligence