Dazzling look or a meaningful personality?

A young spinster woman, 5’2” tall and little on the heavier side met with an accident and was to be admitted in the hospital. Her friend accompanied her. The nurse asked her about her physical height and weight specifications. 

The young woman non-nonchalantly said, 5’8” and 58 kg. 

The astonished nurse had to give a blank look. 

The embarrassed friend whispered to the young woman, “Dear its not the internet matrimony portal!” 

Yes, we live in an internet dominated age where looks weigh heavier than other aspects of the being. In a recent survey “Is it the looks or personality—which would you go for?” there were a myriad of answers. Most agreed that it has to be personality but despite, they do tend to go for looks. We all are painfully aware of the present scenario where a handsome man becomes the “blue-eyed boy” CEO of a corporate, the most charismatic face wins the elections, the most attractive faces become the brand ambassadors of any product.

It all started with a belief system during 18th century. A system called Physiognomy—the belief that you can judge a person’s character by looks, dates back to ancient Greeks and was popularized during 18th century. But during 19th century, physiognomy was written off as pseudoscience and met its own death. Thanks to the researchers around the globe it has now taken a new and more subtler avatar as new Physiognomy which is equally fascinating.

No doubt looks create a first highly influential impression and no doubt the first impression lasts too. Many times, when we meet a person for the first time, in the blink of an eye, we make a judgment—“he / she seems rude”, “I don’t like him / her”, “oh he looks so compassionate”, “I’m sure this one is a trustworthy person”…..etc. Once this snap judgment is made, the damage is done. No budging.

But is there really a validation in these snap judgments? More recently, researchers have re-examined the link between appearance and personality and have failed to find any association at all. On the contrary, there is some tormenting evidence that our faces can betray something about our character. An ‘innocent looking’ owner of a face may be as guilty as anyone else, for example.Looks can be deceitful. That’s because looks are a surface feature. That’s something that everybody notices all the time. Personality is a hidden feature which takes time to reveal itself. Looks are good for first impression sparks. Personality is really good for later on. Looks may be the first thing some people may pick up on, but no matter how dazzling the display is, there has to be something deeper to make a meaningful personality. 

After all, its said, “Do not judge a book by its cover.”

Someone said, “Good look catches the eye, but good personality catches the heart.” It cannot be expressed in a more superior manner.

Sure, let's care for our bodies, our looks. But life is prompting us not to overlook that inner splendor which translates into our personality. Ultimately that personality would win over looks.