An #Occupier said something interesting about Ron Paul...

[tblue37]

96. Men and women both are judged on looks in our culture, though of course

women suffer more under lookism than men do. But plastic surgeons also do a brisk business in fixing up men, though again, women are more likely to go in for such surgery, and are likely to feel the social pressure that makes them feel they need such surgery.

Nowadays, many men also (also, because women do so even more) have surgery to enhance their looks, not just to attract mates, but also to get ahead in their profession. We all know that good looking people tend to get jobs more easily, to get better jobs, and to get paid more. They also get away with stuff others can't get away with on the job. This is true for both men and women. But in our culture, women are judged primarily on looks, regardless of any other quality or accomplishment they bring to the table, no matter how outstanding. Men are judged on other traits and accomplishments, sometimes even more than they are judged on looks.

I also happen to think that there has been more emphasis on male "hotness" lately in our society than in the past. I read an article recently about the HBO series Boardwalk Empire on which a reader complained about the killing of the young male co-lead. The reader's complaint was that with that young guy gone, there were no good looking men in lead roles (the marvelous but not beautiful Steve Buscemi is the star), and that in fact the show seemed to be aiming to have the ugliest male cast of any series on TV, as though casting actors who look like real people is simply intolerable.

But when discussing who should serve in important public offices, I think looks are absolutely irrelevant, and I hate the idea of bringing them in at all, though of course I realize that a lot of people--probably most--do so. I don't think Ron Paul is particularly "ugly." I think his looks are quite ordinary for a man his age. In fact, if he were less opposed to most of what I consider to be decent values, I would probably consider him “cute” for a little elderly man, in a pixyish sort of way. But even if he were hideously ugly, I still would consider that to be irrelevant. I despise his positions on most issues, and even if he were "hot," I would still recoil at the idea of his being elected president.

I happen to think Obama is incredibly attractive, but I also consider that to be irrelevant to his role as president. As Bill Maher likes to say, he is not our boyfriend! As much as I detest Sarah Palin, I think she is a very pretty woman (though she seems unattractive now because of the ugly things she says, the ugly positions she espouses, and the ugly things she does). Nevertheless, I knew nothing about her when McCain first selected her, and when I saw the picture of her for the first time, my immediate reaction was, “Wow! She is very pretty.” But I hate the idea that her physical beauty is a major reason why so many people--especially Republican men--are all about electing her as president. And, as many have pointed out, Abraham Lincoln would probably be considered too unattractive to win votes these days.

I know women suffer most under the extreme lookism of our society, and I deplore it, but I still don't think looks should be an issue when deciding whom to elect for important public offices. I also really hate the idea of mocking people for their looks--though I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I have occasionally joked about pictures in which Callista Gingrich and Laura Bush resemble Jack Nicholson as the Joker.

On the other hand, both of those women are actually quite pretty (yes, even Callista--she has to work hard to not look as attractive as she actually is; looking too pretty would be awkward since she is "the other woman" who was sleeping with Gingrich while he was still married to wife #3). I certainly would never have made such a joke if either woman were actually homely or genuinely ugly. Most of the time pretty people can withstand a little needling when for some reason their usualy good looks are mussed a bit by awkward circumstances.

Oh--and no, we do not have many male beauty contests in our society, thank goodness, though male models and TV and movie stars (and news readers) are also subjected to lookist stadards. I wish we didn't have female beauty contests either. I especially hate that so many of those ridiculous thigns are touted as frickin' scholarship contests! Of course, we do have the parallel situation where young men who have neither an outstanding intellect nor, in many cases, an adequate educational foundation are given the most complete college scholarships simply because they can play basketball or football. Both situations are ridiculous!