Beauty or Intelligence

[BonBonBarbie]

yeah i agree, id much rather be with someone interesting looking and very attractive than that boring 'movie star perfect' look.

[Kiriante]

Originally Posted by niko_niko

I'd choose intelligence. I consider myself very intelligent and it's the aspect of myself that I am most confident in. I'm very proud of my brain and I honestly don't know what I would do if I were of average intellect. (I'm sorry if that sounds rude - I just really love being considered so bright.) The reason I'm in the place in my life that I am in hinges on my intelligence and it scares me to think of where I'd be without it (certainly not at the university of my choice... or university at all, since without the scholarships I won, I wouldn't be attending.)

However, while I don't consider myself unattractive per se, I do find myself wishing I was prettier/sexier/more beautiful sometimes. But not enough to ever trade brains for beauty.

I would feel much less confident if I were incredibly gorgeous but lost my intelligence. I'd feel worse if people thought I were stupid than if people thought I were ugly. I'd also be afraid of guys being interested in me only for my beauty, rather than for my personality.

I pretty much agree completely with this comment. I've always been considered the "smart kid" (lots of AP classes, stuff like that) and while I also think I'm at least decently attractive, I think intelligence will get you farther in life. It's not as easy as just "deciding" to be smarter one day, because... as much as you try to argue it, some people just pick up and process information faster than others. Training helps but a head start is invaluable.

Of course, having both would be great too. Some people are just super lucky.

[MissTamora]

Well when I was thinking of intelligence I was thinking of the natural ability to pick things up quickly and figure things out... what you guys are talking about, I would call education.

So by my standards I'm very intelligent but hardly smart or educated.

I'm the opposite with beauty - I think I look quite pretty with makeup on and my hair done but take it off and O.o *dies*

[cool]

I asked a couple of girls this quetion, and they both chose Intelligence...

And MissTamora is right, intelligence has to do with how smart you are, as in your IQ, both of which is either pre-determined by genes or during your early childhood upbringing. Why I say this? Well, 95% of our brain have already formed by the age of 8 or so. The number of connections and brain cells have almost fully developed in childhood so in a sense, your operating system has already been installed from very young. (Install Religious OS onto your child and you'll be doing them a disfavor because they will forever see the world filtered thru a faulty logic filter)

That's why parenting is so very important. Children needs to be trained or educated from very, very young, the younger the better... in fact, even from the womb... You can literally take almost any child (90%, since 10% would likely have some genetic defects), and turn them into genius.

This is also true for moral values... or values in general... if a parent's done their job well before the age of 8, they really have nothing to worry about... outside influence will have very little effect.. for example, a child brought up well balanced and smart, will choose who they want as their friends, likely people who are also quite smart, etc.. an abandoned child on the other hand will let situation choose them...

Beauty on the other hand, well, you get what you get..... the most important thing is to keep yourself fit, healthy and you'll become 10 times more beautiful instantly... I find an intelligent woman very attractive if she's not a bitch about it though..... and a very beautiful woman who's got nothing in the brains is boring and un-attractive beyond the bedroom....

[kayj]

I appreciate all the replies and opinions. Thank you everyone.

[Daichi]

Well, I'm pretty smart (I got 99% in chemistry this summer! *parties*) so I think I would trade a bit of intelligence for beauty. But not too much... I don't think that being one or the other specifically would make me more confident, but I'm used to being intelligent so I would pick that. But my friend told me a couple days ago that he thought I was "particularily good looking", so I guess I'm doing okay

I think chiriyuku is right, though. I know alot of people who work really hard but don't get as good grades as I do. But you can work to make yourself smarter, at least a bit. But then, it's the same with beauty: using clothes or makeup (or just a big, confident smile!) to enhance your look can really make a difference, even if you are not "naturally" gorgeous.

Wow, I had to think deeply about that one

[MissTamora]

Originally Posted by Daichi

Well, I'm pretty smart (I got 99% in chemistry this summer! *parties*) so I think I would trade a bit of intelligence for beauty. But not too much... I don't think that being one or the other specifically would make me more confident, but I'm used to being intelligent so I would pick that. But my friend told me a couple days ago that he thought I was "particularily good looking", so I guess I'm doing okay

I think chiriyuku is right, though. I know alot of people who work really hard but don't get as good grades as I do. But you can work to make yourself smarter, at least a bit. But then, it's the same with beauty: using clothes or makeup (or just a big, confident smile!) to enhance your look can really make a difference, even if you are not "naturally" gorgeous.

Wow, I had to think deeply about that one

But that's not what I'd call beauty... that's what I'd call good cosmetic sense I think I look quite pretty if I put on the right makeup and do my hair all nice but when I say beauty I mean sort of... just got out of the shower beauty, before you put on makeup or straighten your hair or put on the right clothes and heels to make your legs look longer.

Kind of the same as working harder to learn things... that's not what I'd call intelligence, just that you're able to work hard to learn things to make up for it.

[suzushii]

Between super smart and super pretty I'd chose ....happy. Haha, but seriously, I'd rather be stupid and happy then smart and always lonely and depressed.

Of course, I'd go with intelligence, because it's a gift that keeps on giving waaay past your youth years. My mind is the best tool I've ever had, the best toy, the best advice-giver, and the best at figuring out how to make. me. happy.

As a comparison, being super pretty sounds like a curse. Men only want you as a trophy, girls are too threatened by your looks to be your friend, and immediatelly think you're a bitch (I've seen it happen, I was once friends with a superpretty girl who confided in me just how lonely she felt). Your successes are gossiped as being the results of your looks, and there's a 99.9% chance someone will think you're a slut. Also, they will think you more stupid the prettier you are.

On the bright side, people will go out of their way to help you. You're more likely to get freebies. You're more likely to get a job where you do nothing but sit there and be pretty. If you have enough intelligence and willpower, you can go into media. I mean, they value photogenic skillz first. When you walk on the street you won't be invisible. People will not bump into you. When you will walk into a room you will be the center of attention. In a conversation, guys will actually pay attention to what you say. In fact, at least for a while, they will totally ignore the unpretty lady with good points, and totally stare at you and listen to every word you say.

By some weird fluke of fate, guys will be afraid to ask you out. I've heard lots of stories of exceptional beauties who rarely get a date, because they intimidate other people.
Of course, if you find a good guy there's a good chance he'll worship the ground you walk on.

But the worst part of the curse is losing your looks. You start aging. People stop noticing you on the street. People stop paying attention to what you say. You realise you've been living your life on a crutch that now is being pulled away from you. Even if you were strong willed, there's no way you didn't associate your self with your looks. So it feels you're losing a part of you. It's sad. Some women go nuts and try to hold on to their looks up to disfiguring themselves with plastic surgery. They can't accept that they've lost it.

So yeah. Super pretty? Fark no!

Mind u I wouldn't mind being a bit prettier then now, and a few flaws being dissapeared here and there, but I'm fine with my looks, warts and all

I'd def take any IQ points available for the picking.

[BonBonBarbie]

i'd say when it came to ''beauty'' you would be beautiful all your life, age gracefully and always look glamerous. I dont think, if you were truly beautiful, you would ever not stand out from the crowd, whatever your age.

[suzushii]

you mean like this ?



Aging gracefully is rare. Being attractive passed age 40-45 - also rare. Even for the beauties.

[BonBonBarbie]

ahahaha thats so scary!!!! she is noooooot beautiful lol.
I was thinking more Michelle Pffeiffer, Kim Cattrall and olivia newton john lol

[urban.star.dust]

Well, I would personally want a balance of both intelligence and beauty.

I'm definately not dumb, but also not the smartest person in the world either. I've also never been told that I am ugly. Many of my friends tell me that well I'm pretty and stuff, but eh. . . . I honestly don't think of myself that way. I'm just an overall average girl who loves shopping and hanging out with friends.

You'd probably never think that I like Biology, Genetics, and such if you were to meet me, but then again that is how most people are.

When it comes down to books and such, I don't mind it but only if I find the subject interesting or remotely interesting. Haha, if it isn't I might not enjoy it thus finding a way that would benefit myself in the long run.

Being Overly smart is something that could be useful in the future as well as the present, but I doubt I would want that. In a sense that would make life completely boring you know. Then you wouldn't need to take the time out to figure things out.

Hehe, I'll admit it, I can be a ditz like 50% of the time, but not in a bad way

[_Ambuh.]

I'd rather be A.
(:

Which I think I am.

[suzushii]

Originally Posted by BonBonBarbie

ahahaha thats so scary!!!! she is noooooot beautiful lol.
I was thinking more Michelle Pffeiffer, Kim Cattrall and olivia newton john lol

Kim Cattral has chopped up her body so much if you see a picture from when she was young she looks nothing like herself.

Pffeifer.... is a vampire. No seriously, upon further googling she has work done continuously. She has even declared it in magazines. I do consider her an example of the ever rare good plastic surgery. The one that looks natural, like Demi Moore's body and face.

ONG, I have no idea.

There you go. So much for the myth of "aging gracefully". Mind you I don't think aging is a disaster. I actually find some wrinkles to be cute.

[BonBonBarbie]

haha i guess youre right
Id like to look like any of those three when im older though, but without plastic surgery :P i dont think its possible though!

[MissTamora]

I think beauty in old age is just a different kind of beauty to what you can have in youth. We value it too much in our society which is why we can't appreciate older women unless they try to make themselves look younger, and succeed.

I wish I could show you a picture of my mum's best friend's mum. She's in her 70s and has wrinkles and the tummy flap and her hair's completely white, but (cheesy as it sounds) she has such a warm personality and it shows, she has the nicest smile and you can tell that's where her wrinkles have come from, smiling a lot.

I really do believe that wrinkles are just a map of your life's journey

[suzushii]

I know what you mean. The best example of a hot old lady is one of my former teachers from high school. That woman was amazing in pretty much every way. ridiculously smart, educated in everything, she was also an amazing teacher, the class listened to her without her even raising her voice or asking for their attention. I think she got mad at us once or twice in 6-7 years (she was a teacher throughout middle school and HS) and when she did, I literally felt the air of the room get colder, and a knot in my stomach.

Aaaanyways, I'm adding these details to show her personality just permeated her looks.

On top of that, she had a smashing body (long, lithe, and curvy), naturally black hair with only very few white strands (despite being 70!), she looked like some kind of Parisian art critique, or fashion designer. She always wore the most gorgeous things, either vintage or the best quality designer labels.

Oh yeah, did I mention she was rich, had a doctorate in several language domaigns, and only taught at my music school because she enjoyed classical music. Oh, and she was a descendant of the old nobility.

And even if her face was wrinkled, (maybe she looked 55?), she just looked so gorgeous, and imposing. We were all .

I only wish when I grow old to be half as cool as her.

[Melissa Veldhuis]

This is really a hard question...

I mean I am an honour role student - managed it because of my english and language marks, even tho my math mark is like 60% (:O hides in shame-... but I tried hard, everyday after school I did my homework at school with the teacher), so I don't consider myself intelligent... just good with language...

I'd like to say that I would want more intelligence ....
But honestly if someone was like I have a machine pick more ebauty lose some brains, or pick intelligence and lose beauty I'd pick beauty....
I feel ashamed for that but ... it's true ...

[St. Bubble]

I guess...beauty? I don't think I'm that ugly, but it's not like intelligence is that hard to obtain.

[Dutchie]

I would go for Intelligence. brains brings you further in life then beauty