I’ve chosen this week’s word because I believe that appearances are the very last thing one should consider when judging an individual or generally assessing a situation.
I know that many people will disagree and say that it’s all about how you portray yourself – that’s who you are. I still beg to differ. It’s easy to put on a suit and be that corporate person who says and does all the right things, always towing the party line. But what does that really say about you as a real person?
If we are all doomed to being the same then why even bother to get out of the bed in the morning? I know this may sound like a bit of a rant and in a way it is. I’m just a little bit miffed about sometimes being judged and not having a level playing field when it comes to an initial contact. And I’m not just talking race here. This is true when it comes something as permanent sex and as frivolous as hairstyling.
So what am I trying to say? In a nutshell, just assess your own preconceived notions and try not to classify that person solely on how they look. You could be missing out on a golden opportunity or a truly fulfilling experience.
I am a professional and I beg to differ about your assessment of appearances. In my opinion, appearance is everything. You just won’t be successful in life without having the right look. That’s how our society works and to me that’s how it should be.
Whilst I agree that in corporate America you have to act and dress a certain way to be taken seriously, it is my strong belief that you can miss out a lot in life if you carry this type of ideal into a social scenario. I would like to see corporate America be less focused on the outside and more interested in what people a really thinking. It is my view that in the long run, seeing your employees as individuals rather than just tools will translate into a more creative work environment. This can only be a good thing with the economy being as bad as it is. We need fresh input and new ideas for the future development in industry.
Thanks for you comment and let me know what you think about my reply.
The rich, the powerful, and the goodlooking. Pretty much sums it up. With the right look comes power and money. All surrounded by greed.
There have been plenty of studies to show that better looking people make more money than their lesser Joe’s in the same filed.
Appearances play a big role. It’s a stereotypical world. It’s not the way it should be as Webber said. In my opinion.
Think about waiters and waitresses. Think about how many girls get great tips because of their appearances. It’s not right, but it happens.
Looks are one thing but I wear my hear in long, thin, neat dreadlocks. In New England I do stand out! When Mark and I first moved here we looked up Mystic and one of the statistics stated that the ethnic population was less than 1%! Coming from the UK, I am used to being a very small minority – especially compared to life in New York, which of course is very diverse.
People might assume that I am rastafarian or a “pothead” and I am quite the opposite, although I love Bob Marley. Mark loves to dress down and wears a lot of tracksuits. People are surprised when he pulls out a Louis Vuitton wallet, which he purchased because he likes the quality and it’s well made.
It’s just that when it comes to people, I try not to make an assessment of their character until I have the opportunity to meet them. Although like you pointed out Jason, I know that the majority are judged on the way they look and that’s probably not going to change any time soon…Unfortunately .