Picture this: A night out on the town at a bar or nightclub, single and looking to mingle, with Miss or Mr. Right…
First day at college and a prospective friend comes up to you and introduces his or herself…
You’re at a job interview and you take a glimpse at the other applicants, trying to assess your chances…
Selected for jury duty in a murder trial and for the first time you see the accused, a beautiful bombshell or a handsome stud…
Now, let’s be honest, in which scenario, if any, did the individual’s inner qualities supersede their outward appearance?
Despite the age-old adage ‘never judge a book by its cover’, it would seem that’s pretty much what we do. First impressions are drawn firstly and primarily from the image created by our human covers: how we look, what we wear, how we walk, how we talk; and eventually, if at all, by the more intricate details of the pages of our books – who we are, how we think, what we say, what we do and why.
The proverbial knight in shining armour has always been tall, dark and handsome and the princess graceful without comparison and beautiful beyond imagination. Likewise, so has the quintessential qualities of the ideal mate long been superficial. Does the not-so-beautiful yet smart and fun princess still capture the prince’s heart and evoke the wrath and jealousy of evil sisters and ugly witches? Does the hideous but brave and charming knight stand a chance?
In the search for Miss or Mr. Right, how much more important is one’s personality, intelligence and sense of humour than their appearances, how pleasing they are to the eye, their outward beauty or lack thereof? Do we choose our friends based on how they look or by their virtues? Is a candidate selected for a job based on meeting a particular image formed from a personal preference or by fitting a specific job description and their competence or ability to get the job done? Does a gruff mean-faced scar-riddled defendant stand the same chance of acquittal as an unassuming baby-faced soft-spoken individual accused of the same crime with similar evidence?
To continue reading, purchase Vol.8 #4, 2016 Issue.