Beauty and the Labor Market

March 26, 2002 2:12 PM

Beauty and the Labor Market "Plastic surgery has become one of those things--like reading the tabloids and watching The Home Shopping Network--that Americans like doing and love ridiculing others for doing. Depending on whose numbers you believe, more than seven million of us went under the knife last year"...I had no idea... "In cold, hard economic terms, being attractive helps you get ahead." ...Now I get it, now I understand.
posted by Voyageman (10 comments total)

In cold, hard economic terms, being attractive helps you get ahead...

Then why is this guy the richest man in the US?
posted by jonmc at 2:17 PM on March 26, 2002

So much for society being tolerant and free of bigotry and hate.

(Your answer, jonmc, is because he started his own company, where nobody else could screw him over because of his looks.)
posted by aaron at 3:58 PM on March 26, 2002

aaron - He didn't start just any company, he started this company.
posted by NortonDC at 4:15 PM on March 26, 2002

Yes, indeed he did, for which he should be blessed until the end of his days.

Your photo's missing one man, though.
posted by aaron at 4:42 PM on March 26, 2002

so, um, does that 7 million figure count those people who are having reconstructive surgery? just a thought.
posted by sugarfish at 5:13 PM on March 26, 2002

aaron - I'm not sure if you we're accusing me of being a looks bigot, but if you think I was, sorry. I was just goofing on Bill Gates-as a Mac user, I figured you'd approve.
posted by jonmc at 6:39 PM on March 26, 2002

so, um, does that 7 million figure count those people who are having reconstructive surgery? just a thought.

Yeah, surely a lot of those people seek plastic surgery to achieve 'normal' looks or health goals, not ideal beauty. I'm personally going under the knife in April for, um, something along those lines.
Also, Botox is apparently quite effective in the treatment of spasmodic dystonia.
Hooray or something.
posted by Catch at 6:43 PM on March 26, 2002

even with his own company he had to interact with other people. Looks may help but they are not the be all end all. I'm a fat ugly MoFo but I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it people like me.
posted by Mick at 6:56 PM on March 26, 2002

Jon, I wasn't saying you were a bigot at all. I was just saying that when you're the ultimate boss of your own company, there's nobody above you to make bigoted decisions about your future in your company. In other words, Bill Gates was in a relatively unique and lucky position.
posted by aaron at 7:28 PM on March 26, 2002

I'm a looks bigot, and if I had Bill Gates' money, I sure as shit wouldn't have Bill Gates' chin.
That's an interesting choice he's made.

I guess he never has to fold his own sheets.
posted by dong_resin at 12:52 AM on March 27, 2002