Have you ever felt like people were treating you nicely just because you looked a certain way? Or maybe they were helping you out only because of your aspect? That is what modern society likes to call “Pretty Privilege” and it is as much of a blessing, as it is a curse.
Psychologically, the human brain is attracted to things it perceives as being beautiful or pleasantly looking. Say you go to a museum with your friend; you see an abstract painting of a landscape. You may look at it and say: “What a pretty picture!”. Your friend, on the other hand, suggests that the artist had a poor vision of what he or she was trying to create and disagrees completely with your statement, because they failed to understand the emotion the painting was trying to portray on a deeper level. This goes to show that beauty is subjective.
But what happens when it comes to people? Why do some people obtain something they want more easily than others?
Pretty Privilege is nothing but a societal bias that favors conventionally attractive people. You may already be familiar with common tropes such as pretty girls being bought expensive gifts or simply gaining popularity hastily. However, the true effects of this bias may extend far beyond just small favors. Studies suggest that there is a strong correlation between appearance and career outcomes. Within the economic field, a labor market that supposedly ranks based on merit, attractive individuals are more likely to be ranked higher in PhD institutions and land better jobs.
These findings are the result of the halo effect, also known as the physical attractiveness stereotype, a cognitive bias in which the overall impression of a person influences how others feel and think about that person’s traits. For instance, if you find someone’s physical features as being something unique or likable, you might associate that feature with them being smart, or funny. To put it shortly, you start creating a positive image of that person based on their appearance, without really knowing them.
But how does this affect individuals on a daily basis?
Although getting your way by using your charm might seem like an advantage at the beginning, you’ll soon come to realize that people don’t see you for you anymore, but rather for your outward appearance. This can quickly make one become either overly self-conscious or overly self-centered, in the sense that you can become frustrated because people don’t see you for your personality, or you can become too full of yourself, ergo narcissistic.
It’s very important to remember that the concept of “Pretty Privilege” is simply an error of the brain. We shouldn’t have to let our appearance define us, especially in today’s society. What we contribute plays a bigger role; at the end of the day, people should notice you for your efforts and help you because you are their friend.
