Looks don't matter -- or do they?

You hear it time and time again: Looks don't matter; it's the inside that counts.

Unfortunately, that's just a bunch of malarkey.

If looks don't matter, why is it that:

• We flinch at the sight of a "disgusting" rat or roach, but we go gaga over kittens and puppies
• Employers generally choose better-looking job candidates for positions
• Studies show that good-looking people are perceived as friendlier and more intelligent than less attractive ones
• Women spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year on plastic surgery, makeup, and other methods of "beautification"
• Attractive individuals -- including models, athletes, and celebrities -- pervade all kinds of advertisements, including magazine ads and commercials

When something -- or someone -- is pleasing to the eye, we naturally gravitate towards it. Saying that it's the inside that counts is true and certainly noble, but society has become far too shallow to really live by that motto. When pressed for time, as most people nowadays are, we rely on heuristics like pretty eyes and an attractive body to guide us in our decision making. 

You may not know a single thing about either candidate running for office, but the one you deem most attractive, charming, or confident will likely garner your vote. If you have seven average-looking guys and a young-Tom-Cruise-look-alike interested in going out with you, who do you think will come out on top?

Again, I'm not saying things like personality and one's qualifications don't count for anything -- they certainly do. But there's no denying that those armed with good looks have a leg up on the competition.

So the next time you hear someone say looks don't matter, tell them you learned at How to Understand People that they simply don't have their facts straight.