Attractiveness has long been an important part of society. The general feeling is, if you’re beautiful, you have a higher ability to be happy. But according to ScienceDaily and researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of Kansas, being attractive matters more depending on your geographical location.
If you live in an urban area, the study suggests, you have a higher pressure to be attractive. In fact, women in these areas generally think that attractive people are more psychologically well than those who are unattractive. Beauty matters in socially mobile places more because you have your pick of friends and social activities, and associating with beautiful people is usually the choice made.
However, in rural areas, there isn’t so much variety. You’re going to socialize with people in the community if you live in a place where there aren’t a lot of people, and you aren’t going to be choosy. Perhaps more importantly, beauty will not ensure happiness. Even pretty urban women are at risk for psychological unrest.
So rather than worrying about your looks go out and have a good time with your friends, wherever you live.
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Seems beauty is judged differently by where you live too. Out here in Southern California it’s the tall, tanned, skinny women who are beautiful. Especially where I live since Costa Mesa is right next door to Newport Beach where every other building is a plastic surgeon or a gym. But go somewhere else in the US and people don’t seem to give a damn that I’m fat. They think I’m pretty anyway.
It would be interesting if some folks did a study all over the world to see what the average view of beauty is in those areas and compare. I’d love to see the difference between what makes a beautiful woman in New York as opposed to California.
Hi All
This very nice blog & i agree with this.
I live in a large-ish college town in the Midwest. Every year at this time, as the students are trickling back into town, I love to people watch on campus. The big city and suburban girls are always dressed to the nines–even their sweatpants cost $80 or more from Juicy Couture–while among the townies and rural students, wearing a button-down shirt is seen as oddly formal. I agree that slim social pickings are part of the disparity. Paying too much attention to your appearance is, at least here, seen as a sign of an overly superficial personality… “putting on airs,” if you will. Besides, when you live with people you’ve known since high school or earlier, they’ve seen your whole personality & style evolution, so you can’t really fake it for a day without someone calling foul. In a way, that’s kind of nice; you can be who you are without having to broadcast it via your outfit (quite convenient when your clothes need to be practical).
On a related note, I’ve also noticed over the years that there is far more pressure on girls to look good (even at your 7 am plant pathology lab) than guys. On campus on the weekend, girls start getting ready to go out immediately after dinner: hair & makeup have to be done, outfits coordinated with bags & shoes, checks made to ensure you’re not wearing the same thing as a dorm mate or sorority sister. Guys throw on a pair of khakis and a button down 10 minutes before they head out. Go figure.
Having grown up rural and moved to some of the largest cities in the US, I definitely agree with these findings!
Having grown up rural and moved to some of the largest cities in the US, I definitely agree with these findings!
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