A sharing by Ling Sing Lin
The Advantage of Beauty
I always envy those who are born beautiful/handsome. I feel they are blessed, as their good looks mean that they have better job opportunities and marriage prospects, and are generally regarded as good and trustworthy without justification.
Many people go to great lengths and at high expense to keep their beauty. Some who are not born beautiful also try to jump on the beauty bandwagon through cosmetic surgery to gain this advantage in life.
In movies and TV shows, the best looking are the heroes and heroines, or protagonists in today’s lingo. If their looks go downhill as they age, and for those not as blessed with Greek god looks, they are only given supporting roles or play the villain.
Pretty Boys
However, for men, I feel that perfect features only make pretty boys. I prefer man who are good looking without perfect features.
Plain Janes and Johns
I have noticed that plainer looking people actually continue to look similar as they age. Moreover, less beautiful people who don’t bother with feathers and paint to improve their looks, often marry partners who choose them for their character rather than their looks. Many such marriages last. So, in a way, God is fair.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
This book by Oscar Wilde describes an extraordinarily good looking young man, whose looks are captured on canvas by an artist friend. Dorian Gray expressed his wish that he himself would never age, but that the aging effect would affect the portrait instead.
Dorian Gray discovered to this horror and fascination that while he himself remained physically perfect and unchanged over the years, his portrait grew old and ugly with both the physical signs of aging and the signs of sin. Dorian Gray had become corrupted, vile and degraded. He had lost the honour, goodness and purity of his youth. The face on the canvas bore the signs of suffering and sins, whilst the man himself kept the delicate bloom and loveliness of his youth.
What Truly Matters
As we can’t prevent aging, and as the story of Dorian Gray is a work of fiction, what can we do?
Even a beautiful person has to prove his worth in his job/life. Hard work, good character and personality, having knowledge and skills etc ensures he retains his position. Beauty just gives him an advantage, gives him a foot in the door.
Even a good marriage because of the “looks advantage” does not guarantee that the marriage will last or is happy.
We all know that physical beauty doesn’t last. The world belongs to your youthful beauty only for a season. Should you be among the fortunate beautiful people, don’t forget to develop your character and abilities, so that you continue to be still of value when you age.
lingsinglin
Dr Ling Sing Lin is a medical doctor by training. She worked in MOH HQ for many years, in policy making and administrative positions, until her retirement.
