In our daily lives, we are bombarded by advertisements for skincare products, fitness programmes, clothes and makeup. In fact, billions of dollars are spent on these products and services each year. From this we can see how much people care about the pursuit of beauty. However, is being physically attractive more important than being intelligent? I disagree with this view.
To begin with, good looks may help one create a good first impression but intelligence is the way to win lasting respect. For example, many working adults put in a lot of effort to dress professionally for job interviews. This is because looking presentable creates a good first impression and improves their chances of being hired. However, once a person is hired, he needs intelligence in order to excel at his job. Only if one has the skill and ability to produce good work can he win the respect of his colleagues and succeed in his career. Hence, intelligence is still more important than physical beauty.
Moreover, physical attractiveness fades over time while intelligence is lasting. It is undeniable that one’s beauty will decline with time. For example, when a person ages, his skin will become more wrinkled and his hair will turn grey or white. These features will diminish his physical beauty. Conversely, intelligence is a quality which stands the test of time. Not only will one retain his knowledge, he will also be able to add to it by drawing on his life experiences and the new things he learns over time. Thus, it is better to be clever than beautiful.
On the other hand, one may argue that in many superficial face-to-face interactions, a good-looking but less intelligent person will have an advantage over a plainer-looking but more intelligent one. For instance, some companies may prefer to hire shop assistants or customer service staff who are good-looking as they believe that customers will respond more positively to attractive employees. While it is true that an intelligent but plainer-looking person would be at a disadvantage here, it will not be the case forever. This is because with the advancement of technology, many of our daily interactions no longer take place in person. For example, many companies offer customer service via a telephone hotline or online chatroom. More and more consumers are turning to online shopping platforms like eBay and Amazon instead of patronising brick-and-mortar shops. As a result, with this shifting trend, we can see that the advantage of physical beauty will diminish with time.
All in all, physical attractiveness is less important than intelligence. We must also remember that it is the qualities that a person has inside that count and not how beautiful he or she is.
MICHTANNN 