Beauty or Brains: Talk amongst yourselves...
I really wanted to write something pithy about an upcoming anniversary we'd all rather never happened. But due to my palpable fear of flying and the fact I'm taking a rather long flight in just a few short days, I'm working really hard to avoid thinking about it.
Wish me luck with that...
So--in an all-out honest effort at distraction--here's my trivia question of the day:
Would you rather be a genius or be beautiful? (I don't mean the we're-all-beautiful-people kind of beautiful--I mean the drop-dead gorgeous-stoppin'-traffic kind of beautiful.) Lorien can't play because she's both already all right.
Not that they have to be mutually exclusive.
Well, only sometimes.
But, you know, if you could pick between one or the other which would you choose?
And why?
Wish me luck with that...
So--in an all-out honest effort at distraction--here's my trivia question of the day:
Would you rather be a genius or be beautiful? (I don't mean the we're-all-beautiful-people kind of beautiful--I mean the drop-dead gorgeous-stoppin'-traffic kind of beautiful.) Lorien can't play because she's both already all right.
Not that they have to be mutually exclusive.
Well, only sometimes.
But, you know, if you could pick between one or the other which would you choose?
And why?
Comments
Is this some in-depth quiz, and now that I've answered in this way you know all my deepest and darkest secrets?
Don't worry about flying...except I recommend you watch out for, you know, the snakes.
I'm going to start a new mantra every night before I fall asleep. "The worst thing that could happen would be snakes. The worst thing that could happen would be snakes. The worst thing that could happen would be snakes..."
P.S. I have taken the flight to Helsinki (I think that is where you are going?) and landing in the biggest conglomeration of fir trees was something I will never forget. Made the whole billion hour flight worth it.
Is this a Pet Shop Boys retro? Afterwards you'll pair us all up, we'll all make lots of money...and travel the world, blogging from all sorts of exotic places.
As a little kid, one reason I wasnted to serve a mission was to be able to fly. Then I flew to Brazil, had three transfers that were by plane and then there was the 27 hour trip home. I was sick of flying. It took me almost 10 years to get back on a plane.
But I will tell you when I first heard the question posed a couple of years ago I chose to think in terms of normal intelligence, (Interesting is it not that no one asks if it means we have to be ugly but automatically worries about not being stupid?) which is all relative, I guess. I was thinking in terms of having my current level of intelligence...or beauty...and choosing from there.
Either way the thoughts are provocative. Even more so the reasons why...
lyle: Making lots of money and blogging from exotic places sounds so extremely interesting to me right now.
cabesh: More questions...
Does true beauty ever fade? Have you ever seen a much older person who was still strikingly beautiful?
Genius. Because then I could have lots of brainy yet witty things to say about the beautiful stupid people.
I did want to point out that I think Miss Paris is neither. She's skanky (not in the good way), spoiled, rich (but only because of daddy) and anorexic-looking, but neither intelligent nor beautiful. I love to watch her on interviews and stuff, but only because I can't wait for the next idiotic thing to cross her puffy lips.
Oh, and the only time I ever stop traffic is when I step in front of it.
And, Helsinki? Who the hel goes to sinki?
Although - I'd never take genius over normal intelligence if it makes me look like a troll with a moustache and moles that even Austin Powers wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut about.
Here's another thing to think about - average intelligence with gorgeous beauty... 20/20 always does stuff on how it's powerful... hmmmm
Lot's to think about. But...I'd like my girls to be smart. Personality usually matters more...at least to me... you can't get that without brains... otherwise you're just meat with eyes.
Does true beauty ever fade? Most definitely not! By that I mean "the we're all beautiful people" kind of beauty. But the drop-dead gorgeous beauty? Somtimes. In today's society I think we see too many women who try to hold on to that gorgeous beauty because that's who they are/were....botox, tummy tucks, permanent make-up, dying gray hair, etc....
Have I ever seen a much older person who was sill strikingly beautiful? Again, yes. But, in my experience, these women (or men) tend to keep their beauty because of a certain dignity or grace, not by their looks alone.
Now, as for the fading....For me, it seems that there's no guarantee that your looks are going to last. You can do all that you can....keep going...but if they're going to fade, they're going to--it's genetics.
Now intelligence is something can work on for a lifetime. You improve it, polish it, exercise it, use it to bless others. Personally, that's what I would choose--it's the more secure option.
I'm always wishing I could think of things faster, and remember things more accurately (and for longer than five seconds). I wish I could find lasting, working solutions to my persistent problems. And yet, will being a genius provide these things for me? Or will I just be one of those frustrated intelligent people who ends up being socially awkward? Genius at what?
I vacillate between feeling like a genius and a complete moron, and often at the same pursuit. :) I think I'll pass on my one chance for beauty-or-genius to someone else. I prefer the journey.
So now it's my turn.
I'm going long for shallow here.
Truth is, while I admire a great mind as much as anyone, everyone I know who could be considered "a freakin' genius" (I'm quoting someone I know) is also a bit disturbed, (two points for Queen Scarlett). It's like the mortal body can't hold that much intelligence or something.
Relationships tend to be a bit rocky and tenuous with the emotionally or mentally disturbed and I would just wilt and die without my family and friends.
So I'd go for my standard intelligence, because (also quoting here) "I'm not stupid," and love a full serving of beautiful.
That was my thinking the first time I was posed the question. And I fully thought it was all I was going to have to say on the matter this time.
But this morning this little thought crept into my mind to mix it up a little:
"The glory of God is intelligence..."
I've been known to say that I can handle ugly kids, I just couldn't have stupid kids. An inherent lack of intelligence (you know, the absence of a toolbox) in my kids is my version of a nightmare.
I want to be smoking hot, make a lot of money, and then use it for advanced education for when I turn wrinkled and fugly! HA, Judge Judy, didn't think of that alternative, did you?
I'll keep my current IQ and go for drop dead gorgeous any freakin' day. Because I would be drop-dead gorgeous and I would also be nice. Those are my favorite kind of people. Nice to look at, nice to be with.
Also, I have several acquaintances who are actual geniuses. They are incredibly lonely people, because even when they have adequate social skills (which isn't always the case) they don't have company in their genius world. They often feel like people don't really understand them ... because, well, we average intelligence people often don't.
Thank you, sistah, for also choosing beauty over brains. We can sit at the beautiful people's table together.
By the way, I vote Geo's as best answer. Wish I would have thought of it.