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Personal Morals & Values
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| Appearance | 10% | 12 votes | Total: 124 votes | |
| Personality | 90% | 112 votes |
Appearance
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Add to FavoritesDoes your appearance mean more than your personality? This is a debate that has raged throughout time without a definitive answer. It's one of the most important questions in a teens life, and among many adults as well.
While it is important that you be a caring, responsible, likable person, not many people are going to notice that about you when meeting you. Unfortunately, humans are very visually oriented and what we see of people leaves a lasting impression. When we go into a restaurant we don't care if our chef donates to Toys for Tots, we care that he is clean, dressed well, and professional looking. When shopping for a new dress we are more likely to ask for help from the well dressed, attractive employee than the girl who showed up to work looking as if she slept in her clothes and has never brushed her hair.
In our personal lives the importance of appearance is much the same. It's a cruel fact of life, but people who are sloppy, dirty and poorly groomed don't get dates. Most of us are "instinctively" attracted to good looking, well dressed people. When marriages were arranged by family this wasn't such an issue, but today it most certainly is. No one wants to date the guy who doesn't shower or the girl who wears clothing three sizes too small.
Even in the workplace appearance is seen as an indicator of ability. A job applicant with a master's degree isn't likely to be hired if s/he is missing teeth, no matter how qualified they are. Very few people would choose a surgeon who has dirt under their fingernails. A stylist with a lousy hair style isn't likely to have very many clients.
Unfortunately, appearance is even important to children. Many small children, especially, can take an instant dislike to someone based solely on what they look like. As children get older appearance becomes an integral part in who is popular and who isn't. The child who doesn't have designer clothing is more likely to be left out of things than the child who wears all of the right brands. With teenagers attractiveness seems to denote popularity more than anywhere else. Teens don't care if the overweight girl is a math genius who has a way with animals, they don't care if the geeky boy writes the most beautiful poetry ever read, they just care what s/he looks like.
Right or wrong, in our society appearance is just too important to be ignored. While personality is a better indicator of a person's value in the long run, when it comes to first impressions what we look like will always win out over who we are.
Learn more about this author, Tricia Muller.
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Personality
Looks are deceptive; it is your personality that takes you places. So, how do you define personality? Technically, personality is a set of qualities that makes an individual. Qualities can be behavioral, temperamental, emotional and intellectual. While many of these traits are congenital (funny as it may sound), most are acquired. And, appearance is just a small contribution towards completing this package.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever, (we know that) but beauty does not last forever. What lasts and makes you is your individual personality. How you behave, how good a person you are, how well you treat others measures your likeability and shapes your personality.
Character shows on the face. Often the most successful people are not the ones who were blessed with the best appearances, instead were extremely good at what they did and were and are people of character.
Imagine a lean, thin and a half-dressed man with millions of followers. He walks with a stick bare-feet and the world walks with him. He causes a revolution, changes the fate of a nation, takes the world by storm - Yes, I am talking of a super human being Mahatma Gandhi!
How would you rate his appearance? Nothing more than 3-4 on a scale of 10? All he had was an immense personality and a profound depth of character. This is what needs to be valued.
While you may want to meet, greet or dine with an extremely good looking person who has little respect for others, you may rather spend your life with a rather average looking but a good human being. Now that is my opinion! No offense!
If you are good, personality comes naturally. No matter what color, race or religion you belong to, if you are a good human being, you will never be alone. All you need is to believe in what you do, and do it with complete dedication, honesty and love. And, your efforts will be rewarded. If you are good at something, believe in your talent, don't look back.
If you want to, you can! This is the kind of confidence, you get when you believe in your strengths and values. Every individual is a different package and everyone has a personality.
Imagine entering a kindergarten classroom during playtime. Each child has a different talent, a different style. Yet all of them believe in what they do! And, you love them all because they have their own beliefs and it is their belief that wins them your love. You don't really care who looks better and who's best dressed. You love them because they are themselves.
What you believe in, is your personality and that is what is important for the world.
Whether you are a good singer, or a good writer, it does not matter. It is only when you do your job with complete sincerity is when you will be called a 'personality' - a celebrity!
Learn more about this author, RichaArora.
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Difference of opinion? Debate now.
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