# Can super-hot people be trusted? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2006, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491 "2006-11-15T05:17:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/101 "2006-11-16T21:49:31Z")
And I would like to add that just the other day an attractive person turned me into a newt … …but I’m looking much better now. Still eating bugs, but whatcha gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/102 "2006-11-16T21:57:00Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] Oooo - I just love it when you talk all forceful like that. Rrrrowrr! [/QUOTE] Shhh. Don’t let on in front _them_, but I stole something nice for you today. I just told them I’m all ethical and shit, just like anyone else. Now give me the secret handshake and let’s blow this popsicle stand. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/103 "2006-11-16T22:00:36Z")
And I would like to add that just the other day an attractive person turned me into a newt … …but I’m looking much better now. Still eating bugs, but whatcha gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/104 "2006-11-16T22:13:37Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] Come now, are you saying that an average guy or gal who encounters a half a million dollars in a basement is just as likely to return it to its absenteel owner as a man who finds five dollars there? Obviously, some things are intrinsically more tempting than others. Laura Bush would offer me very little in the way of temptation. Vida Guerra … whole different story. [/QUOTE] Actually I think more people would keep the $5. I mean, not many people are gonna miss $5. I would think most would miss half a million. > [@shizaru](#): > > You’re one of them, aren’t you? Awww - are you a bit funny looking then? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/105 "2006-11-16T22:24:18Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] Come now, are you saying that an average guy or gal who encounters a half a million dollars in a basement is just as likely to return it to its absenteel owner as a man who finds five dollars there? Obviously, some things are intrinsically more tempting than others. Laura Bush would offer me very little in the way of temptation. Vida Guerra … whole different story. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure what you’re trying to prove here. The question isn’t whether an average person is more likely to cheat with an attractive person; it’s whether an attractive person is more likely to cheat because of their extra opportunities. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/106 "2006-11-16T22:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] Awww - are you a bit funny looking then? [/QUOTE] This was so deliciously snide that I think I actually salivated. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/107 "2006-11-17T14:40:10Z")
[QUOTE=alice\_in\_wonderland] When a plain person gets ahead, it’s assumed that they have smarts or are a hard worker. If a pretty person gets ahead it’s assumed that they are getting preferential treatment because they’re pretty. [/QUOTE] That’s like saying that in the 1960s it was assumed that white people were getting better treatment because they were white. It’s not an assumption, it is proven that plain people are being discriminated against systemically. Just saying “nuh uh” when faced with these unpleasant facts does not settle the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/108 "2006-11-17T14:55:30Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] You may want to go back and restudy your statistics a little. If pretty people tend to get promoted more often, it follows that the group promoted has a larger concentration of pretty people than the population as a whole, but not that the group promoted is almost entirely pretty people. [/QUOTE] Sorry, I missed this one before. You make a false assumption. Small but persistent bias can create a great difference in the end. Ever heard of the glass ceiling? That is another area where selection bias has harmed a specific group. The reason this one gets more press is that there are laws prohibiting hiring or promotions based on gender. We know this stuff is happening even when it comes to certain elements of prettiness. Ever hear of hightism? > [@](#): > > A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 feet tall, which is 3 inches taller than the average American man. Fully 30% of these CEOs were 6 foot 2 inches tall or more; in comparison only 3.9% of the overall United States population is of this height.[7] Equally significantly, similar surveys have uncovered that less than 3% of CEOs were below 5’7" in height, and that 90% of CEOs are of above average height. [8] [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heightism) Through the very process I am describing the group of Fortune 500 CEOs have been selected such that 90% of them are above the average height. Why should those same results not be repeated when selecting for other attractive traits? ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/109 "2006-11-17T15:04:03Z")
[QUOTE=Pábitel] That’s like saying that in the 1960s it was assumed that white people were getting better treatment because they were white. It’s not an assumption, it is proven that plain people are being discriminated against systemically. Just saying “nuh uh” when faced with these unpleasant facts does not settle the issue. [/QUOTE] Now you’re just being obtuse. Being pretty may, in fact, confer a benefit on job seekers. However, just because they happen to have _THAT_ benefit, it doesn’t preclude them from also being smart, kind, hard workers, etc, etc. You can insist that the only reason that pretty people get promoted faster is because they’re pretty. You would be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/110 "2006-11-17T17:46:48Z")
Count me in on this discussion. Pretty people do get some perks and breaks when it comes to real life interactions. As far as I see it, it’s truth. What can be done? Don’t discriminate. Look at the skills, the personality, the…everything else… If you need some sort of tie-breaker, let the looks be it, if it must. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/111 "2006-11-17T19:47:16Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] What can be done? Don’t discriminate. Look at the skills, the personality, the…everything else… [/QUOTE] I usually have them fight it out with rusty pitch forks in a vat of hot tar. This really seems to separate the go-getters from the loafers, and is good for morale. ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/112 "2006-11-17T20:07:48Z")
This thread made me kind of annoyed before, but the more ridiculous the discussion gets, the funnier it gets. And it seems no matter how many times we bring it back to the original question (are hot people less trustworthy), **Pábitel** will continue to insist that the topic at hand is hiring policies based on various studies. It’s gotten so bizarre that I can’t help laughing out loud as I read. 🙂 Is this thread finished yet, you think? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/113 "2006-11-17T20:21:26Z")
[QUOTE=Pábitel] Sorry, I missed this one before. You make a false assumption. Small but persistent bias can create a great difference in the end. [/QUOTE] Only if the bias is severe or compounding. Do you have evidence that this is either? ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/114 "2006-11-17T20:36:12Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] Only if the bias is severe or compounding. Do you have evidence that this is either? [/QUOTE] I would say my cite on Heightism would qualify. How do you get to 90% of a “desired” trait without some kind of compounding selection going on? My hypothesis is that pretty people get promoted and then use the power that comes to them via promotion to hire/promote others like themselves. Also, that this is a self-perpetuating phenomenon. The data seems to support this. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/115 "2006-11-17T20:42:07Z")
[QUOTE=Carlyjay] This thread made me kind of annoyed before, but the more ridiculous the discussion gets, the funnier it gets. And it seems no matter how many times we bring it back to the original question (are hot people less trustworthy), **Pábitel** will continue to insist that the topic at hand is hiring policies based on various studies. It’s gotten so bizarre that I can’t help laughing out loud as I read. 🙂 Is this thread finished yet, you think? [/QUOTE] I made the connection between this behavior on the part of pretty people and how I thought it related to personal relations. Then I got dragged off that point by people refusing to believe that anyone in business would ever discriminate based on looks. The reason I keep bringing it back to hiring stuff is because people keep telling me I’m wrong. I think this observed behavior shows that pretty people are prejudiced against those less fortunate in the workplace. I find no reason to believe that this is not reflected in non-business relationships. I don’t understand the difficulty others are having in taking the facts and drawing an obvious conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/116 "2006-11-17T20:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=Pábitel] The data seems to support this. [/QUOTE] _snort_ Uh huh. This is why, when you walk into the corporate office of any public company, you are confronted by a posse of preternaturally hot executives. It all makes perfect sense now. This softcore porn moment has been brought to you by Pabitel. ---
**Author:** ![Axxon2wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5daacb/32.png) [@Axxon2wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Axxon2wire)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/117 "2006-11-17T21:53:48Z")
[QUOTE=kimera] Do you have to deal with constantly being harassed by certain groups of men? I am very glad that I don’t look like a 9 or a 10 without makeup. I’ve seen what some of my super attractive female friends have gone through. Yes, they do have a lot of advantages but they also have a lot of disadvantages. I’ve never had to deal with stalkers. One of my model friends has had at least 5 that I’ve known about. And I’ve only known her for 5 years. At one point, she was ready to disfigure herself rather than having to deal with the constant harassment she was facing at that time. [/QUOTE] Oddly enough, this is the reason I don’t approach super hot women. It’s not that I feel that I don’t bring something to the table ( I mean, I don’t but that’s not the reason ) but when you’re one in a swarm of gnats it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself as the one gnat that’s worth paying attention to ( I was going to use sharks as an analogy as it’s more fitting the image you created but really, it seemed obvious that the shark worth paying attention to is the one currently biting you so that didn’t work). In this scenario looks are superior to lines to get you noticed because lines can be learned while looks can’t so it seems pretty much futile to try and be noticed as worthy if you don’t have looks there’s really less reason to bother going that route. I really don’t think this is shallow since as I said above, looks in this case are far more honest than lines. Sure, the better looking person may be a total loser and you will have wasted your time but they do have something going for them that you can see. The poser with the line may well be a loser too and they ain’t getting any nicer looking. 🙂 None of this really answers the OP’s question though so I’ll do that now. While I really don’t trust anybody I don’t use looks as a factor in whether I’m going to trust someone or not and find it not exactly silly but dangerous to base something as important as trust on something, well, as untrustworthy and unrelated such as looks. Nope, I’ll stick to astrology for that thank you very much. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/118 "2006-11-17T21:57:47Z")
[QUOTE=Axxon2wire] …the shark worth paying attention to is the one currently biting you… [/QUOTE] This has to be the one of the better things I’ve read on the SDMB this week. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/119 "2006-11-17T21:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=Axxon2wire] It’s not that I feel that I don’t bring something to the table ( I mean, I don’t but that’s not the reason ) [/QUOTE] I liked this part. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Axxon2wire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5daacb/32.png) [@Axxon2wire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Axxon2wire)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491/120 "2006-11-17T22:04:46Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] I liked this part. 😃 [/QUOTE] Yes, it’s true. I prefer to let women approach me. I have no looks, no money, no intelligence and no personality which may tempt the untrustworthy ones so when they do approach me I am quite secure in knowing that it’s the real me that they’re after and I find it far easier to trust them. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-super-hot-people-be-trusted/380491.md?page=7)