# On the whole, are there more attractive people in life than unnattractive ones? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 26, 2017, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913 "2017-06-26T14:42:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/21 "2017-06-26T20:19:04Z")
I’m going to drill down on Dung Beetle’s comments for a bit. I too, as I get older, find my range of acceptable attractiveness to be widening. As a young person, my range of acceptable ages and body types was more limited. Now I find attractiveness in ages and body types that I would not have considered back then. So, the point is that what one finds attractive can change. In my case, over time. We are also aware of the affects of alcohol in the system impacting what one finds attractive, yah? So, I would suggest that being in an environment where (most) everyone is having a good time, with good weather, in a vacation mecca, would tend to put the observer and the subjects in a better mood, and therefore more inclined to view more people as being attractive. Bottom line, your own attitude contributes to how you see others. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/22 "2017-06-26T20:20:41Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Theme parks are definitely expensive, and the cost does prevent a certain amount of people from getting in, but I would think they are generally pretty all encompassing of people from all areas of the country, and even the world. Yes, but you’re still filtering out people who are too broke, too sick, and/or too dysfunctional to be entertaining themselves at Disney world. If you were to see all these people, it would likely change your assessment of attractiveness prevalence. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/23 "2017-06-26T20:45:34Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Right. Take a notebook along and rate everyone (divided into Male and Female categories) from 1 to 10. A straight guy, I usually don’t have an opinion about the physical attractiveness of other males. And I don’t evaluate little girls as ‘attractive’ in the sense I would young women, nor frankly is my eye likely to be attracted to women much over 40. My wife is well over 40 and looks terrific to me, but I don’t find my eye coming to rest very often on other women her age. So I’m paying real attention to the physical attractiveness of much less than 50% of the people I see, wouldn’t necessarily have any opinion even if I did pay attention. And within that slice of younger adult women, I find generally less than 1/2 are positively pleasurable to discreetly look at, which is all I’d ever do. But it varies with venue according to lifestyle, race, class etc stuff that varies with venue. Could be a lot less than 1/2, but conceivably more, depends where. In summary I don’t care about or even necessarily really notice most people’s appearance. A variable minority of the subset of younger women are pleasurable to look at. A much smaller proportion of people of all kinds are so depressingly unattractive I’d rather not have to see them. But I guess this is the counter point many posts are making to OP’s observation, what proportion of people is one really looking at? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/24 "2017-06-26T20:46:58Z")
Any artists here? I took a couple of art classes, one of which focused on drawing portraits, and during that class and ever since, I have considered most people kind of beautiful, although there are many different ways for this to happen. It take a whole lot of ugly for me to call somebody ugly. Although as noted, someone with a toxic personality can start looking ugly to me even if they are objectively not. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/25 "2017-06-26T21:27:31Z")
I’ve often wondered if attractiveness is best represented by an inverted bell-curve. Based on my experiences over the last 20 years, there are only a few really average-looking people. There are lots of attractive people and at least as many not-attractive people. It’s out of the ordinary for me to see someone and think, “That person is neither remarkably attractive nor remarkably unattractive.” You’d think it would be the reverse, with lots of people who are neither particularly attractive nor unattractive. Where are all the mediocre people? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/26 "2017-06-26T21:49:10Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Cost is a barrier to entry for most theme parks, so almost everyone there has disposable income. If you have disposable income, you probably have money for orthodontics, decent clothes, health insurance premiums, a good diet, and comfortable living conditions. These luxuries help beautify people. > > Anyone at a theme park is probably also in a good mood. A smiling face generally looks better than a solemn one. > > And then finally, I suspect attractive people are more likely to enjoy social recreational activities than unattractive people. If I considered myself ugly and was self-conscious about it, any public space would be a little daunting; my tendency to hermit would be higher than it is now. So the folks that you’re able to see aren’t afraid of being seen, because their looks don’t stigmatize them. > > That said, attractiveness is very subjective and depends on how you define it. Is it a state of being beautiful or handsome? Or it is the absence of unpleasant features? If you take the latter view, you will probably find most everyone attractive. These are all valid points. Also theme parks are going to attract people who are healthy enough to walk for hours in hot summer weather. So you are going to exclude many people with serious health problems. All those things are going to result in a group that appears more attractive than average. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/27 "2017-06-26T22:18:24Z")
(Jerry Seinfeld): “Have you _been_ to the DMV lately? It’s a leper colony down there!” ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/28 "2017-06-26T22:21:30Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > These are all valid points. Also theme parks are going to attract people who are healthy enough to walk for hours in hot summer weather. So you are going to exclude many people with serious health problems. > > All those things are going to result in a group that appears more attractive than average. The flip side of this same phenomenon is Walmart. If Walmart is one’s only exposure to other people, that person will come to some pretty inaccurate conclusions of humanity as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/29 "2017-06-26T22:53:38Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > The flip side of this same phenomenon is Walmart. If Walmart is one’s only exposure to other people, that person will come to some pretty inaccurate conclusions of humanity as a whole. > **[Nearly every American spent money at Wal-Mart last year](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/12/nearly-every-american-spent-money-at-wal-mart-last-year.html)** > > When it comes to where Americans like to shop, one thing is immediately clear: They're after value. > [@](#): > > Some 95 percent of U.S. consumers shopped at one of Wal-Mart’s 4,700 stores or on its website in 2016, according to NPD. Walmart is a pretty mainstream store, it isn’t the dregs of society. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/30 "2017-06-26T22:57:40Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > [Nearly every American spent money at Wal-Mart last year](http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/12/nearly-every-american-spent-money-at-wal-mart-last-year.html) > > Walmart is a pretty mainstream store, it isn’t the dregs of society. Well in that case, a person is getting a fairly accurate perception of the general population when at Walmart. That’s even worse. :eek:😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/31 "2017-06-26T22:58:33Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Well in that case, a person is getting a fairly accurate perception of the general population when at Walmart. That’s even worse. :eek:😃 Its not all bad. Shop at a walmart in a college town if you want to see pretty girls everywhere. Then again anywhere in a college town is full of pretty girls. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/32 "2017-06-26T23:02:14Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > I’ve often wondered if attractiveness is best represented by an inverted bell-curve. > > Based on my experiences over the last 20 years, there are only a few really average-looking people. There are lots of attractive people and at least as many not-attractive people. It’s out of the ordinary for me to see someone and think, “That person is neither remarkably attractive nor remarkably unattractive.” You’d think it would be the reverse, with lots of people who are neither particularly attractive nor unattractive. > > Where are all the mediocre people? _raises hand_ Honestly, I see mostly mediocre people like me when I look around. Maybe 10% I would consider attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/33 "2017-06-26T23:07:00Z")
I’m curious how the attractive people get around. Everybody I see driving is usually pretty damn ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/34 "2017-06-26T23:19:09Z")
I think roller blades and bicycles. They eat a lot of salads. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/35 "2017-06-26T23:21:59Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m curious how the attractive people get around. Everybody I see driving is usually pretty damn ugly. We could tell you, but then we’d have to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/36 "2017-06-27T00:42:30Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > It’s so hard to pin down that you can even fake it. If you’re a guy, at least, a trick for appearing more attractive is to be standing next to an attractive lady. AKA the Johnny Vegas strategy. > > [Weird looking British guy.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Jvegas.jpg) > [Weird looking British guy and his wife.](http://cdn-03.independent.ie/life/article31517447.ece/91251/AUTOCROP/w620/2015-09-11_lif_12726227_I2.JPG) > > Suddenly, he looks better. Presumably, he scored his current wife because he was already standing next to someone else who was attractive when they met. Like, I dunno, his [former wife](http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/news-in-pics/2003/09/18//vegaspic.jpg). > > Although, yes, I know what you’re thinking: How do you land the first hot wife? Not sure. Johnny Vegas is funny as hell, though (I mean, have you seen [Ideal](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417332/combined)?) and a lot of women go for that, so it probably explains wife #1. As for the OP, most people are okay looking. There are far fewer people who are stunning or hideous than average. Actually, correct that: most people are average, a small but sizable minority are really attractive, and an even smaller minority are down-right ugly. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/37 "2017-06-27T01:16:33Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > _raises hand_ > > Honestly, I see mostly mediocre people like me when I look around. Maybe 10% I would consider attractive. Spice Weasel, I swear i am not following you around 😃 but I definitely agree with this. Most people I see tend to be average - neither good nor bad looking. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/38 "2017-06-27T01:39:08Z")
On the whole? No. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/39 "2017-06-27T01:55:26Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > _raises hand_ > > Honestly, I see mostly mediocre people like me when I look around. Maybe 10% I would consider attractive. [Average faces are more attractive](http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1990.tb00079.x) If we define “attractive” as scoring within two standard deviations of the population’s mean “attractiveness”, then most people you see out in public are going to have some attractiveness to them. The super beautiful (who have an attractive score that’s greater than two standard deviations of the mean) will be disproportionately represented in mass media. The mediocre masses can do a few things to enhance their attractiveness, but it’s not like they will look like a monster if they don’t. The majority of the ugly (the people who have an attractive score that’s less than two deviations of the mean) will likely not be found out in public. Not because they are ashamed/embarrassed, but because they probably suffer from debilitating congenital birth defects or physical disorders that making getting around difficult. Since the majority of people have or have had significant others, I think it’s safe to assume that most people are “functionally” attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913/40 "2017-06-27T02:05:40Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Since the majority of people have or have had significant others, I think it’s safe to assume that most people are “functionally” attractive. It’s because of the alcohol. **Seinfeld shout out** 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-whole-are-there-more-attractive-people-in-life-than-unnattractive-ones/789913.md?page=3)