# POLL; Would you rather be cute and dumb or ugly and smart? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430 "2004-04-16T21:44:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/1 "2004-04-16T21:44:23Z")
1:What would you rather be for the rest of your life extremely ugly and so much so that no extreme make over could fix you but you were also extremely smart about all subjects having a great wealth of knowledge and common sense. **or** 2:Extremely cute, handsome, pretty or beautiful so much so that anybody that saw you whether it was a Boy,Girl,Man or Woman would feel compelled to comment on how good you looked and all through your life you would look good and always much younger than you really were but you were a little less intelligent than the average person walking the streets to the point were you would graduate high school in your early 20’s. My priorities might be screwed up but I would take choice 2 hands down, because I could always make a living as a model. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/2 "2004-04-16T21:55:16Z")
Cute and dumb seems to get you further in life, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/3 "2004-04-16T21:56:46Z")
There was a choice? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/4 "2004-04-16T22:09:07Z")
Just perusing the boards when I got home and I see this… Hah…Hah…I guess I lucked out. My wife is gorgeous and a genius…I won’t comment on myself. Those who know me know. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/5 "2004-04-16T22:11:18Z")
> [@START](#): > > My priorities might be screwed up but I would take choice 2 hands down, because I could always make a living as a model. Sure, it’s an easy choice for you. Either way it’s an upgrade. 😃 (I kid, I kid!) ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/6 "2004-04-16T22:32:25Z")
Cute and dumb doesn’t require rationalizing every minute detail like a mad man. I’ll take 2. Taking option 1 and getting surgery to look good and be exceptionally smart? It wouldn’t work. You would still be over thinking the things that really don’t matter. Maybe that’s just me though. What kind of smart are we talking about here? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/7 "2004-04-16T22:56:37Z")
Well, I’m ugly and dumb, so either one would be an improvement! If those were the choices, I’d take ugly/smart. These days, smart=rich in a number of fields. A ugly rich man can get laid a lot easier than an ugly poor man. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/8 "2004-04-16T22:58:09Z")
I’d take number one. Beauty fades, but knowledge grows with time. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/9 "2004-04-16T23:39:33Z")
I’d take option 1; smart _is_ beautiful, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/10 "2004-04-16T23:59:45Z")
2 I’m afraid. Let’s face it, looks matter. Given who runs the USA presently, it’s clear that brains are highly overrated. Being dumb and able fuck anyone you like seems to make the folks I know who can pull it off _very_ happy. And the guy who dies happy wins, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![meek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@meek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/11 "2004-04-17T00:04:28Z")
All and all - I’d prefer to take choice #3 - Average and **wealthy**! But if I can’t - and have to choose between the two - I’d pick smarts over looks. Nothing sexier than a lady with a big brains. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/12 "2004-04-17T00:34:22Z")
What’s the point of being smart? People don’t like smart. I’d rather be getting laid and hanging out with cool people than working with a bunch of smug know-it-alls. My boss is the same age as me. He may or may not be smarter (I don’t think he is) but I don’t care. I’m much happier knowing that I’m taller, cooler, better looking, and have a fuller head of hair than he does. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/13 "2004-04-17T01:02:10Z")
I’d find it interesting to see whether women or men are more likely to pick one over the other. As for me (female): I’d go with option 2. Life certainly looks easier for those women who are cute and dumb - I know, that doesn’t mean it is, but I consider myself average to low-average in appearance and smart, and that’s my viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/14 "2004-04-17T01:05:20Z")
I’d take smart and ugly… see Stephen Hawking. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/15 "2004-04-17T01:08:19Z")
Can I be cute and RICH??? ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/16 "2004-04-17T01:09:38Z")
Cute and dumb would be my choice. Same goes for the man I’d pick as well; I mean, we need to know what we’re talking about when we talk to each other. And yeah, in my experience, most people give cute people more attention and cut them more slack and make stiffer drinks for them and let to cut to the front of the line when they’re trying to get into clubs and… well, you get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/17 "2004-04-17T01:24:21Z")
Depends on how ugly we’re talking here. Is this camera-lens-shattering, baby-scaring, Moe Szyslak pug-fugly? Give me the brains and the ugly. As long as there’s Extreme Makeover, I could have it ALL!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/18 "2004-04-17T04:14:50Z")
I would rather be smart and ugly. Cute and dumb people aren’t always better off. Plenty of people try to take advantage of good-looking girls, and I wouldn’t want to be too stupid to be able to see through shallow or creepy men’s antics. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/19 "2004-04-17T04:33:02Z")
We discussed this at work the other day (all women), and it seems like the women that aren’t attractive pick being cute and dumb. The ones that are attractive pick ugly and smart. I guess if you’re not ugly you don’t realize the hardships it can cause. Also, if you’re dumb, do you _know_ you’re dumb? If you’re ugly, you almost definitely know it. As a moderately attractive, moderately intelligent woman (within my group of friends, I’m considered very smart, but I get on this board and realize I’m not all _that_ smart) I’d pick beautiful and dumb. Life is just soooo much easier when you look good, no doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/20 "2004-04-17T04:35:54Z")
Smart and ugly. I’d use my knowledge to get rich, then get plastic surgery. Problem solved. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430.md?page=2)