# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/21 "2004-04-17T04:58:02Z")
Smart and ugly. I don’t care about how other people think I look, as long as I’m not a slob. I know my brain, it’s good, and I want to keep making it better. Some have posted here saying cute and dumb, believing that it brings success. That brings Hollywood fame and lots of fortune, which is success, but it’s not the only kind. You don’t need to be cute to be successful, just be good at the things you do, such as writing, managing, storytelling, or even ass-kissing. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/22 "2004-04-17T05:04:33Z")
Smart and ugly, no doubt. Use the smarts to make money and a name for myself. Ever notice that rich guys never seem to have a problem getting laid? ---
**Author:** ![Sisyphus\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sisyphus\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sisyphus_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/23 "2004-04-17T05:10:21Z")
I reject both options posed by the OP. I’ll stay just the way I am, forever, never getting old. ---
**Author:** ![agiantdwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8c91f0/32.png) [@agiantdwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agiantdwarf)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/24 "2004-04-17T05:26:37Z")
> [@Tentacle Monster](#): > > Smart and ugly, no doubt. Use the smarts to make money and a name for myself. > > Ever notice that rich guys never seem to have a problem getting laid? I wish being intelligent meant automatic money, but that’s hardly the case. To get rich, you have to be confident and really want it. Many intelligent people are satisfied with being middle-class. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/25 "2004-04-17T05:37:09Z")
Normally I’d select option 1, but the bit about being “extremely ugly and so much so that no extreme make over could fix you” would be rather disconcerting. I mean, how ugly? So ugly that insensitive strangers would avoid me on the streets? No thanks, I’d rather save me from that kind of depressing state. So I would select #2. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/26 "2004-04-17T05:49:43Z")
Believe you me, **agiantdwarf** ; I know intelligence doesn’t automatically bring money. But it does seem that the world is run by the ugly, smart, and rich (and their children, and their children’s children). ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/27 "2004-04-17T05:50:22Z")
Polls belong in [**In My Humble Opinion**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=12). I’ll move this for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/28 "2004-04-17T08:10:42Z")
Well, I’m a cute, dumb guy and life hasn’t been bad for me so far… This probably sounds like an asshole thing to say, but I already feel like I’m too smart for half my friends anyway. Half of’m don’t get my jokes because the jokes are over their heads. I’ve ripped off some good jokes too. But they all go to waste, because like I said, HALF MY FRIENDS DON’T GET THE F’N JOKE!!! ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/29 "2004-04-17T11:42:48Z")
The difficulty as I see it is that you don’t realise you are smarter than most until late in life. You realise you are really ugly very early on (the dogs running away howling as I walked down the street gave me a clue). However- give me the smarts. At some stage you realise that physical appearance is nothing, and eventually you lose it anyway. You can be clever all your life, but attractive (realistically) for half of it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/30 "2004-04-17T11:59:55Z")
I would go with ugly and smart - if I am smart enough, then I can figure out a way to grow a slightly tweaked(so there is no immune system problems, rejecting the brain and whatnot) clone body that is very attrative and healthy, and then transplant my brain into said body. ---
**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, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/31 "2004-04-17T12:14:46Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > However- give me the smarts. At some stage you realise that physical appearance is nothing, and eventually you lose it anyway. You can be clever all your life, but attractive (realistically) for half of it. > > 😃 How’s that working out for you…being clever? -Tyler Durdin ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/32 "2004-04-17T14:07:33Z")
I’ll take intelligence, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/33 "2004-04-17T14:36:52Z")
On the plus side, it’s not a choice _I_ have to make. On the minus side, I _do_ have to remove the paper bag to wipe off the drool. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/34 "2004-04-17T15:52:30Z")
YOu do realize, dont you? that your question is almost totally hypothetical? With todays plasitic surgery, almost EVERY woman(unless seriously medically deformed) can have a beautiful figure and a pretty face. I agree that just a “makeover” will leave a lot of women ugly, but with a new chin, new nose, new eyes, new forehead, new cheekbones, new mouth, new lips, new jaw, perfect teeth, perfect well toned body, etc. any smart woman will end up pretty and still smart. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/35 "2004-04-17T15:54:38Z")
You know, last night, I introduced a gentleman friend of mine to _The Princess Bride_. One of the reasons he thought the movie was less than wonderful is, let’s face it, Buttercup, while undeniably beautiful, ain’t any too bright. In real life, I’m female, and ordinary enough in looks, but not so ordinary in intelligence. I’ll take smart and ugly. First, that’s what I thought I was when I was in high school, so I’m used to it. Second, I find I like the kind of people those two attributes put me in touch with. It tends to weed out the superficial ones. Third, there is the matter of that gentleman I mentioned. I wouldn’t know how to dazzle people with my looks even if I had any to dazzle them with. A well-thrust double entendre, however . . . CJ ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/36 "2004-04-17T15:55:43Z")
> [@Tentacle Monster](#): > > Believe you me, **agiantdwarf** ; I know intelligence doesn’t automatically bring money. . (The patent office was the only place that would give Albert Einstein a job) ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/37 "2004-04-17T16:41:38Z")
Cute and dumb. I would get more love. ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/38 "2004-04-17T20:37:44Z")
I’d pick ugly and smart any day because we all know how successful and rich smart career women can become. oh wait there’s the glass ceiling, nevermind Besides, ever notice that rich ugly women never have a problem finding men? umm actually I don’t think that’s true Ah, screw it. I wanna be dumb as a rock and gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/39 "2004-04-17T20:49:19Z")
I don’t think your conditions as written make it too much of a choice because person #1 was really smart but was horribly ugly beyond any help. While person #2 was extremely gorgeous and yet was only slightly dumber than the average person. I would take #2 under those circumstances. I think a better comparison would be having the #2 be rather closer to a blithering idiot. ---
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430/40 "2004-04-17T21:44:04Z")
I have been reading ALL responses, thanks for all of them so far. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-would-you-rather-be-cute-and-dumb-or-ugly-and-smart/240430.md?page=3)