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Most of us are easily seduced by appearances. Mouthing phrases like, “You can’t tell a book by its cover” may sound admirable, but sociologists point out that, in practice, most of us don’t behave accordingly. As consumers of products, media and plain old optics, many respond far more to image than substance.
Intellectually, we can assert that image is not everything, but multiple studies demonstrate that if you are attractive, taller, have a symmetrical face and a fashionable wardrobe, you are far more likely to land an appealing job, get promoted, snag dates and gain social acceptance. Collateral research shows when people don’t have access to visual information about someone (race, age, gender, looks, etc.), they are far more likely to make judgments based on substance (performance, intelligence, skills, attitude, etc.).
So pronounced is this bias, that some symphony orchestras require prospective musicians to audition behind a screen. This is a practice that, if more widespread in many hiring and admission decisions, would help us overcome the powerful and unfair influence of skin-deep appearances, not to mention gender and racial bias.
Image Barrier
I’ve visited with scores of clients who, despite their many positive attributes and talents, were unable to break the image barrier in their careers or social lives, leaving them hurt and demoralized. However, there’s a silver lining to this otherwise gloomy cultural cloud. Some people actually overcome these considerable odds. Despite their failure or inability to make the image grade by pandering to our superficiality, they nonetheless achieve their dreams.
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If you don’t buy that, simply go back and watch the wildly popular YouTube video of British diva Susan Boyle making her singing debut in 2009. When she first walked on stage at a TV talent show, the judges and audience were disrespectful, unimpressed, snickering and convinced she would perform in keeping with her outward appearance, which many described as frumpy and unattractive.
Anything less than a convincing display of substance—in this case a beautiful singing voice—would have doomed her to rejection and derision from the audience. But based on her impressive vocal talent, she overcame the knee-jerk biases that greeted her entrance and, subsequently, earned a boisterous standing ovation. She subsequently went on to fame and fortune and remains popular with her fans to this day.
Succeed on Substance
And one reason her story garnered so much positive attention at the time was that she gave most of us something we all need when up against the tyranny of image. Hope. Ms. Boyle garnered fascination and admiration, as have others like her, because they prove that, on occasion, someone can succeed on substance alone, that people can be persuaded to look deeper.
Sure, for every Susan Boyle in our world, there are scores of photoshopped types, people who are handed success, money or inclusion more on the basis of how they look rather than the attributes and talents they possess. When we accept and reward people for their appearance alone, we do them a grave disservice. Deep down, many of them know we don’t like them for who they truly are, but rather for their skin-deep veneer of stereotypic beauty, which is a fleeting and superficial distinction.
So when someone who doesn’t pass the image test can still overcome our oppressive infatuation with appearances and achieve a personal dream, they remind us that, before judging, it is wise to actually read a book instead of just glancing at its cover.
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