Ugly People More Dangerous? Federally Funded Study Says So., page 1

I think the point they're trying to make is people who are left out of normal teenage cliques and society, whether due to physical appearance or other reasons, are more likely to exhibit antisocial behaviour later in life, including commiting crimes. I can see this as a viable standpoint.

To my mind, normal teenage cliques are largely responsible for the societal problems we're facing. This culture of ours that venerates wealth and attractiveness does a great disservice to itself, when it starts to exclude and single out individuals bucking the trend.

Yolu know as well as I do that while there may be a corrolary, it's not worth opening the door to allow for persecution of people based on their looks.

I wonder if academics and scholars are more likely to be ugly? It would be a shame if our society started eliminating ugly folks, only to find out the hard way that intelligence and innovation aren't reliant on looks.

Can you dig it?

It's a sad truth that in life, if you have a handsome man applying for a job, he will come across as more personable than a man with less aesthetic features. Do I agree with this? Absolutely not. Do I deny it happens? Nope.

I understand the allure of attractiveness being used as a benchmark of social suitability, it's been that way for THOUSANDS of years. My point is that there are things besides clique compatibility and physical attractiveness that are of great use to society.

The standard of beauty is also not universal, by any stretch of the imagination, so there's another problem presented by what passes for their methodology. I can guarantee that my perception of beauty is not in synch with societal norms. I find Paris Hilton hideous to the point of hilarity. Do you understand the problem here?

Also, if you look at the methodology, there's no standard employed for determining who was attractive and who was not.

My single biggest problem with the 'reasearch' was the fact that the feds paid the tab for it. Why?! Why does the federal government need to commission investigations into the average criminality of ugly people?

Also, I see it very fitting that economists would be following trends in society. Do you not think these economists might be interested in the financial side of people's appearance and its influence on their life decisions? Insurance, salary, job opportunities, etc. Makes sense to me.

In abstract, it's something I can see an economist wanting to know, sure. But the federal government isn't in the habit of paying for studies simply for the erudition of the scientists involved. The government uses scientific research to direct policy, so what policy is being directed by this research?

Originally posted by st3ve_o
what makes a paedophile a paedophile? - its possible that the person had no experience with girls at school (wasn't popular), so to make up for it they are attracted to young girls/boys as an adult?

I don't know, but I suspect it has something to do with control, and a feeling of vulnerability in relationships with adults. Regardless, I've seen plenty of pedo mugshots, and the vast majority are average looking, obviously, just based on the bell curve distribution of beauty.

There are a lot of ugly criminals, no doubt. I'm just wary of any society that locks up ugly people on the assumption they might commit a crime. Or, more likely, the less severe problem of using ugliness as evidence of wrongdoing in criminal proceedings. Not a big fan of that possibility, gotta tell ya'.

rape - i can't imagen someone with brad pitts looks would go around raping people!! - yet a person with no sexual experience might be drawn to rape.

The quintissential vision of rape almost never happens. Usually it's not some hideous stranger, lurking in the alley by your building. Most often, rapes are by friends or aquaintances of the victim.

Again, plenty of serial rapists are attractive, preppy types, who make the rounds at college bars and high school parties looking for girls in possession of more alcohol than common sense.