More than vanity

In an age of growing wealth and climbing anxiety over appearance and beauty, cosmetic surgery is becoming an increasingly-prevalent procedure in a society obsessed with appearance. Ole Martin Moen tries to tackle the problem, joining a long line of other writers who have attempted to dissect the same societal sentiment.

We work out, try to dress well, shave, and go to the hairdresser. We make sure we get tanned during summer. Some of us are on a diet, wear make up, or dye our hair. We seem to do these things, moreover, for a reason: That looks matter to us. One thing is that what meets us in the mirror is important for our self-esteem, and that better looks give us better chances in the mating market. Another thing is that in all areas of life, we are judged by our looks. This is true even of areas of where, ideally, looks should not matter. Pretty people are treated better than those who are less pretty, and studies find robust evidence that we systematically attribute unobservable characteristics such as moral stature, intelligence, and productivity based on physical attractiveness. The results of this are readily observable: Pretty people receive milder prison sentences and according to The Economist, “over a lifetime and assuming today’s mean wages, a handsome worker in America might on average make $230,000 more than a very plain one.”