In today's world, being beautiful equals more privilege. If you're a person with good looks, more people will praise you. They won't even recognize your achievements and talents but will focus only on your looks. The more ethereal you look, the more opportunities you'll have.
Being pretty attracts more people, so it is needed in the industry. Looks are subjective, but you can't deny that someone is good-looking. People keep saying to stop face-shaming, but once someone looks ugly from their perspective, they'll make fun of them. If not, they'll offer pity comments to make them feel good, but it just sounds backhanded.
Even in the celebrity and idol industry, in survival shows, people get mad if entertainment companies choose visuals over talent. But if a group debuts with people they don't find conventionally attractive, they make fun of them, saying the group is full of talent but lacks visuals. Conversely, if the group doesn't contain a lot of "visuals," they just don’t pay attention to them, but then complain that others are just full of visuals and not talent.
It's also like that in our world: beauty is everything. If we're not privileged enough, what opportunities will we have? Talent-wise, we can't say that we have a talent that will make us stand out from the rest. So what exactly do we do?
In 6th grade, I realized a lot. I was one of the funny kids in our class, but I was also pretty observant. I noticed that more people and teachers paid attention to those who stood out—those who were pretty and those who were smart. Especially the packaged people with looks and intelligence. At that moment, I wanted to prove to myself that attention should not just be given to the privileged but also to everyone.
Of course, I was proven wrong. No matter how the world turns, beauty and brains are the most important.
Being ugly and insecure about it has two escapes. One, force yourself to glow up. Two, suck it up and accept your fate. Number one has two outcomes: either you will start changing your lifestyle to be the "new" you, or you will start hating yourself even more because no matter what outcome you get, you can never feel pretty—just stuck in an unwanted body. Or even both. It’s just a cycle of processes.
If you’re pretty, they will defend you. If you’re smart, they will agree with you. If you have both, you'll be praised. If you have none, well, it’s either you will receive a major disagreement or nothing at all. Sure, hard work can get you to the top, but that doesn’t work for everyone, especially if they come from nothing, poverty.
That's why, when I learned more about this world, I strived hard. I strived, but not to be on top because I didn't really want to be known. But even after all that, it's still not enough. There is still favoritism wherever I go.
I got claimed as a smart kid, but I feel like a fraud. That label doesn't feel true to me. I just studied because that is all it takes to be noticed and appreciated and to have value since the naturally privileged way, beauty, is not an option.
It's hard, especially if you're smart but not academically inclined, so you have to put in extra effort to be considered "smart." I did that. Let's say that I was a fast learner. I could understand everything, even if it was taught badly. I could comprehend it. I was just lazy. Laziness in this economy will lead you to failure. Failing is not an option when you're not privileged. There are those who work hard to be smart, and there are those who are naturally gifted.
‘Is being smart the only option left when you have nothing?’
‘Should intelligence matter more when beauty is what people focus on first?’
Being smart requires constant effort and adaptation. Unlike natural beauty, which is often perceived as a given, intelligence demands continuous learning and improvement. It means staying up late to study, seeking out additional resources, and pushing yourself to excel in various areas. This relentless pursuit of knowledge and understanding can be exhausting, but it's seen as the only viable path for those who aren't born with conventional beauty. But it can lead to impostor syndrome—not being yourself anymore.
This mental burden can be overwhelming and can hinder one's ability to fully embrace their talents and potential.
Our society's obsession with beauty and beauty standards often overshadows genuine talent and hard work. We need to shift our focus and appreciate people for their skills and contributions rather than just their looks. After all, true beauty lies in the essence of who we are, not just in what we see on the surface.
